Post by South Italy on Jan 29, 2011 10:57:53 GMT
• R E P U B B L I C A - I T A L I A N A
(South Italy)
(South Italy)
Name --- Lovino Vargas
Nation --- Italia del Sud (South Italy), Repubblica Italiana (Italian Republic), former Regno di Napoli (Kingdom of Naples), Regno di Sicilia (Kingdom of Sicily) and Regno delle Due Sicilie (Kingdom of the two Sicilies)
Aliases --- Romano, Roma, Lovi, Mezzogiorno,
Apparent age --- 22
Actual age ---
1476 years - from the time the Byzantines ruled southern Italy
881 years - from the time the Kingdom of Sicily was founded.
150 years - since the unification of Italy.
Gender--- male
|-|-The External-|-|
Eye color ---hazel
Hair color ---brown
Height --- 172 cm
Weight --- 70kg
Skin tone --- dark intermediate (olive, Mediterranean skin color)
Defining features ---
The first things you'll notice upon meeting Romano are his constant frown and the gravity defying hair curl. He constantly seems annoyed or angry, but really ... it's just his usual expression and you will notice a difference if he really is angry (if you can't see it, you will be able to hear it in his voice).
The hair curl is something that his bother has as well, only that Feliciano's is on the left side of his head while Romano's curls sticks out from the right side of his head.
His skin color is a light olive color, a bit lighter than you would suspect from someone living in the Mediterranean but it has a noticeable tan to it. His skin looks smooth with no traces of scars, but they are there. Most of them had faded over the years, but you can still find those remains of his wars and revolutions if you look closely enough.
Additional features ---
Romano is far from being the tallest or strongest of the nations. His is quite average and he happens to be a little scrawny.
People often think that he and his bother are twin because they look so much alike but ... well they aren't. If you look closely you can see quite a few differences between the two Italians. Not only is his hair curl sticking out from the right side of his head or his skin a little darker, but also hair and eye color are different from his brother. His unruly hair is a dark shade of brown while his eyes are hazel and often appear to shift in color from a light brown to a darker golden-green depending on his mood. It's not easy to notice this change in the color of his eyes, but if you know what to look for, it will help you to understand how he feels at the moment and if he really is annoyed or only wearing his usual "everyday" frown.
He has a good sense of fashion and always tries to look. He likes to wear expensive Italian suits and even his casual clothes are always from well-known brands. You will never see him wear anything else beside those expensive clothes or his military uniform (but he rarely wears it nowadays) ... ok if he is cleaning or working in the garden he does wear some of his older clothes but only because he doesn't want to stain his other things. Sometimes he likes to dress himself in a black suit and wears sunglasses, looking like a Mafiosi - hey he's South Italy and even though he isn't a part of the Mafia he has his connections with them.
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Personality ---
Lovino is the exact opposite of his younger brother. Where Feliciano is cheerful and friendly, Lovino is grumpy, unfriendly and rarely seen in a good mood, but he would not be considered exceptionally bitchy as others often portray him. Yes, he insults people more often than he says nice things about them and in extreme moments he can even get violent (even though those moments are rare and mostly happen around Spain). But there are still times when he is calm and shows the people close to him that he cares, sometimes he might even show them one of his rare smiles.
He is not very sociable and has a hard time admitting his true feelings. South Italy also thinks that showing how he feels could be some kind of weakness and therefore tries to act tougher than he is. Truth is, that he is kind of a coward and while he knows how to fight he still prefers to hide behind others.
This can be noticed when Romano hides behind Spain and lets the other nation deal with all the problems and trouble he’s got himself into but again, that's just because he likes it when other people do all the work for him. He knows quite well how to fight for himself even if he is not very strong (after all there had been times in history where he had to fight on his own without anyone around to protect him).
Most people have a hard time getting along with him but he's quite charming towards women, surprising everyone how nice and friendly he can be. He would never hurt women or children and in general thinks, that girls are really cute. He's also very protective of his little brother and wants to be liked and praised by him. He started to hate Germany “'cause Feliciano just wouldn't stop talking about him” - so he's just jealous and doesn't hate Germany for who he is.
Lovino, like every other country, has a strong sense of national pride. Even if everyone else calls his brother "Italy" and him only "Romano" or "South Italy" he sees the both of them as equal. To him every Italian feel like a part of him and he would do everything or his lands. He also does his share of work and wouldn't want it any other way even if he complains about it all the time.
And even though he doesn't really act like it, he IS Catholic and religion is kind of important to him - it always had been important which can be seen in his history and he grew up under Spain after all. He isn't too strict in his believes and would never force them on someone but it is something he holds dear, feeling like God and his believes had helped him during his wars or through all the hardships he had to endure.
Likes ---
• Tomatoes
Who would have thought they were eatable and even tasted THAT good? He's in love with them ever since Spain brought them home from one of his journeys.
