Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/152

* VICTOR EMMANUEL I. 118 VICTORIA. wlien the fall of Xapoleou had freed Xorthern Italy from the French, that Victor Emmanuel really came into his kingdom. He was thorough- ly imbued with reactionary notions, and his policy led to a popular uprising in Turin and Alessandria in the early months of 1821. He abdicated March 13th in favor of his brother, Charles Felix. He died at iloncalieri, near Turin, January 10, 1S24. See Italy. VICTOR EMMANUEL II. (1820-78). King of Sardinia from lS-t!l to 1S61 and of Italy from 1S6I to 1878. He was the son of Charles Albert (q.v.), King of Sardinia, and was born March 14, 1820. He was well educated under his father's guidance, commanded the brigade of Savoy in the campaign of 1848-49, and displayed gi-eat gallantry at Goito and Novara. Believing that his son could make better terms with Aus- tria, Charles Albert, on the evening following the fatal day of Novara (March 23, 1849), abdicated in favor of his son. The new King chose for Min- isters such meu as D'Azeglio and Cavour (qq.v. ), who sought to increase the strength and impor- tance of the country bj' improved administration, rigid economy in the finances, care of the army, and encouragement of trade through the conclu- sion of commercial treaties with foreign nations. The property of the Church was sold, and various reforms intended to diminish greatly the privi- leges and restrict the influence of the clergy were adopted — changes which brought upon the King the displeasure of the Vatican: but Victor Emmanuel asserted and maintained his indepen- dence of the Papac}'. Under the guidance of Cavour Sardinia joined England and France on the outbreak of the Crimean War, sending an army of 17.000 men under La Marmora. After the Peace of Paris (IS56) he entered into a closer alliance with France, gave his elder daughter, Clotilde, in marriage (January 30, 1859) to Prince Xapoleon, and, backed by the French arms, provoked a war with Austria. The campaign of 18.59 was brief Imt decisive, the Austrians were completely defeated at Magenta and Solferino, and the Italians were hailing with exultation the near fulfillment of their long-cherished dreams of unity, when the preliminary treaty between France and Austria at Villafranca, while secur- ing the liberation of Lombardy. left Venetia in Austrian hands. Victor Emmanuel was com- pelled by the agreement with Napoleon III. to yield Nice and Savoy to France. In the meanwhile Tuscany. Parma, and !Modena had emancipated themselves from their despots, and the Komagiia had thrown off the Papal au- thority, and at the beginning of 18G0 these re- gions were annexed to the d(miinions of Victor limmanuel. Another step in the building up of his Italian kingdom was taken in the libei'ation of the Two Sicilies by Ciaribaldi (q.v.), who turned them over to the King. At the same time the Sardinian forces advanced into the Marches of Uml)ria, which were seeking to free themselves from the rule of Pius IX.. and these regions were also annexed by Victor Emmanuel. Dn February 20), 18t!l, 'ictor Emmanuel II. was dedared King of Italy by the National Italian Parliament as- ■sembled at Turin, and on !March 17th lie formal- ly assunieil the title. When, in 18r)2, Garibaldi attacked the Papal States, the King was com- pelled to interfere, and the patriot leader was taken prisoner by the royal troops at Aspromonte. Italy joined Prussia against Austria in 1866, and, although defeated on land (Custozza) and on the sea (Lissa), she achieved her aim in the acquisition of Venetia. In 1870, after the out- break of the war between France and Germany, the French garrison was withdrawn from Rome, and the Italian troops entered the Imperial city, which, finally united to the kingdom, became the capital of Italy. The last years of Victor Emmanuel's life were uneventful. He died after a short illness, January 9, 1878. and was suc- ceeded by his son Humbert. Consult : Godkin, Life of Victor Eiiiaiiurl II. (London, 1S79) ; Ruf- fer, Konitj Victor Emanuel (Vienna, 1878) ; Massari, La vita cd il regno di Vittorio Emanuele II. (Milan, 1880) ; Cappelletti, Storia di Vittorio Emanuele II. e del sua regno (Rome, 1894). See Italy. VICTOR EMMANUEL III. ( 1869—) . King of Italy, the only son uf King Humbert I. ( 1844- 1900) and Queen Margherita of Savoy (1851 — ). He was born at Naples November 11, 1869, and until he succeeded to the throne bore the title Prince of Naples. He was educated under the direction of his mother and of Colonel Oslo, and, outgrowing the ill-boding weakness of his early years, he entered the army in 1887 as a second lieutenant. In 1890 he became colonel of the First Infantry Regiment at Naples, in 1892 major-gen- eral, in 1894 lieutenant-general, and in 1897 commanding general at Naples. Meanwhile the Prince had given much attention to horsemanship and to the study of warfare, extending his military knowledge by frequent visits to the German army. He represented King Humbert at the coronation of Czar Nicholas II. in 1896, at the Victorian .Jubilee in 1897, and at the celebration of the coming of age of the German heir ap- parent in 1900. On October 24, 1890. he married Princess Helena (1873 — ), daughter of Prince- Xicholas of !Montenegro. She was a sister of Princess Militza (1806 — ), wife of the Russian Grand Duke Peter Nikolaievitch. and of Princess Zorka (1864-90), wife of Peter Karageorgevitch, who became King of Servia in 1903. King Hum- bert was assassinated at ilonza .July 29, 1900, and on the 11th of the following August Victor Emmanuel formally ascended the throne. The new King, who had the respect and confidence of his subjects, showed Liberal tendencies together with the ability and desire to exercise a forceful and just rule. To Queen Helena were born Princess Yolanda Margherita. .June 1, 1901, and Princess Mafalda, November 19, 1902. Consult Basletta. Vittorio Emanuele III. (Rome, 1901). VICTO'RIA. A State of Australia, occupying the southeastern portion of the continent. It is triangular in shajie. with the ajiex ]iointing eastward, and is bomded on the northeast by New South Wales, on the south by the Tasnian Sea. Bass Strait, and the Indian Ocean, and on the west by South Australia. It is the smallest of the continental States, having an area of 87.884 square miles, mdy 210 square miles less than that of Great Britain. Victoria is traversed from west to east by an irregular range of mountains, an extension of the (ireat Dividing Range. It sends out numer- ous branching spurs, whidi make the whole sur- face of the State very diversified, except the northwestern portion, which belongs to the Great