Week 23
In 1900, Italy was a young, newly unified nation (est. 1861) navigating intense industrialization in the north, severe poverty in the south, and political transition following the assassination of King Umberto I in July 1900. This era marked the beginning of the "Giolittian Era," a period of social reform, economic growth in cities like Milan and Turin (FIAT founded 1899), and rising mass emigration. Following King Umberto I's assassination, Victor Emmanuel III took the throne, leading to a more liberal government. The northern "industrial triangle" (Milan, Turin, Genoa) grew rapidly, while the south (former Kingdom of Two Sicilies) remained predominantly agricultural and poor, worsening the Questione Meridionale (Southern Question). High taxes, poverty, and lack of rights led to strikes, particularly in the Po Valley, and significant emigration, with many departing for the Americas. In foreign policy, Italy aimed to be a great power, seeking colonial expansion to boost national morale, later leading to the 1911 invasion of Libya. The early 1900s also saw the socialist movement gain momentum, with 32 seats won in the 1900 elections, reflecting growing demands for improved labor conditions.
The Assassination: King Umberto I of Italy was assassinated on July 29, 1900, in Monza by Gaetano Bresci, an Italian-born anarchist. Bresci shot the King three or four times with a revolver to avenge protesters killed during the 1898 Milan riots. The assassination took place just after an athletic event. Gaetano Bresci, a weaver living in Paterson, New Jersey, who returned to Italy specifically for the act. The motivation for the act was revenge for the Bava Beccaris massacre, where, in May 1898, General Bava Beccaris used artillery against protesting workers in Milan, killing many. King Umberto later awarded the General for his actions. At 9:30 PM in Monza, as the king was in an open-air carriage after a sports ceremony, Bresci fired four shots at close range. Bresci was tackled by the crowd. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and found dead in his cell a year later under suspicious circumstances.
REQUIRED READING FOR SPRING QUARTER
RECOMMENDED READING
The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe,
Random House Trade Paperbacks (January 6, 2015),
ISBN 081298367X