• Pasta
He isn't as obsessed as his brother but e loves good Italin pasta especially with tomato sauce (Spaghetti alla napoletana is his favourite).
• Pizza
It originating in Neapolitan cuisine so he has to like it, right? He likes it even more than pasta.
• Italian food in general
Espeially if it's from the south, but his brother's food is also quite good! Gelato, Cannoli, Risotto, Tiramisu, Polenta, Ribollita, Parmigiana ... he loves it as long as it's Italian.
• Cooking
He's quite good at it but it's hard to get him to cook for you. He prefers to let other people cook for him even if he complains about the food afterwards.
• Art
He isn't as good as his brother but he knows how to enjoy art.
• Football
FIFA world cup 2006!!!! (he tells himself that 2010 had only been a slip ... if he isn't trying to forget about it).
• Sunshine and warm weather
His favorite season is summer, but it's always warm in southern Italy.
• Spanish Food
He wouldn’t admit that he likes it but he kind of grew up with it.
• Music
• Siesta/taking naps
• Italian fashion
• Cute girls
• Cooking
• Turtles
• His brother
• Belgium
• Sometimes Spain
• Expensive and fast cars
• When other people do all the work for him
• Lazy mornings
• Black suits and sunglasses
Dislikes ---
• Germany
It's not that he has anything against the man himself ... he's only jealous because his brother won't stop talking about Germany.
• France
He's a pervert and always tried to get his hands on his lands. Reason enough to dislike him!
• Turkey
Same as with France only that he isn't a pervert ... but he always thought that he guy looked really
• Prussia
Potato Bastard #2 and one of Spain's idiotic friends.
• Potatoes
They remind him of Germany, but he likes them in Italian dishes (like Gnocchi).
• Cheese
He only likes it if it's Italian.
• Foreign Food in general
• Cleaning
• If he’s woken during his Siesta or too early in the morning
• That everyone calls his brother ‘Italy’
• Feeling hungry with no food around.
• Being a henchmen
•When people call him a coward or still call him Spain’s ‘little henchman’
Fears ---
• France & Turkey (after all both countries tried to conquer his lands more than once)
• To lose his family/the people close to him even so he acts like he doesn't cares
• War since he isn't pretty strong and has to rely on others for help
Lesser known facts ---
• He only says that he hates potatoes. Truth is that he doesn’t thinks they are so bad – there are quite a few Italian dishes with potatoes and he likes those.
• He knows how to clean and is actually pretty good at it! He may have been bad it as a child but his own home is always clean and yes he takes care of it himself.
• He usually hides behind Spain and lets the older Nation fight for him but if you get him angry enough or if Spain isn’t near he knows how to fight for himself. (The Mafia isn’t part of South Italy for nothing. He likes his gun and knows how to use it) But this isn’t a side of him many others had seen before and he actually prefers it if Spain takes care of these things for him.
Goals ---
• To keep his brother away from Germany. He would say it's because Germany has a bad influence on Feliciano or just that he is a bastard, but it's more out of Romanos own jealousy.
• To make the other nations see him and his brother as equal parts of Italy. He hates it that everyone calls his brother Italy while he's just "Romano". It's one of his goals to be seen as "Italy" as well.
|-|-The Past-|-|
History ---
Middle Ages
Byzantines
After the fall of the Roman Empire the Byzantines took hold of Sicily (and much later also Naples and other parts of southern Italy).
In 535 the byzantine general Belisarios landed in Sicily and conquered the Island with almost no efforts (It's said it was because of the hopes of the Sicilians for a better ruler).
Sicily had been used as a base for the Byzantines when it was their goal to conquer the rest of Italy as well, with Naples, Rome, Milan and the Ostrogoth capital Ravenna falling just within the next five years.
The Byzantine Emperor Constans II decided to move from the olad capital Constantinople to Syracuse in Sicily during 660, the following year he attacked the Lombard Duchy of Benevento and at that time he already most of southern Italy under his rule.
In 826 Euphemius a commander of the Byzantines killed his wife in and forced a nun to marry him. The Emperor Michael II caught wind of it and ordered that General Constantine should end the marriage and killed Euphemius. Euphemius fought back, killed Constantine and then occupied Syracuse – but then he was defeated and forced to go to North Africa.
It took over a century for Byzantine Sicily to be conquered. Syracuse held out for the longest time. It was in 965 that Arabs finally conquered all of Sicily.
Arabs
The Arabs ruled from 965 to 1072.
By the 11th century, mainland southern Italian powers hired Norman mercenaries, who conquered Sicily from the Arabs.
Norman conquest of southern Italy
The Normans already arrived in southern Italy in 999, during the reign of the Arabs. They came as mercenaries in the service of various Lombard and Byzantine factions.
It took them only about 70years too conquer all of southern Italy and ended with the conquest of the Emirate of Sicily.
Regno di Sicilia
The Kingdom of Sicily was a part of the Norman Kingdom. It was founded by Roger II of Sicily after he united the lands he got from his father.
