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recognised as one of the more important powers of Europe；
the clever Italian then provoked a war between Sardinia
and Austria in June of the year 1859。 He assured himself of
the support of Napoleon in exchange for the provinces of
Savoy and the city of Nice； which was really an Italian town。
The Franco…Italian armies defeated the Austrians at Magenta
and Solferino； and the former Austrian provinces and duchies
were united into a single Italian kingdom。 Florence became
the capital of this new Italy until the year 1870 when the
French recalled their troops from Home to defend France
against the Germans。 As soon as they were gone； the Italian
troops entered the eternal city and the House of Sardinia took
up its residence in the old Palace of the Quirinal which an
ancient Pope had built on the ruins of the baths of the Emperor
Constantine。
The Pope； however； moved across the river Tiber and hid
behind the walls of the Vatican； which had been the home of
many of his predecessors since their return from the exile of
Avignon in the year 1377。 He protested loudly against this
high…handed theft of his domains and addressed letters of appeal
to those faithful Catholics who were inclined to sympathise
with him in his loss。 Their number； however； was small；
and it has been steadily decreasing。 For； once delivered from
the cares of state； the Pope was able to devote all his time to
questions of a spiritual nature。 Standing high above the petty
quarrels of the European politicians； the Papacy assumed a new
dignity which proved of great benefit to the church and made
it an international power for social and religious progress
which has shown a much more intelligent appreciation of modern
economic problems than most Protestant sects。
In this way； the attempt of the Congress of Vienna to
settle the Italian question by making the peninsula an
Austrian province was at last undone。
The German problem however remained as yet unsolved。
It proved the most difficult of all。 The failure of the revolution
of the year 1848 had led to the wholesale migration of the more
energetic and liberal elements among the German people。
These young fellows had moved to the United States of America；
to Brazil； to the new colonies in Asia and America。 Their
work was continued in Germany but by a different sort of men。
In the new Diet which met at Frankfort； after the collapse
of the German Parliament and the failure of the Liberals to
establish a united country； the Kingdom of Prussia was represented
by that same Otto von Bismarck from whom we parted
a few pages ago。 Bismarck by now had managed to gain the
complete confidence of the king of Prussia。 That was all he
asked for。 The opinion of the Prussian parliament or of the
Prussian people interested him not at all。 With his own eyes
he had seen the defeat of the Liberals。 He knew that he
would not be able to get rid of Austria without a war and he
began by strengthening the Prussian army。 The Landtag； exasperated
at his high…handed methods； refused to give him the
necessary credits。 Bismarck did not even bother to discuss
the matter。 He went ahead and increased his army with the
help of funds which the Prussian house of Peers and the king
placed at his disposal。 Then he looked for a national cause
which could be used for the purpose of creating a great wave
of patriotism among all the German people。
In the north of Germany there were the Duchies of Schleswig
and Holstein which ever since the middle ages had been a
source of trouble。 Both countries were inhabited by a certain
number of Danes and a certain number of Germans； but although
they were governed by the King of Denmark； they
were not an integral part of the Danish State and this led to
endless difficulties。 Heaven forbid that I should revive this
forgotten question which now seems settled by the acts of the
recent Congress of Versailles。 But the Germans in Holstein
were very loud in their abuse of the Danes and the Danes in
Schleswig made a great ado of their Danishness； and all Europe
was discussing the problem and German Mannerchors
and Turnvereins listened to sentimental speeches about the
‘‘lost brethren'' and the different chancelleries were trying to
discover what it was all about； when Prussia mobilised her
armies to ‘‘save the lost provinces。'' As Austria； the official
head of the German Confederation； could not allow Prussia
to act alone in such an important matter； the Habsburg troops
were mobilised too and the combined armies of the two great
powers crossed the Danish frontiers and after a very brave
resistance on the part of the Danes； occupied the two duchies。
The Danes appealed to Europe； but Europe was otherwise
engaged and the poor Danes were left to their fate。
Bismarck then prepared the scene for the second number
upon his Imperial programme。 He used the division of the
spoils to pick a quarrel with Austria。 The Habsburgs fell into
the trap。 The new Prussian army； the creation of Bismarck and
his faithful generals； invaded Bohemia and in less than six
weeks； the last of the Austrian troops had been destroyed at
Koniggratz and Sadowa and the road to Vienna lay open。 But
Bismarck did not want to go too far。 He knew that he would
need a few friends in Europe。 He offered the defeated
Habsburgs very decent terms of peace； provided they would
resign their chairmanship of the Confederation。 He was less
merciful to many of the smaller German states who had taken
the side of the Austrians； and annexed them to Prussia。 The
greater part of the northern states then formed a new organisation；
the so…called North German Confederacy； and victorious
Prussia assumed the unofficial leadership of the German
people。
Europe stood aghast at the rapidity with which the work of
consolidation had been done。 England was quite indifferent
but France showed signs of disapproval。 Napoleon's hold
upon the French people was steadily diminishing。 The Crimean
war had been costly and had accomplished nothing。
A second adventure in the year 1863； when a French army
had tried to force an Austrian Grand…Duke by the name of
Maximilian upon the Mexican people as their Emperor； had
come to a disastrous end as soon as the American Civil War had
been won by the North。 For the Government at Washington
had forced the French to withdraw their troops and this had
given the Mexicans a chance to clear their country of the enemy
and shoot the unwelcome Emperor。
It was necessary to give the Napoleonic throne a new
coat of glory…paint。 Within a few years the North German
Confederation would be a serious rival of France。 Napoleon
decided that a war with Germany would be a good thing for his
dynasty。 He looked for an excuse and Spain； the poor victim
of endless revolutions； gave him one。
Just then the Spanish throne happened to be vacant。 It
had been offered to the Catholic branch of the house of Hohenzollern