The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Montanelli, Giuseppe

MONTANELLI, Giuseppe, an Italian revolutionist, born at Fucecchio, Tuscany, in 1813, died June 17, 1862. He graduated in law at the university of Pisa in 1831, and became professor of commercial jurisprudence there in 1840. In 1844 he founded a secret political association, and in 1847 a liberal journal, L'Italia. He was severely wounded and captured by the Austrians in the battle of Curtatone, May 29, 1848. He afterward became prime minister of Tuscany, and after the flight of the grand duke in February, 1849, was one of the triumvirs. Guerrazzi soon after becoming dictator, he sent Montanelli as ambassador to Paris, where he remained ten years, being meantime sentenced to imprisonment for life by the restored grand ducal government. In 1859 he founded a journal at Florence, and subsequently became a member of the Italian parliament. He wrote “Memoirs” of the movements in Italy (Turin, 1853-'5; translated into French, 2 vols., Paris, 1857), some lyric poems, and for Mme. Ristori, while she was acting in Paris, the tragedy Camma and a translation of Legouvé's Médée.