It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 and the Kingdom lasted till 1861 when it became part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
These areas of this newly founded Kingdom included the Duchy of Apulia and the County of Sicily.
In 1136, Roger's rival Pope Innocent II, convinced the Holy Roman Emperor to attack the Kingdom of Sicily. He got help from the Byzantines. Roger offered to give Apulia to Lothair but he refused after being pressured by Innocent. Around the same time the army of Lothair started a revolt.
Then Lothair gave Capua and Apulia from the Kingdom of Sicily to Roger's enemies. Innocent protested, claiming that Apulia fell under papal claims.
Thanks to his his admiral, Roger then proceeded to conquer the Mahdia in Africa (Ifriqiya) and took the unofficial title "King of Africa". At the same time Roger's fleet attacked the Byzantine Empire, making Sicily the leading maritime power in the Mediterranean Sea for almost a century.
Kingdom of Sardinia
The first King of Sardinia was mentioned 1113 but the first crowned king came only in 1164 and was Barisone II of Arborea who only ruled for one year before Sardinia came to the to the Archdiocese of Pisa.
Hohenstaufen kingdom
The Accession of Frederick, a child who would then become also the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1197, greatly affected the future of Sicily.
The Hohenstaufen's grip on power, however, was not secure. Walter III of Brienne had married the daughter of Tancred of Sicily. She was sister and heiress to King William III of Sicily. In 1201 William decided to claim rule over the kingdom.
The Hohenstaufen rule in Sicily ended after the 1266 Angevin invasion and the death of Conradin, the last male heir of Hohenstaufen, in 1268.
Ruled by Anjou
In 1266, conflicts between the Hohenstaufen house and the Papacy led to Sicily's conquest by Charles I, Duke of Anjou.
Opposition to French officialdom and taxation combined with the rebellions by Aragonese and Byzantine agents led to the Sicilian Vespers and the successful invasion by King Peter III of Aragon in 1282. The resulting War of the Sicilian Vespers lasted until the 'Peace of Caltabellotta' in 1302, dividing the old Kingdom of Sicily in two.
Sicilian Vespers
In 1268, Charles of Anjou became King of Sicily but the Sicilian people came to resent the Angevin rulers since he didn't share the same interest as his people.
On 'Easter Monday in' 1282, the Sicilian people took matters into their own hands. A large crowd of Sicilians gathered outside a church near Palermo awaiting Vespers. They were joined by a group of French troops who didn't know the meaning behind the gathering. When one of the French tried to pull a woman away from the crowd (probably to rape her), he was stabbed to death by her husband. The French troops tried to help their fallen comrade but were attacked and killed by the crowd.
As the church bells rang for Vespers the people of Palermo called for an uprising - "Moranu il Franchkisi!" (meaning “Death to the French!”). The Sicilians slaughtered every Frenchman they could find, including French priests, nuns, and monks, as well as Sicilian women who had married Frenchmen, took hold of Palermo, and declared their independence. The rebellion rapidly spread to other cities across Sicily.
King Charles went to Sicily with his troops to re-conquer the island but failed.
Regno di Napoli
The Kingdom of Naples was actually the remainder of the former Kingdom of Sicily. Although the territory becam known as the Kingdom of Naples, it's rulers never gave up the title of "King of Sicily" and they still referred to their realm as the "Kingdom of Sicily".
The founding of the Kingdom of Naples came after the secession of Sicily as a part of the Sicilian Vespers.
During most of the Kingdom's existence, the lands were contested between French and Aragonese dynasties.
In 1816 the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily (which only included the Island of Sicily) formed the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Invasion of Otranto
In 1480 and 1481 the city of Otranto was attacked an conquered by the Ottoman Empire.
According to Christian historiography all the male citizens had to gather and many were killed. The remaining people of Otranto were forced to convert to the Islam, who refused was taken to the Hill of the Minerva and beheaded. The Turkish side claims that any form of mass killing never happened and the only thing that's known fur sure is, that some citizens were transported to Albania to work as slaves.
In 1481 an army was formed by king Ferdinand I of Naples and a contingent of troops was provided by king Matthias Corvinus of Hungary.
The city was won back on May 1, 1481.
Italian Wars (1494-1559)
War over Naples
Also known as the second Italian war (I skip the first 'Italian War' because it doesn't includes South Italy. Only during the Second war France and Spain decide to launch an attack on South Italy. I'll also skip most of the following wars since they don't directly include South Italy).
The 'Second Italian War' of 1499–1504 starts the year after the first one ended. Louis XII of France wanted to claim Milan and Naples his. In 1499 Louis XII invaded Lombardy and seized Milan.
In 1499, Louis concluded an alliance with the Republic of Venice and the Swiss (in form of Swiss merchants) and invaded the Duchy of Milan.
