Raffaele Cadorna
Encyclopedia
Count
Raffaele Cadorna (February 9, 1815 – February 6, 1897) was an Italian
general who served as one of the major Piedmontese
leaders responsible for the unification of Italy during the mid-19th century.
Born in Milan
, Cadorna entered the Piedmontese military academy at Turin
in 1832. Entering the engineering corps in 1840, Cadorna would command a volunteer engineer battalion in Lombardy
from March 1848 until August 1849 during the Italian War of Independence.
Serving with Piedmontese forces in January 1855 during the Crimean War
, Cadorna would win distinction during the Piedmontese War at the Battle of San Martino
and awarded the rank of Colonel in 1859.
Appointed Minister of War to the republican regime of Tuscany
that same year, Cadorna served as a lieutenant general and corps commander during the Seven Weeks War leading successful operations against the Austria
ns in the Friuli campaign June to July, 1866.
Later leading the invasion of the Papal States
, Cadorna's capture of Rome
on September 20, 1870 would fully complete the unification of Italy (and for his service, Cadorna would be named a Senator the following year). Retiring from public life soon after, he would live in Tuscany
until his death in 1897. His son Luigi Cadorna
rose to the rank of Field Marshal and served as Italian chief of staff during part of World War I
, while his grandson Raffaela Cadorna, Jr.
was a general and commander of the Italian resistance
during World War II
.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Raffaele Cadorna (February 9, 1815 – February 6, 1897) was an Italian
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 who served as one of the major Piedmontese
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
leaders responsible for the unification of Italy during the mid-19th century.
Born in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Cadorna entered the Piedmontese military academy at 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 1832. Entering the engineering corps in 1840, Cadorna would command a volunteer engineer battalion in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
from March 1848 until August 1849 during the Italian War of Independence.
Serving with Piedmontese forces in January 1855 during the Crimean War
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...
, Cadorna would win distinction during the Piedmontese War at the Battle of San Martino
Battle of San Martino
The 15th Century Battle of San Martino in Italy was part of an ongoing conflict between two city states, the Venetians under Berterelli and the Florentines under Giovanni, in 1482...
and awarded the rank of Colonel in 1859.
Appointed Minister of War to the republican regime of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
that same year, Cadorna served as a lieutenant general and corps commander during the Seven Weeks War leading successful operations against the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
ns in the Friuli campaign June to July, 1866.
Later leading the invasion of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
, Cadorna's capture of Rome
Capture of Rome
The Capture of Rome was the final event of the long process of Italian unification known as the Risorgimento, which finally unified the Italian peninsula under King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy...
on September 20, 1870 would fully complete the unification of Italy (and for his service, Cadorna would be named a Senator the following year). Retiring from public life soon after, he would live in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
until his death in 1897. His son Luigi Cadorna
Luigi Cadorna
Luigi Cadorna GCB was an ItalianField Marshal, most famous for being thechief of staff of the Italian army during the first part of World War I.-Biography:...
rose to the rank of Field Marshal and served as Italian chief of staff during part of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, while his grandson Raffaela Cadorna, Jr.
Raffaele Cadorna, Jr.
Raffaele Cadorna, Jr. was an Italian general who fought during World War I and World War II. He is famous as one of the commanders of the Italian Resistance against German occupying forces in north Italy after 1943....
was a general and commander of the Italian resistance
Italian resistance movement
The Italian resistance is the umbrella term for the various partisan forces formed by pro-Allied Italians during World War II...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.