Editing Charles Albert of Sardinia (section)

=== Spring of Nations ===
{{main|Revolutions of 1848}}
[[File:Carlo Alberto ritratto equestre.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Charles decided to adhere to the idea of a united Italian federation under the influence of the Pope.]]
[[File:Italia 1843.svg|thumb|Italy in 1843, during Charles Albert's reign]]
Elected in 1846, the new pope [[Pius IX]] had caught the imagination of the liberals of Italy when he began to dismantle the archaic Vatican institutions: granting a free press, instituting the civic guard in place of foreign mercenaries, and creating a council of ministers. On 12 January 1848, there was a revolt in [[Palermo]] and King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies was forced to concede a constitution, but all of Europe was further convulsed when, in February 1848, there was a [[French Revolution of 1848|Revolution in France]], King Louis Philippe was deposed, and a [[French Second Republic|Republic]] was established. The revolution spread to Milan on 18 March, then to Venice, and finally to Vienna, where riots forced Metternich to flee and the abdication of Emperor [[Ferdinand I of Austria|Ferdinand I]].<ref>{{harvnb|Bertoldi|pp=225–227}}</ref>

In Milan, it was expected that Charles Albert would take the opportunity to declare war on Austria. A clear message from Turin was delivered by the Milanese liberal, {{ill|Francesco Arese Lucini (senator)|it|Francesco Arese Lucini (senatore)|lt=Francesco Arese Lucini}} on 19/20 March:
{{blockquote|You may be assured, sirs, that I am giving every possible provision: that I burn with desire to bring to your aid all that is in my power and that I will grasp even the smallest pretext that presents itself.<ref>{{harvnb|Bertoldi|p=228}}</ref>}}

Although the Kingdom's resources were small, the Piedmontese army began to mobilize. The majority of the troops were deployed on the western border since the eastern border was safeguarded by the treaty of alliance with Austria. But Charles Albert realised that this was a unique opportunity to expand his holdings into Lombardy. Thus he told the Milanese that he would intervene on their behalf if they agreed to join the Kingdom of Sardinia.<ref>{{harvnb|Bertoldi|p=229}}</ref>

On 23 March 1848, the Piedmontese embassy to Milan returned to Turin with news that the Austrians had been forced to evacuate the city and that a provisional government headed by [[Gabrio Casati]] had been established, which asked Charles Albert to become an ally. Clearly not very enthusiastic about the idea of annexation, the Milanese asked the king to keep his troops outside the city and to adopt the [[Flag of Italy|tricolour]] of the [[Cisalpine Republic]] as his flag.<ref>{{harvnb|Bertoldi|pp=229–230}}</ref> Although he had received no guarantee that the Milanese would agree to annexation, Charles Albert accepted the conditions of the Milanese and asked only that the flag of the house of Savoy be placed in the middle of the tricolour (This would henceforth be the flag of the Kingdom of Sardinia and then the Kingdom of Italy until the fall of the monarchy in 1946). He was about to enter into a war with a major power, whose troops in Italy were commanded by one of the greatest living generals, [[Joseph Radetzky von Radetz]]. His reactionary past forgotten, the king appeared on the balcony of the royal palace, flanked by the Milanese representatives, waving the tricolour, while the people applauded and shouted, "Long live Italy! Long live Charles Albert. Within a year his reign would be over.<ref>{{harvnb|Bertoldi|pp=230–231}}</ref>