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Abstract
The paper addresses the impact of the Rhine Crisis of 1840 on Italian countries and explains the role they played in the European State System when the Continent seemed to be on the eve of a general war. As the paper attempts to prove, the crisis seriously alarmed the ruling classes as well as the general public and revealed the internal problems of the Italian countries as well as their deep distrust towards the egotistic and self-serving policies of the Great Powers. The paper therefore introduces the history of Italy during late 1840 within the wider context of European diplomatic history and serves as a probe into the history of the European State System during the Pre-March period in general.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. CitationVeit-Brause, Die deutsch-französische Krise von 1840.
2. CitationGuichen, La crise d'Orient; CitationHasenclever, Die orientalische Frage.
3. Of the numerous works on German history covering the Rhine Crisis the most significant is the recent revisionist work of American historian CitationJames M. Brophy, “The Rhine Crisis of 1840 and German Nationalism.” Of the contributions on France's role see the similarly excellent article recently published by French historian CitationP. E. Caquet, “The Napoleonic Legend and the War Scare of 1840.”
4. CitationDeschamps, La Belgique devant la France de Juillet, 49–102; CitationLademacher, Die belgische Neutralität, 97–125.
5. For example CitationElrod, “The Concert of Europe,” 168–70; Schulz, “Defenders of the Right?,” 257–8.
6. Schulz, Normen und Praxis, 622–38.
7. CitationSchroeder, “The Transformation of European Politics,” 25–40.
8. Pollone to Solaro, London, 6 Oct. 1840, Archivio di Stato di Torino, Turin (henceforth: AST), Lettere ministri (henceforth: LM), Grand Bretagna 114.
9. CitationHillebrand, Geschichte Frankreichs, 419.
10. CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 101–14; CitationNatali, La rivoluzione italiana, 106–10.
11. For Charles Albert's apprehension see Charles Albert to Solaro, 8 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 93. For the Papal States and Tuscany see below.
12. CitationDavis, “Palmerston and the Sicilian Sulphur Crisis,” 5–22; CitationThomson, “Prelude to the Sulphur War,” 163–80.
13. CitationRosselli, Inghilterra e regno di Sardegna, 743.
14. CitationBerti, Russia e stati italiani, 546; CitationGuichen, La crise d'Orient, 402.
15. CitationGuichonnet, Nouvelle histoire, 261, 269; CitationMonnier, L'Annexion de la Savoie, 81; CitationTardy, La Savoie, 53, 150–1.
16. Charles Albert to Solaro, 8 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 91; Solaro to Sambuy, Turin, 18 Aug. 1840, CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 361.
17. Dalmatie to Thiers, Turin, 11 Aug., 12, 25 and 29 Sep., 3 Oct. 1840, Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, Paris (henceforth: AMAE), Correspondance politique (henceforth: CP), Sardaigne 314; Schwarzenberg to Metternich, Turin, 12 Aug., 8 and 21 Sep. 1840, Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv, Vienna (henceforth: HHStA), Staatenabteilungen (henceforth: StA), Sardinien 77; Charles Albert to Solaro, 8, 9 and 10 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 91–6; Solaro to Sambuy, Turin, 18 Aug. 1840, CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 362; CitationNatali, La rivoluzione italiana, 118; CitationRosselli, Inghilterra e regno di Sardegna, 739; CitationSilva, La Monarchia di Luglio, 272.
18. Dalmatie to Thiers, Turin, 3 Oct. 1840, AMAE, CP, Sardaigne 314; Charles Albert to Solaro, 9 and 10 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 95.
19. Thiers to Barante, Paris, 22 Aug. 1840, CitationBarante, Souvenirs du Baron de Barante, 484.
20. Brignole to Solaro, Paris, 6 Aug. 1840, Crotti to Solaro, Paris, 20 and 27 Aug. 1840, AST, LM, Francia 267.
21. Crotti to Solaro, Paris, 6 Sept. 1840, AST, LM, Francia 268.
22. Crotti to Solaro, Paris, 24 Aug. 1840, AST, LM, Francia 267.
23. Brignole to Solaro, Paris, 6 Aug. 1840, AST, LM, Francia 267; Brignole to Solaro, Paris, 22 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Francia 268.
