Roman Republic (1849)
로마 공화국 (1849)
The republic proclaimed in the Papal States by the Roman Constituent Assembly on 9 February 1849, after Pope Pius IX fled to Gaeta. Led by the triumvirate of Mazzini, Armellini and Saffi and defended by Garibaldi, it fell on 3–4 July after a siege by a French expeditionary force.
In depth
After Rossi's assassination and the Pope's flight in November 1848, a constituent assembly was elected by universal male suffrage over 21 on 21 January 1849; since the Pope forbade voting, turnout was under 50%. The republic abolished the Pope's temporal power while guaranteeing his position as head of the Church, eliminated burdensome taxes, gave some church land to peasants and introduced press freedom and secular education. Its constitution provided for religious freedom, the abolition of the death penalty and torture, and universal male suffrage. Finances covered by printing money led to soaring prices.
In April Oudinot's French troops landed at Civitavecchia. Garibaldi beat them off on 30 April and drove back the Neapolitans in May, but the French, grown to 30,000, renewed the attack on 3 June. On 2 July Garibaldi left with 4,000 men and on the 3rd the French entered. The assembly promulgated the constitution as its last act and left a protest on the 4th. In the north Bologna and Ancona were taken by the Austrians.