Italy's Birthday

In 1495, the Italian patriotisms were severely crashed by the battle of Fornovo, lay virtually dormant for about three centuries. After Fornovo, all European’s armies rushed to Italy and fought for a share of the precious country. At that time, Spain is the most powerful Europe nation that finally emerged as the clear master of the poor country. Then the pope crowned King Charles I of Spain Holy Roman Emperor in the year of 1530. Since then, Charles and his descendants ruled in Italy more than one and half a centuries.

It was a very tough time for Italians during Charles. People were burned up by heavy taxation, and under Spanish influence liberty. The papacy was no less oppressive, the index, the rules of the Inquisition and the Jesuit Orders forced great numbers of native Italians to flee away from their homeland.

Italy lost its color and culture under the Spaniards, and after 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, under another powerful oppressive Austrians. Italian people struggled under many cruel battles to fright for freedom. The 1789 French Revolution greatly inspired many Italians and patriotisms. The ideals of republicanism just like fire spread wildly and rapidly. People of Italy dreamt of an independent country which modeled on France.

1796, Napoleon invaded Italy, the people rose together to against the Austrians and a series of republics was founded successfully. This boot-shaped peninsula was under republican and under French rule during the three years period. The great French man Napoleon won back most of Italy in 1800 but the situation was not stable. To work against the foreign oppressors and local sycophants, Italians patriots joined secret societies to fight together, such as the Carbonari.

The Congress of Vienna in 1815 was reinstated Italian political divisions, until Rome was taken in 1870 by the army of King Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy. He is also ruled over Peidmont and Sardinia at the same time. Though many centuries of foreign domination
and oppress, Italian people never give up their hope, love and struggle to win freedom of homeland. In 1870, Italy eventually emerged as a united independent kingdom.

I am interested in European culture, so that I am also learning some of the languages of European country. If you would like to visit Italy one day, you may need to speak Italian sometimes, and here have some information for you to learn Italian.