24. Brignole to Solaro, Paris, 16 and 22 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Francia 268.
25. Schwarzenberg to Metternich, Turin, 12 and 20 Aug., 21 and 30 Sep., 1 and 26 Oct., 28 Nov. 1840, HHStA, StA, Sardinien 77; Dalmatie to Thiers, Turin, 12, 16 and 23 Oct. 1840, AMAE, CP, Sardaigne 314; Waldburg-Truchsess to Frederick William IV, Turin, 27 Aug. and 19 Sep. 1840, Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin (henceforth: GStA PK), Hauptabteilung III (henceforth: HA III), Ministerium des Auswärtigen I (henceforth: MdA I), 5501; Abercromby to Palmerston, Turin, 24 Oct. 1840, Genoa, 5 Nov. 1840, The National Archives of the United Kingdom, London (henceforth: TNA), Foreign Office (henceforth: FO) 67/112; CitationMargarita, Memorandum storico politico, 186–7.
26. Blonay to Solaro, Lausanne, 29 Aug. and 7 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Svizzera 56.
27. CitationLemmi 1928, 74–5; CitationRosselli, Inghilterra e regno di Sardegna, 497.
28. Charles Albert to Solaro, 8 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 92; Charles Albert to Solaro, 17 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 99.
29. Charles Albert to Solaro, 8 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 92; Solaro to Sambuy, Turin, 18 Aug. 1840, CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 363.
30. Sambuy to Solaro, Vienna, 15 Oct. 1840, CitationAlberti, La politica estera, 370.
31. Beauvale to Palmerston, Königswart, 23, 27 and 29 Aug. 1840, TNA, FO 7/291; Sambuy to Solaro, Vienna, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11 Aug., 30. Sep., 15 Oct., 5 and 6 Nov. 1840, CitationAlberti, La politica estera, 314–23, 354–62, 370 and 395.
32. Solaro to Sambuy, Turin, 18 Aug. 1840, AST, LM, Austria 137; Charles Albert to Solaro, 15 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 98; Charles Albert to Solaro, 23 Aug. 1840, CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 100.
33. Pollone to Solaro, London, 25 Aug. and 14 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Grand Bretagna 114.
34. Schwarzenberg to Metternich, Turin, 1 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Sardinien 77.
35. CitationMargarita, Memorandum storico politico, 182–3.
36. Solaro to Sambuy, Turin, 12 Aug. and 28 Sep. 1840, HHStA, Staatskanzlei (henceforth: StK), Interiora–Intercepte 29; Beauvale to Palmerston, Vienna, 25 Sept. 1840, TNA, FO 7/291B; Solaro to Sambuy, Turin, 18 Aug. 1840, CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 361; Charles Albert to Solaro, 8 Aug. 1840 CitationLovera and Rinieri, Clemente Solaro, 92.
37. Schwarzenberg to Metternich, Turin, 26 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Sardinien 77; Abercromby to Palmerston, Genoa, 28 Nov. 1840, TNA, FO 67/112.
38. Pollone to Solaro, London, 27 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Grand Bretagna 114.
39. Metternich to Schwarzenberg, Königswart, 3 Aug. and 4 Sep. 1840, HHStA, StA, Sardinien 77; Schwarzenberg to Metternich, Turin, 26 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Sardinien 77; Blonay to Solaro, Lausanne, 27 Aug. 1840, AST, LM, Svizzera 56; Solaro to Sambuy, Turin, 26 Oct. 1840, CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 363.
40. Metternich to Schwarzenberg, Vienna, 12 Nov. 1840, HHStA, StA, Sardinien 77; Pollone to Solaro, London, 6 Sep., 3 and 27 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Grand Bretagna 114; Bresson to Thiers, Berlin, 2 Nov. 1840, AMAE, CP, Prusse 295; Abercromby to Palmerston, Turin, 30 Dec. 1840, TNA, FO 67/112; Sambuy to Solaro, Vienna, 16 and 31 Oct. 1840, CitationAlberti, La politica estera, 372 and 382; CitationRosselli, Inghilterra e regno di Sardegna, 758.
41. Abercromby to Palmerston, Genoa, 14 and 28 Nov. 1840, Turin, 30 Dec. 1840, Palmerston to Abercromby, London, 14 Dec. 1840, TNA, FO 67/112; Abercromby to Palmerston, Turin, 1 and 19 Jan. 1841, TNA, FO 67/115; CitationRosselli, Inghilterra e regno di Sardegna, 760.