The Treaty of Trente was signed on October 13, 1501 between Louis and Maximilian of Austria. Based on the terms of the agreement, Austria recognized all French conquests in the northern territories of Italy.
But this wasn't enough and he set eyes on the Kingdom of Naples. On November 11, 1500 the Treaty of Granada was signed by Louis XII of France and Ferdinand I of Spain in which they formed an alliance to invade Naples and split the lands between them.
In 1501, French and Aragonese armies seized Naples. The two kings now quarreled over the division of the spoils; Ferdinand's insistence that he be recognized as king of both Naples and Sicily soon led to war between France and Spain.
This led to the wars of Cerignola and Garigliano where the Spanish troops defeated their French enemies and forced them to withdraw back to Lombardy.
Ferdinand I of Spain claimed Naples his.
The Italian War of 1521–26
Also known as the 'Four Years' War' in which France tried to conquer Naples/get it back from Spain in the end.
Following this war came the 'War of the League of Cognac' in which the Siege of Naples took place. (As well as the so called 'Sack of Rome')
Siege of Naples (1527)
The destruction of Rome prompted frantic action on the part of the French. On 30 April 1527, Henry VIII and Francis signed the Treaty of Westminster to combine their forces against Charles. Francis, having finally drawn Henry VIII into the League, sent an army through Genoa to Naples, where it proceeded to dig itself in for an extended siege.
16th Century
Aragonese rule
The Aragonese rule left its impression on Italy and the Renaissance through such figures as Alfonso the Magnanimous. With the unification of the crowns of Castile and Aragon in the late 15th century, southern Italy and Sicily ceased to have a local monarch and were ruled by viceroys appointed by the Spanish crown.
Holy League of 1571
It was one of the later 'Holy League's' and formed 1571 by Pope St. Inclueding almost all the major Catholic maritime states in the Mediterranean it was formed to stop the Ottoman Empire from advancing further into Europe. Its members were the Papal States, the Habsburg states of Spain, Naples and Sicily, the Republic of Venice, the Republic of Genoa, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchies of Savoy, Parma and Urbino and the Knights of Malta.
On 7 October 1571, during the Battle of Lepanto, the Holy League scored and important victory against the Ottoman Empire.
The Holy League lasted till 1573 when it was disbanded after the signing of a peace treaty.
Battle of Lepanto
A battle that took place on 7 October 1571, where the Holy League scored an important victory against the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire. The battle was fought at the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras where the Ottoman fleet was sailing away from Lepanto. The forces of the Holy League came from Messina, Sicily.
The victory gave the Holy League control over the Mediterranean, protected Rome from invasion, and prevented the Ottomans from advancing further into Europe. The battle of Lepanto was the last major naval battle fought almost entirely between oar-powered galleys.
The victory was of great symbolic importance and even years after the battle, there were mock battles held during festival in southern Italy, celebrating the defeat of the Ottoman Empire.
17th Century
Palermo Revolt
Revolt of 1647 the first revolt of many against Spanish rule.
The protests were started by peasants and criminals deeply affected by the spread of the famine.
The Spanish troops as well as the nobles were helpless and it was only because of the maestranze that they had been able to break the rebellion.
Naples Revolt (1647-1648)
The Neapolitans - in protest against a new taxes - rose in revolt. The rebels took up arms, turned upon tax collectors, nobles and besieged the Spanish garrison.
The rebellion spread to the countryside.
In October 1647 a Spanish fleet failed to reestablish Spanish rule; the rebels proclaimed a republic. Meanwhile the nobles in the countryside had raised a force and blockaded the city.
On April 6th 1648 the rebels agreed to a return of the Spanish garrison.
The Messina Revolt (1672-1678 )
In 1672, the artisans of Messina revolted against patrician rule and took control of the city, a social revolt which did not question Spanish rule.
In 1674 a patrician force overcame the rebel force; the patricians retook control of the city, drove the Spanish troops out of the town and called for French aid.
France, since 1673 at war with Spain went to aid Messina during their revolt. Messina held out until the end of the war; when peace was negotiated in 1678, the French withdrew their support, and the Spanish reestablished control.
It's said the people of Messina welcomed the Spanish troops with open arms - happy to get the French troops out of their town again!
18th Century
War of the Spanish Succession
Naples and Sicily fell into the vicissitudes of the War of the Spanish Succession.
In the Treaty of Utrecht it was decided that the Spanish Netherlands, Naples, Milan, and Sardinia would belong to Austria; Sicily and parts of the Milanese to Savoy; and Gibraltar and Minorca to Great Britain.
War of the Polish Succession
During the War of the Polish Succession the Spaniard Karl III was able to win back Naples and Sicily.
French Revolution
1799 South Italy fell into the vicissitudes of the French Revolution. The Neapolitan Republic was formed in the Kingdom of Naples. The People of Naples started an Anti-Revolutionary movement and where able to bring their own king back on the thrne.
