Victor Emmanuel II 1820-78
King of Sardinia and first King of Italy

Born in Turin, he was the son of Charles Albert of Sardinia, who abdicated in his favour in 1849. He saw peace concluded between Sardinia and Austria (1849). Perhaps the most important act of his reign was the appointment (1852) of the Conte d� Cavour as his Chief Minister. In 1855 Sardinia joined the allies against Russia and in 1857 diplomatic relations were broken off with Austria. He managed to defeat the Austrians at Montebello, Magenta and Solferino (1859); by the Treaty of Villafranca, Lombardy was ceded to Sardinia and in 1860 Modena, Parma, the Romagna and Tuscany were peacefully annexed to Sardinia. Sicily and Naples were added by Garibaldi, while Savoy and Nice were ceded to France. The papal territories were saved from annexation only by the presence of a French occupation force. In 1861 he was proclaimed King of Italy. In the Austro-Prussian War (1866), he allied with Prussia, and added Venetia to his kingdom. After the withdrawal of the French garrison he entered Rome in 1870, where he reigned as a strictly constitutional monarch.

Bibliography: Denis Mack Smith, Victor Emmanuel, Cavour, and the Risorgimento (1971)