Editing Giuseppe Mazzini (section)

===1848–1849 revolts===
[[File:Citizens shot for reading Mazzini's Journal.jpg|thumb|Citizens shot for reading Mazzini Journals (Compare with [[Édouard Manet]], ''[[The Execution of Emperor Maximilian]]'')]]

On 7 April 1848, Mazzini reached Milan, whose population had rebelled against the Austrian garrison and established a provisional government. The [[First Italian War of Independence]], started by the Piedmontese king [[Charles Albert of Sardinia|Charles Albert]] to exploit the favourable circumstances in Milan, turned into a total failure. Mazzini, who had never been popular in the city because he wanted Lombardy to become a republic instead of joining Piedmont, abandoned Milan. He joined Garibaldi's irregular force at Bergamo, moving to Switzerland with him. Mazzini was one of the founders and leaders of the [[Action Party (Italy, 1848)|Action Party]], the first organized party in the history of Italy.

On 9 February 1849, [[Roman Republic (1849–1850)|a republic]] was declared in Rome, with Pius IX already having been forced to flee to [[Gaeta]] the preceding November. On the same day the Republic was declared, Mazzini reached the city. He was appointed, together with [[Carlo Armellini]] and [[Aurelio Saffi]], as a member of the triumvirate of the new republic on 29 March, becoming soon the true leader of the government and showing good administrative capabilities in social reforms. However, the French troops called by the Pope made clear that the resistance of the Republican troops, led by Garibaldi, was in vain. On 12 July 1849, Mazzini set out for Marseille, from where he moved again to Switzerland.