Parthenopean Republic
Also known as the Neapolitan Republic of 1799, the Parthenopean Republic was a republic in the Kingdom of Naples during the French Revolution.
After their king fled the lower class people massacred numbers of persons suspected of republican sympathies. The upper classes found themselves abandoned by their king. To prevent anarchy they thought about forming a republic under French auspices.
On January 12, 1799 a contract was signed as a form of surrender to the French. When the news of the treaty Naples the lower class rebelled and a civil war broke out.
On 20 January 1799 the Republicans helped the French to enter the city of Naples and three days later the Parthenopean Republic was proclaimed.
The Italian Cardinal Fabrizio Ruffo and his ""Christian army of the Holy Faith"", with support of a Russian and Turkish fleet attacked Naples on 13 June 1799 and were able to win the city back.
19th Century
The Treaty of Florence
The Treaty of Florence was signed 1801 by France and the Kingdom of Naples. The Kingdom of Naples handed Elba and the Athena of Velletri over to France, while French garrisons where established in several South Italian towns.
Napoleon
The Kingdom of Italy was founded in Northern Italy by Napoleon, and ended with his defeat and fall.
When Napoleon abdicated to both the thrones of France and Italy on April 11, 1814, Eugène de Beauharnais was lined up the Mincio River with his army against the German invasion, and he attempted to be crowned king. The Senate of the Kingdom was summoned on April 17, but the senators showed themselves undecided in that chaotic situation.
Eugène surrendered on April 23, and was exiled to Bavaria by the Austrians, who occupied Milan on April 28.
Finally, on May 25, the Supreme Imperial Commissioner Count Heinrich von Bellegarde took all the powers in Lombardy, and former monarchies in Modena, Romagna and Piedmont were gradually re-established; on May 30, the Treaty of Paris was signed, and the remains of the kingdom were annexed by the Austrian Empire.
Congress of Vienna
A conference of European states held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815.
After the French Revolutions, Napoleonic Wars and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire many issues and problems stayed unsettled and so the ambassadors of European states started this conference.
For South Italy it meant that Ferdinand IV, King of Sicily was restored to rule over the Kingdom of Naples after Joachim Murat who only became the king because of Napoleon, and who started a war against Austria.
Also, The King of Sardinia gained back Piedmont, Nice, and Savoy, and was given control over Genoa.
The Neapolitan War
The Neapolitan War was a conflict between the Napoleonic Kingdom of Naples and the Austrian Empire.
In 1815 the Kingdom of Naple declared war on Austria; the war ended on 20 May 1815 with the signing of the Treaty of Casalanza. The war was triggered by an uprising in Naples, and ended after their defeat at the Battle of Tolentino.
Battle of Tolentino
The Battle of Tolentino was fought during the Neapolitan War 1815 near the city of Tolentino. It was fought by the Napoleonic King of Naples Joachim Murat against the Austrian Empire to keep the throne after the Congress of Vienna.
The battle ended on 20 May 1815, Austria and Naples concluded the Treaty of Casalanza, restoring Ferdinand IV to the throne.
Treaty of Casalanza
The Treaty of Casalanza ended the Neapolitan War. It was signed on 20 May 1815 after the Battle of Tolentino and the Battle of San Germano between the Kingdom of Naples and the Austrian Empire, as well as the United Kingdom.
The treaty established the return of King Ferdinand IV, the return of all prisoners of war and for all the Neapolitan garrisons to lay down their arms.
The Siege of Gaeta
After the Treaty of Casalanza the garrison in Gaeta refused to lay down their arms. The Siege of Gaeta followed and was a three month long fight against the city of Gaeta by Austrian troops.
Regno delle Due Sicilie
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was the largest and even wealthiest of the Italian states before the Italian unification. It was a union between the Kingdom of Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples in 1816 and lasted until 1860 when it was attacked by the Kingdom of Sardinia and became a part of the newly founded Kingdom of Italy.
The Mafia
The Mafia (also known as "Cosa Nostra") was found in Sicily.
"The Mafia is oppression, arrogance, greed, self-enrichment, power and hegemony above and against all others. It is not an abstract concept, or a state of mind, or a literary term... It is a criminal organization regulated by unwritten but iron and inexorable rules... The myth of a courageous and generous 'man of honor' must be destroyed, because a mafioso is just the opposite."
-- Cesare Terranova, Italian Magistrate murdered in 1979
Il Risorgimento (1815-1871)
Also called 'Italian independence Wars' describes the process that would finally lead to the Italian Unification (the 'Risorgimento'). The Italian Independence wars were three wars fought against Austria between 1848 and 1866 and ended with the conquest of the whole Italian territory)
First Italian War of Independence
The first independence war was declared by the Savoy's kingdom of Sardinia, in 1848, with the alliance of other Italian states. (Like the Papal States and the Kingdom of the Two Siciles)
After an initial successful campaign, with the victories at Goito and Peschiera del Garda, the pope recalled his troops, soon being followed by the other allies.
