Giacomo Durando
Encyclopedia
Giacomo Durando was an Italian
general and statesman. His brother Giovanni
was also a general of the Risorgimento and a senator.
, in Piedmont
. He graduated in law in Turin
in 1829.
He was implicated in a liberal plot aiming to extort a constitution from king Charles Felix: after having been discovered, he was obliged to take refuge abroad together with his brother, first in Switzerland
and then in France
. In 1831 he fought in a foreign corps in the Belgian Revolution
, and, the following year, he moved to Portugal
where he was enrolled in a cavalry regiment of the constitutionalist army of King Pedro IV. The following year he entered the service of Spain
, when he fought in various campaigns, and was promoted colonel in 1838.
After a short stay in France he returned to Italy and identified himself with the Liberal movement; he became an active journalist, and founded a newspaper called L'Opinione in 1847. In 1848 he was one of those who asked King Charles Albert
for the constitution.
On the outbreak of the First Italian Independence War against Austria
he took command of the Lombard volunteers as major-general, and in the campaign of 1849 he was aide-de-camp
to the king. He was elected member of the first Piedmontese parliament and was a strenuous supporter of Cavour; during the Sardinian expedition to Crimean
he took General La Marmora
's place as war minister.
In 1855 he was nominated senator, lieutenant-general in 1856 and ambassador at Constantinople
in 1856, and minister for foreign affairs in the Rattazzi
cabinet two years later. During the Third Italian War of Independence
he commanded the I Corps, which was badly mauled at Custoza
. He was president of the Italian Senate from 1884 to 1887, after which year he retired from the army.
He died at Rome
in August 1894.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
general and statesman. His brother Giovanni
Giovanni Durando
Giovanni Durando was an Italian general and politician.-Biography:Born at Mondovì, in what is now the province of Cuneo, he entered the Royal Guard corps of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1822...
was also a general of the Risorgimento and a senator.
Biography
Durando was born at MondovìMondovì
Mondovì is a town and comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, located c. 80 km from Turin....
, in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. He graduated in law in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
in 1829.
He was implicated in a liberal plot aiming to extort a constitution from king Charles Felix: after having been discovered, he was obliged to take refuge abroad together with his brother, first in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and then in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 1831 he fought in a foreign corps in the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
, and, the following year, he moved to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
where he was enrolled in a cavalry regiment of the constitutionalist army of King Pedro IV. The following year he entered the service of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, when he fought in various campaigns, and was promoted colonel in 1838.
After a short stay in France he returned to Italy and identified himself with the Liberal movement; he became an active journalist, and founded a newspaper called L'Opinione in 1847. In 1848 he was one of those who asked King Charles Albert
Charles Albert of Sardinia
Charles Albert was the King of Piedmont-Sardinia from 1831 to 1849. He succeeded his distant cousin Charles Felix, and his name is bound with the first Italian statute and the First War of Independence...
for the constitution.
On the outbreak of the First Italian Independence War against Austria
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
he took command of the Lombard volunteers as major-general, and in the campaign of 1849 he was aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the king. He was elected member of the first Piedmontese parliament and was a strenuous supporter of Cavour; during the Sardinian expedition to Crimean
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
he took General La Marmora
Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora
Alfonso Ferrero, Cavaliere La Màrmora was an Italian general and statesman. His brother Alessandro La Marmora founded the branch of the Italian army now called the Bersaglieri.-Biography:...
's place as war minister.
In 1855 he was nominated senator, lieutenant-general in 1856 and ambassador at Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in 1856, and minister for foreign affairs in the Rattazzi
Urbano Rattazzi
Urbano Pio Francesco Rattazzi was an Italian statesman.-Biography:He was born in Alessandria . He studied law at Turin, and in 1838 began his practice, which met with marked success at the capital and Casale. In 1848, Rattazzi was sent to the Sardinian chamber of deputies in Turin as...
cabinet two years later. During the Third Italian War of Independence
Third Italian War of Independence
The Third Italian War of Independence was a conflict which paralleled the Austro-Prussian War, and was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire.-Background:...
he commanded the I Corps, which was badly mauled at Custoza
Battle of Custoza (1866)
The Battle of Custoza took place on June 24, 1866 during the Third Italian Independence War in the Italian unification process.The Austrian Imperial army with the old Venetian Army, led by Archduke Albert of Habsburg, defeated the Italian army led by Alfonso Ferrero la Marmora and Enrico Cialdini,...
. He was president of the Italian Senate from 1884 to 1887, after which year he retired from the army.
He died at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in August 1894.
External links
- http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/giacomo-durando_%28Dizionario-Biografico%29/"Giacomo Durando" in the Enciclopedia ItalianaEnciclopedia ItalianaThe Enciclopedia Italiana di scienze, lettere ed arti , is an Italian encyclopedia, generally regarded as the most authoritative of that language...
's Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani]