Enrico Guicciardi (politician)

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Enrico Guicciardi (1886), painting by Giovanni Gavazzeni (1841–1907)

Enrico Guicciardi (born November 6, 1812 in Ponte im Valtellina , † July 1, 1895 ibid) was an Italian politician and freedom fighter .

Live and act

Enrico Guicciardi comes from a family that can be traced back to the Valtellina in the 12th century and has held important positions such as that of the Valtellina valley chancellor and others. The family was connected to the most important noble families in the valley through a clever marriage policy. Representatives of the family were lawyers, churchmen and politicians. Enrico was born the legitimate son of Diego Guicciardi (1756-1837) and Teresa Guicciardi (nee Delfini).

Enrico Guicciardi studied law at the University of Pavia . He basically shared Giuseppe Mazzini's ideas for a free and united Italy (see also: Risorgimento ) and took a moderate stance. He took part in the March Revolution of 1848 (Five Days from Milan) with his cousin from the Torelli family. On March 22, 1848, the municipal deputation of Ponte in Valtellina decided to form a civil guard and they handed the command to Enrico Guicciardi, who was to defend the Tonale Pass with 150 men . By the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Valtellina was transferred to the newly founded Lombard-Venetian Kingdom , which was linked in personal union with the Austrian Empire . When the revolution failed, Guicciardi fled to Piedmont . There he commanded the Bersaglieri Battalion Valtellina, which distinguished itself in the Battle of Novara and was awarded a medal for bravery. Because of his revolutionary activities on his property was confiscated in Ponte and a price on it awarded . In 1859 Valtellina and Lombardy fell to Sardinia-Piedmont and in 1861 to the newly founded Kingdom of Italy .

In 1853 he was the first Italian to climb Mont Blanc (4810 m. Above sea level). Enrico Guicciardi was commissioned by Camillo Benso von Cavour in 1859 to set up the new political and administrative systems for the province of Sondrio . After the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy he was a member of the first Italian parliament . From 1862 onwards, as Prefect of Cosenza, he distinguished himself in the fight against the brigands with a moderate and unifying attitude. He supported prevention, the social promotion of the population and dialogue and not military repression. Guicciardi resigned in 1864 because of differences in dealing with the people with the military commander and became prefect of Palermo (until 1868), where he was active against the mafia, but received too little political support.

During the Third War of Independence , Guicciardi commanded the 44th Battalion ( Guardia Nazionale Mobile ) as Colonel (Colonnello) in 1866 and organized the defense of the Valtellina near Sondalo . Guicciardi was awarded the Cross of Merit of Savoy (Croce del Merito Militare di Savoia) for this on December 6, 1866 . Enrico Sertoli fought under the command of Guicciardi.

After he was a member of the Italian parliament, he was appointed senator on June 14, 1868 . In 1872 he was elected President of the Red Cross . Together with Luigi Torelli , Romualdo Bonfadini and Giovanni Visconti-Venosta , he was involved in the founding of the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) section in Valtellina in 1871/73 and became its president.

From 1873 until his death he was mayor of Ponte for 22 years. He died on July 1, 1895 of a sudden fever in his home in Ponte.

Awards

  • Cavaliere di Gran Croce dell'Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro
  • Ufficiale dell'Ordine militare di Savoia
  • Medaglia commemorativa dell'Unità d'Italia
  • Medaglia commemorativa delle campagne delle Guerre d'Indipendenza

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Martin Bundi: Guicciardi. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . January 7, 2010 , accessed July 1, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Jürg Simonett: Diego Guicciardi. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . March 7, 2006 , accessed July 1, 2019 .
  3. ↑ This, although his father Diego was the authoritative and Austria-friendly leader of the Veltliner reform and independence movement, which Enrico exposed to some accusations, including opportunism .
  4. ↑ Guicciardi Enrico , website: quirinale.it, Ufficiale dell'Ordine Militare d'Italia.
  5. ↑ Il contributo valtellinese all'Unità d'Italia .
personal data
SURNAME Guicciardi, Enrico
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian politician and freedom fighter
DATE OF BIRTH November 6, 1812
PLACE OF BIRTH Ponte
DATE OF DEATH July 1, 1895
Place of death Ponte