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508 General History oj Europe foreign domination and unite the various states into a single powerful country. There were unsuccessful revolutions in 1820- 1821, in 1830, and, as we have seen, in 1848-1849. Among these leaders Mazzini, the poet and man of letters, was the most famous. He joined the Carbonari (856) for a time, but became dis- gusted with their mummeries and formed an association called " Young Italy" to carry on the movement for Italian unity. So the way was prepared for the king of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel, and his able minister, Cavour, to realize at last the dreams of the Italian patriots. 906. How Napoleon III intervened in Italian Affairs. The kingdom of Sardinia consisted mainly of Piedmont and the neighboring Savoy in northwestern Italy and had its capital at Turin ; the island of Sardinia was a very unimportant part of the ruler's realms. After the unsuccessful war with Austria in 1848-1849 the country had been reorganized under a new consti- tution and became the nucleus around which all Italy might unite. Cavour easily induced Napoleon III to agree to lend his help if a new excuse could be found for attacking Austria and expelling her from northern Italy. Napoleon argued that since the Italians were a Latin race, like the French, a successful war against the German Austrians would be popular in France and would make his own position stronger. He also hoped he might add Savoy to France and perhaps become the protector of the proposed Italian confederation. 907. Abrupt Close of the War of 1859. Victor Emmanuel managed easily enough to fall out with Austria and was imme- diately reenforced by a French army. Austria managed the campaign badly and was defeated, June, 1859, in the fierce battles of Magenta and Solferino. But Napoleon was appalled by the horrors of actual war and seemingly startled at the enthu- siasm aroused among the Italians, which he feared might result in so powerful an Italy that he would no longer be desired as protector. Consequently he left his work half done. Instead of freeing Italy to the Adriatic, as he had talked of doing, he ar- ranged a peace with Austria by which she still held Venetia, but