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Rh year after the memorable battle came the revolutions which preceded the solemn proclamation of Victor Emanuel as King of Italy, and a few months later the flight of Francis II. to Gaeta and the capture of that stronghold gave the new ruler the control of the southern part of the peninsula. France was compensated for her part in the war of 1859 by the cession of Savoy and Nice; later events (in 1866 and '70), which will be considered elsewhere, completed the work of unification, and produced the "Italia Irridenta" which was the dream of Cavour and for centuries the ardent hope of millions of his countrymen.