After the invasion of Lombardy the interests of Savoyards became quite evident, and - remained alone - Piedmont was defeated by Austrians at Custoza and forced to accept an armistice.
Rome was attacked by French troops, but Giuseppe Garibaldi's forces prevailed; the republic would have however soon surrendered.
Second Italian War of Independence
The second independence war was declared by the kingdom of Sardinia, in 1859 this time allied with France. Napoleon III and Camillo Cavour signed a treaty of alliance against Austria: France would help Sardine to fight against Austria and Sardinia would give Nicea and Sabaudia to France.
In the same year Austria started a war with Sardinia. French and Sardinian armies defeated Austrians in several battles of Montebello, Magenta and Solferino and took Milan.
German states forced Napoleon to stop the war, so he signed a amistance with Austria.
Rebellions started in northern Italy.
In 1860 a revolution started in the Kingdom of the two Sicilies.
Giuseppe Garibaldi took troops and sailed to Sicily where defeated the army of the Sicilian king.
Naples and Sicily allied with Sardinia.
I Mille (Expedition of the Thousand)
In 1860 Giuseppe Garibaldi an Italian revolutionary leader, led an army of volunteers to war against the Kingdom of the two Sicilies. The Kingdom of the two Sicilies held most of South Italy and it was important to defeat their forces to make the Italian Unification happen.
With the help of British troops, Garibaldi was able to land on Sicily on May 11 and only three days later he announced dictatorship over Sicily in the name of King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia.
Three important battles were fought to win over Sicily and South Italy's mainland.
Battle of Calatafimi
The first one out of three battles fought against the Neapolitan troops during Guiseppe Garibaldi's Expedition of the Thousand.
After Garibaldi's troops, the Mille landed in Sicily and dictatorship was declared a battle was fought on the hill Pianto Romano, near Calatafimi. The Battle of Calatafimi wasn't a big victory for the Mille but it helped to boost their morale and to irritate the Neapolitan forces.
It is said that their battle cry was "Qui si fa l'Italia o si muore" ("Here we make Italy, or we die").
Many locals joined the Mille and on May 27 they conquered Palermo.
Battle of Milazzo
A battle fought at Milazzo during the Expedition of the Thousand.
The battle started on the fields in front of Milazzo, but later moved to the center of the town. Garibaldi and his troops were trapped on a bridge, surrounded by Neapolitan troops when the people of Milazzo started an uprising and saved Garibaldi by attacking the Neapolitan cavalry.
After help came from Palermo, Garibaldi was able to win over Milazzo and moved on to Messina.
Battle of Volturnus
Also known as Volturno was a series of fights between the Mille and the Neapolitans. It was also the las of the three big battles fought during the Expedition of the Thousand.
The name comes from the river Volturno in northern Campania. The battles started during September 1860 while the main bttle was fought at the beginning od October of the same year.
The Garibaldines entered Naples early in September but the King had fled to Gaeta.
At the end of the month, the Neapolitans crossed the Volturno where it came to a battle against Garibaldi's army. The Neapolitans were led by their King, Francis II of Two Sicilies and defeated the Garibaldines after a long, harsh battle.
Another harsh battle was fought by some of the Garibaldines against Swiss and Bavarian troops near Maddaloni. At first they weree defeated but then two Bersaglieri battalions came to aid the Garibaldines and soon they were able to push the Swiss and Bavarian troops back.
It took the help of the Piedmontese army for Garibaldi to win over Caputa and to confirm the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
However, the military campaign was not yet fully completed, as Francis II held out in Gaeta until February of the next year, when he finally surrendered and left for exile in Austria.
Third Italian War of Independence
The third independence war was declared by the kingdom of Italy in 1866, with the alliance of Prussia.
In 1866 Italy signed alliance with Prussia against Austria. During the war, Albrecht Hapsburg defeated Italian forces in the battle of Custozza, but thanks to Prussian victory over Austria Italy gained the Kingdom of Venice. The peace between Austria and Italy was then signed in Vienna.
In 1870, when Prussia destroyed the French Empire, Italian forces overtook the Papal State and declared Rome their capital.
Triple Alliance
In 1879 Germany and Austria-Hungary agreed to form a Dual Alliance. This alliance of peace and friendship became the Triple Alliance when in 1882 it was expanded to include Italy. The three countries agreed to support each other if attacked by either France or Russia.
One of the chief aims of the Triple Alliance was to prevent Italy from declaring war against Austria-Hungary, towards whom the Italians were in constant dispute over territorial matters.
Although regularly renewed up until the outbreak of war in 1915, the Triple Alliance was essentially ineffective with regard to Italy's participation, for in 1902 Italy reached an understanding with France that each would remain neutral in the event of an attack upon the other.