42. Peruzzi's report, Paris, 8 Aug. 1840, attached to Reviczky to Metternich, Florence, 20 Aug. 1840, HHStA, StA, Toskana 61; Carrega to Solaro, Florence, 4 and 7 Aug., 7 Sep. 1840, AST, LM, Toscana 19.
43. Ohms to Metternich, Roma, 15 Aug. 1840, HHStA, StK, Rom 63.
44. Reviczky to Metternich, Florence, 27 Aug. 1840, HHStA, StA, Toskana 62; Crotti to Solaro, Paris, 29 Sep. 1840, AST, LM, Francia 268; Ohms to Metternich, Roma, 29 Aug. 1840, HHStA, StK, Rom 63.
45. Reviczky to Metternich, Florence, 18 Aug. 1840, HHStA, StA, Toskana 61. This apprehension lived during the whole of the crisis. Reviczky to Metternich, Florence, 6 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Toskana 61.
46. Rayneval to Thiers, Roma, 13 and 22 Sep. 1840, AMAE, CP, Rome 982; Duauly to Thiers, Roma, 25 Oct. 1840, Ancona, 6 Nov. 1840, AMAE, CP, Rome 982; Bellocq to Thiers, Florence, 3 and 9 Sep. 1840, AMAE, CP, Toscane 175; Ohms to Metternich, Roma, 7, 24 and 26 Sep. 1840, HHStA, StK, Rom 63; Broglia to Solaro, Roma, 3 Sep. 1840, AST, LM, Roma 342; Broglia to Solaro, Roma, 8 and 10 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Roma 343; Moore to Palmerston, Ancona, 18 Nov. 1840, TNA, FO 43/32.
47. Reviczky to Metternich, Florence, 24 Nov. 1840, HHStA, StA, Toskana 61.
48. Ohms to Metternich, Roma, 8, 15 and 29 Aug., 24 Sep. and 10 Oct. 1840, 1840, HHStA, StK, Rom 63; Reviczky to Metternich, Florence, 8, 11, 18 and 27 Aug., 17 Sep. 1840, HHStA, StA, Toskana 61; Rayneval to Thiers, Roma, 18 Aug. 1840, AMAE, CP, Rome 982; Latour Maurbourg to Thiers, Roma, 28 Oct. 1840, AMAE, CP, Rome 982; Bellocq to Thiers, Florence, 28 Aug. 1840, AMAE, CP, Toscane 175; Carrega to Solaro, Florence, 11 Aug., 1 Sep., 9 and 19 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Toscana 19; Aubin to Holland, Roma, 28 Oct. 1840, attached to Holland to Palmerston, Florence, 2 Nov. 1840, TNA, FO 79/97.
49. Metternich to Ohms, Vienna, 10 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StK, Rom 64.
50. Reviczky to Metternich, Florence, 11 Aug., 22 Sep., 6 and 12 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Toskana 61; Ohms to Metternich, Roma, 12 and 26 Sep., 10 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StK, Rom 63; Metternich to Ohms, Vienna, 7 Nov. 1840, HHStA, StK, Rom 64; Broglia to Solaro, Roma, 3 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Roma 343; Bellocq to Thiers, Florence, 9 Sep. 1840, AMAE, CP, Toscane 175; Altieri to Lambruschini, Königswart, 22 Aug., Vienna, 9 and 23 Oct. 1840, Archivio Segreto Vaticano, Vatican City, Archivio della Nunziature Apostolica in Vienna 280C; Broglia to Solaro, Roma, 11 and 22 Aug., 3 and 19 Sep. 1840, AST, LM, Roma 342; Carrega to Solaro, Florence, 19 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Toscana 19.
51. Montebello to Thiers, Naples, 23 Aug., 13 and 19 Sep. 1840, AMAE, CP, Naples 165; Bernstorff to Frederick William IV, Naples, 7 and 27 Aug. 1840, GStA PK, HA III, MdA I, 5596; Lebzeltern to Metternich, Naples, 6, 14 and 28 Aug., 11 Sep. 1840, HHStA, StA, Neapel 92; Ricci to Solaro, Naples, 25 Aug. 1840, AST, LM, Due Sicilie 55; Temple to Palmerston, Naples, 16 Sep. 1840, TNA, FO 79/169.
52. CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 307; CitationNatali, La rivoluzione italiana, 118; CitationRienzo, Il Regno delle Due Sicilie, 20–4.
53. Bernstorff to Frederick William IV, Naples, 27 Aug. and 24 Sep. 1840, GStA PK, HA III, MdA I, 5596; Lebzeltern to Metternich, Naples, 28 Aug. 1840, HHStA, HHStA, StA, Neapel 93; Lebzeltern to Metternich, Naples, 9 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Neapel 92; Spaus to Ludwig I of Bavaria, Roma, 28 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StK, Interiora–Intercepte 30.
54. Lebzeltern to Metternich, Naples, 14 Aug. and 23 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Neapel 92; Montebello to Thiers, Naples, 23 Aug., 13 Sep. and 18 Nov. 1840, AMAE, CP, Naples 165; Bernstorff to Frederick William IV, Naples, 10 Sep. 1840, GStA PK, HA III, MdA I, 5596; Ricci to Solaro, Naples, 22 Oct. 1840, AST, LM, Due Sicilie 55; Gourieff to Nesselrode, Naples, 14 Sep. and 20 Nov. 1840, HHStA, StK, Interiora–Intercepte 29.
55. Scilla to Serra Capriola, Naples, 10 Sep. 1840, HHStA, StK, Interiora–Intercepte 28.
56. Temple to Palmerston, Naples, 16 Sep. 1840, TNA, FO 79/169.
57. Montebello to Thiers, Naples, 13 Sep. 1840, AMAE, CP, Naples 165; Traité d'alliance défensive entre l'empereur d'Autriche et le roi des Deux-Siciles, signé à Vienne, le 12 juin 1815 avec les articles secrets et séparés, CitationAngeberg, Recueil des traités, 200–3; Convention entre l'empereur d'Autriche et le roi des Deux-Siciles, signée à Vienne, le 4 fèvrier 1819, CitationAngeberg, Recueil des traités, 248; CitationRienzo, Il Regno delle Due Sicilie, 23.
58. Montebello to Thiers, Naples, 13 Sep. 1840, AMAE, CP, Naples 165; CitationHillebrand, Geschichte Frankreichs, 442; CitationPouthas, La politique étrangère de la France, 280.
59. Lebzeltern to Metternich, Naples, 11 Sep. and 23 Oct. 1840, HHStA, StA, Neapel 92; Metternich to Lebzeltern, Vienna, 21 Nov. 1840, HHStA, StA, Neapel 94.
60. Ricci to Solaro, Naples, 6 Dec. 1840, AST, LM, Due Sicilie 55.
61. Montebello to Guizot, Naples, 18 Nov. 1840, AMAE, CP, Naples 165; Bernstorff to Frederick William IV, Naples, 18 Dec. 1840, GStA PK, HA III, MdA I, 5596; Lebzeltern to Metternich, Naples, 4 and 18 Dec. 1840, HHStA, StA, Neapel 92.
62. Sambuy to Solaro, Vienna, 18 Jan. 1841, CitationAlberti, La politica estera, 427.
63. Solaro to Sambuymu, Turin, 18 Feb. 1841, CitationBianchi, Storia documentata, 366.
64. Broglia to Solaro, Roma, 15 Aug. 1840, AST, LM, Roma 342; Broglia to Solaro, Roma, 3 Nov. 1840, AST, LM, Roma 343; Ricci to Solaro, Naples, 15 Nov. 1840, AST, LM, Due Sicilie 55.
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Miroslav Sedivy
Miroslav Šedivý is a Czech historian dealing with the history of Europe and the Near East in the first half of the 19th century. He was born in Prague in 1980, studied at the Universities of Vienna, Munich and Newcastle and finally received a Ph.D. from the Charles University in Prague in 2008. He has published over 80 books and articles in journals and proceedings; his most recent monograph published in English is Metternich, the Great Powers and the Eastern Question (Pilsen 2013). He has also finished his second English book on the Rhine Crisis of 1840 being in the state of a manuscript at this moment and he is about to write the third one on Austria, Italy and the European States System 1830–1848.