The Ricasoli II government of Italy held office from 20 June 1866 until 10 April 1867, a total of 294 days, or 9 months and 21 days.
It was also known as the ''Government of National Reconciliation'', because it led Italy during the
Third War of Independence.
History
As Prime Minister, Ricasoli refused
Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...
's offer to cede
Venetia to Italy, on condition that Italy should abandon the
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
n alliance, and also refused the Prussian decoration of the Black Eagle because
La Marmora, author of the alliance, was not to receive it.
Upon the departure of the French troops from Rome at the end of 1866 he again attempted to conciliate the Vatican with a convention, in virtue of which Italy would have restored to the Church the property of the suppressed religious orders in return for the gradual payment of 24,000,000. In order to mollify the Vatican he conceded the
exequatur
An exequatur (Latin, literally "let it execute") is a legal document issued by a sovereign authority that permits the exercise or enforcement of a right within the jurisdiction of the authority.
International relations
An exequatur is a patent w ...
to forty-five bishops inimical to the Italian régime. The Vatican accepted his proposal, but the Italian Chamber proved refractory, and, though dissolved by Ricasoli, returned more hostile than before. Without waiting for a vote, Ricasoli resigned office and thenceforward practically disappeared from political life.
[ Endnotes:
*Tabarrini and Gotti, ''Lettere e documenti del barone Bettino Ricasoli'', 10 vols. (Florence, 1886–1894)
*Passerini, ''Genealogia e storia della famiglia Ricasoli'' (ibid. 1861)
*Gotti, ''Vita del barone Bettino Ricasoli'' (ibid. 1894).]
Government parties
The government was composed by the following parties:
Composition
References
{{Governments of the Kingdom of Italy
Italian governments
1866 establishments in Italy
1867 disestablishments in Italy