Modern History
Italo-Turkish War (1911-12)
A war fought out of pure aggressions by the Italians against Turkey where Italy tried to win Libyia by declaring war on 29 September 1911.
They were able to win over Tobruk and Tripoi. The following summer, the Italians forced the Turks further back but never had to fully crush their troops because of a peace treaty (Treaty of Ouchy) signed on 15 October 1912. Turkey was forced to give up Libya, Rhodes and the Dodecanese islands to Italy.
World War 1
In the years that led up to World War One, Italy had sided with Germany and Austria-Hungary in the Triple Alliance. In theory, Italy should have joined the two nations when war broke out in August 1914.
I didn't though.
What Italy did was to wait and see how the war progressed. On April 26th 1915, Italy joined the war on the side of the Triple Entente with Britain, France and Russia.
Many socialists had supported the governments in keeping Italy out of the war. The nationalists, however, were horrified. To start with, Mussolini was against the war.
But he changed his mind in 1915 because of the secret Treaty of London. Britain offered him large sections of territory in the Adriatic Sea region – Tyrol, Dalmatia and Istria. Such an offer was too tempting for Italy to refuse.
So in 1915 they finally joined the war.
But Italy's experience in World War One was disastrous.
Between 1915 and 1917, Italian troops only got 10 miles inside Austrian territory. In 1917 came the 'Disaster of Caporetto' In this battle the Italians had to fight the whole Austrian Army and 7 divisions of German troops.
Though the Italians had a victory at Vittorio Veneto in 1918, the psychological impact of Caporetto was huge. The retreat brought shame and humiliation to Italy.
Pact of Steel
Formally known as the 'Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy'. The pact was an alliance between the two in the event of either being invaded. Also it went one step further to state that neither side would make peace unless the other agreed. The pact was intended to last for ten years.
Secret clauses in the pact urged both nations to increase the level of cooperation in war planning and war production and to coordinate propaganda efforts.
World War 2
Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Following this event, Mussolini would change his mind repeatedly as to whether or not he intended to enter the war. The British commander in Africa, General Wavell, was correct in arguing that Mussolini's pride would ultimately cause him to enter the war. Wavell would compare Mussolini's situation to that of someone at the top of a diving board, "I think he must do something. If he cannot make a graceful dive he will at least have to jump in somehow; he can hardly put on his dressing-gown and walk down the stairs again."
But despite Mussolini's description of the German-Italian alliance as an "Axis of Blood and Steel", his response to the German invasion was to declare that Italy was neutral.
Then when Mussolini felt the war was coming to an end he declared war on Britain and France.
Within a week of Italy's declaration of war the British had seized Fort Capuzzo and in an ambush east of Bardia the Tenth Army's Engineer in Chief was captured. Mussolini ordered Marshal Graziani, commanding the Tenth Army in Libya, to attack into Egypt. Graziani wondered how he was possibly expected to succeed, but tried it anyway.
The initial Italian assault would carry through to Sidi Barrani, around 95km inside the Egyptian border before the attack came to a halt. At this time there were only +30,000 British troops available to defend against +250,000 Italian troops.
However, Graziani did not know how weak the British were and in addition he lacked faith in the strength of the Italian miltiary.
In October 1940, Italy invaded Greece. After 3 weeks, the Italian force was repulsed.
In 1943 American troops invaded Sicily.
Wholesale deportations of Jewish communities began when Germany occupied Italy in 1943. Italian units switched sides and began fighting against the Germans.
In the following month Mussolini controlled less and less of Italy as the Allies made bitter progress up the Italian peninsula. Rome fell on June 5, 1944.
With so many losses on all fronts, Germany could not adequately supply its Italian stations, and they pulled back into Germany.
Afterwards Mussolini and his entourage were executed and hung by their feet for public display.
Miracolo economic
Or 'boom economico' was the Italian economic miracle in 1950/1960.
After the Second World War Italy was a poor and underdeveloped nation - compared to others in Europe. The 'boom' was the modernization and development into one of the world's major economies during that time. Most of it was of the discovery of methane and hydrocarbons which allowed the Italian steel industry to grow.
Italy also began to stabilize its inputs and outputs.
Ciaculli massacre
1963, a bomb exploded in a suburb of Palermo, killing several police officers. The bomb was intended for the boss of the Ciaculli Mafia family and the police officers were involved after getting an anonymous phone call.
This was the start of battles between Mafia clans in Palermo, Sicily – also commonly known as the First Mafia War.
The massacre changed the war between the clans more into a war against the Mafia, led by the state.
Second Mafia War
What is known as the Second Mafia war, was a conflicts in the Sicilian in the 1980's. It is also known as The Great Mafia War or Mattanza (meaning the Killing), including the whole Mafia into a bloody and violent war.
But it didn't top with battles within the Mafia itself, there where assassinations of authority figures, as a campaign against the Italian state. The campaign started in 1977 and continued throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s.
