Francesco Crispi , born with Ribera close to Agrigente (Sicily) the October 4th 1819 and died in Naples the August 12th 1901, is Italian statesman, president of the council of the August 7th 1887 with the February 6th 1891 and of the December 15th 1893 with the June 14th 1896.

The republican

Lawyer in Naples, it takes part in the rising of 1848-49 in the Royaume of Deux-Siciles. After the failure of rising, it takes refuge in the Piedmont. Republican mazzinien, it is expelled of the Piedmont after the attempt at plot of his friends in 1853. He takes refuge with Malta, where he Marie, then with Paris. Again expelled, it finds asylum with London, where he becomes the collaborator of Mazzini. It returns to Italy in June 1859, at the time of the war austro-free-Sardinian (the second war of independence). He plays a leading role in the preparation and the unfolding of the Expédition of the Thousand of Garibaldi against the Royaume of Deux-Siciles. He unloads with Marsalla, in Sicily, in May 1860, and after the conquest of the island becomes Finance and Minister of Interior Department in the new sicilian government. He refuses the fastening of his native land to the Royaume of Sardinia, it is a failure.

The political career

Crispi is elected appointed republican of Palermo in 1861, and sits at the extreme left in the first Italian Parliament. But in 1864, it decides to rejoin monarchy. “The Republic divides us, Monarchy links us”, writes it then in Mazzini. In 1866, he refuses to take part in the ministry Ricasoli. In 1867, he is opposed to military forwarding against Rome which carries out, without success, his/her former friend Garibaldi. In 1873, with died of Rattazzi, it supports the candidature for the direction of the left of Depretis. In 1876, he is elected president of the House of Commons. In December 1877, Depretis calls it in its ministry at the post of minister of the Interior. There remains until March 1878 there, date on which he must resign following a serious private affair where he is shown of bigamy.

In its function, it has a centralizing action. It suggests with new king Humbert taking the title of Humbert Ier, king d' Italie, and gives up the Savoyard continuation (Humbert IV of Savoy). It obtains that the king Victor-Emmanuel II is buried in Rome and not in Savoy near his ancestors. The pope Pie IX being deceased, Crispi convinces the cardinal Pecci, the future pope Leon XIII, that the conclave for the election of the successor, is held in Rome, although the position of papacy is to regard itself as “captive” in the Vatican. Become again appointed, Crispi criticizes the policy of Depretis, reproaching him its lack of ambition to give again in Italy the prestige which she had known. In 1887, Depretis must recall it to the ministry Interior.

The president of the council

In January 1887, Crispi is named president of the Council of Ministers. It will remain it until January 31st, 1891. After the interlude of the government Giovanni Giolitti, it takes again on December 15th, 1893 the direction of the government, which it preserves until its resignation on March 4th, 1896. It is supported by king Humbert Ier, but its authoritarianism alienates to him supports it Radicals. Crispi changes alliance and controls with the line. Very often, it does without the control of the Parliament or dissolves it by convenience. In 1893, it puts an end to the quasi insurrection caused by the fasci of peasants low in Sicily. Outside, it aims to reinforces the prestige of Italy, but it does not take enough account of the poverty of its country. Large admiror of Bismarck, Crispi reinforces the bonds of alliance with Austria and Germany initiated by Depretis in 1882. He is very hostile in France, from which he badly supports temptation to dictate his foreign policy in Italy and who, while placing the Tunisia under his protectorate, deprives the peninsula of an easy colony of access. Crispi breaks the negotiations for the commercial treaty; he refuses to open an Italian house with the World Fair which is held in Paris in 1889. But especially, Crispi accentuates the colonial policy of Italy in Africa. In spite of the defeat of the Italians with Dogali in January 1887, it obtains Négus of Abyssinie the recognition of a protectorate on the Erythrée. Pushing its advantage, it launches Italy in the military conquest of Abyssinie. That ends in the disaster of the Bataille of Adoua on January 11th, 1896. Crispi is constrained to resign.

After its resignation, it is worried by justice for possible corrupt practices. He resigns of his station of deputy, but he is re-elected in Palermo in 1898.

Crispi dominated the last decade of the 19th century in Italy. Especially, many its ideas as its style of government do of them one of the inspirers of Mussolini.

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