This ended in an even bigger war against the Mafia than in 1963 and ended with the Maxiprocesso of 1986/87.
Maxiprocesso
The Maxiprocesso or Maxi Trial was a criminal trial in 1986/87 against the Mafia where hundreds of Mafiosi were convicted of many crimes.
After The Great Mafia War, authority figures had to face the crimes committed by the Mafia and couldn't ignore or deny them any longer. The public, shocked by all the killings during The Great Mafia War demanded that something was done, that someone started a blow against the Mafia. This was done by an Antimafia pool consisting of magistrates who closely worked together sharing informations about the actions of the Mafia.
The Maxi Trial begun on February 10, 1986, after many years of hard work. A total of 474 Mafiosi were facing charges under Alfonso Giordano, flanked by two other judges who were 'alternates', should Giordano die before the trial ended.
The trial ended on December 16, 1987 and 360 out of the 474 defendants were convicted.
ECSC & EEC
The ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community) and later the EEC (European Economic Community) were found by Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
European Union
In 1993 the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht. The founding Members were Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
Euro - the new currency
When Italy wanted to enter the euro zone it attracted criticism from its European partners over it's debts and public spending. Italy's economy was the most stretched of all the EU countries when it came to the criteria for joining the euro zone. It needed quite a few reforms for Italy to get the Euro, but many members felt that Italy still had a long way to go before it met its obligations.
The designs of the coins were chosen by the Italian public with help of a TV show where people called a certain number to vote for their favorite design, only the design of the 1 Euro coin was decided by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (President of the Italian Republic from 1999 to 2006).
Financial crisis
2008 Italy was hit by the financial crisis like many other nations.
The economy of Italy was in early 2008 the seventh-largest economy in the world, based on nominal GDP comparisons, and the fourth-largest in Europe.
BEIJING, March 11 2009 (Xinhua) -- Italy, which has long suffered from low economic growth due to lingering traditional obstacles, has plunged into an economic downturn since the contagious financial crisis broke out last year.
Analysts say the current downturn may last for a considerable period in the country as it battles against traditional old obstacles that impede its development while trying to pull through the economic crisis.
|-|-The Style-|-|
Roleplay example ---
1674
During the Messina Revolt
Romano stared at the paper in front of him. He was sitting on a wooden desk in a small room in the center of Messina – one of his beautiful cities on the coast of Sicily. However, he wasn’t here to marvel at its beauty, he was here to help his people, to support their revolt against Spain who still wasn’t giving a shit about them! He was so angry at the other, much older nation.
This wasn’t the first time he fought with his people during one of their revolts. First it had been Palermo, then Naples and now it was Messina! His people were suffering all across the country but Spain wasn’t doing anything to help them… no, he just increased the taxes and ignored how they suffered and died. Romano just couldn’t understand his “Boss.” He had always been so nice to him – okay, he was a little scared of the other nation after his last revolt in Naples but it wasn’t like Antonio had hurt him… just his people. In the end, he had even lowered the taxes for them but though it didn’t help all the people in his country.
Why was he caring for him but not for his people?
The South Italian shook his head and tried to focus on the empty paper lying on his desk. If he wanted to fight against Spain, he needed help and the only person he could ask was France. The first time his people had tried it alone and failed, the second time they had asked the French for help but failed again so now he wanted to ask the personification of France himself. As far as Romano knew, Spain and France were at war and Francis wouldn’t pass a chance to kick Antonio’s ass – at least, that was what he hoped for!
He took the quill and started writing:
Yo, Wino Bastard!
He looked at the greeting for a moment before he crossed out the words with a pained expression on his face. It wouldn’t do him any good if he started his message like that.
Dear Francis,
Lovino cringed at the words he had just written– he couldn’t believe he was calling that Bastard by his name.
How have you been? I have heard you are at war with Spain the Bastard! Too bad neither of you is dead yet…
Another crossed out sentence. This wasn’t going to work if he started writing these things. Romano told himself that he had to be nice regardless of how much torture it was to exchange pleasantries instead of insulting the French Nation.
As you may have heard, I have my own problems with him, which is the reason for writing this message to you. I’m in Messina, Sicily, and we were able to kick those stupid Spanish troops out of the town but we won’t be able to fight them off much longer. So get your fat ass over here – I hope you could aid my men and me in our war.
Again he had to cross out one of the sentences. God, was he disgusted with himself – the South Italian couldn’t believe he was seriously writing this!
I can assure you, you won’t regret it.
Sincerely, Romano
No, he wasn’t implying anything by writing that France wouldn’t regret helping him. Should the other want something, Romano didn’t care as long as he would come and help him. He wasn’t happy with it, he didn’t want to be nice to the Frenchman, but he would do anything for his people even if it meant to kiss his ugly frog ass!
Romano would do anything just to free his people from Spain.
|-|-The Player-|-|
Username --- Muffin
Age --- 23
Time zone --- CET (Central European Time) or GMT + 1
