Biography
Montanelli was born at Fucecchio, then part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and in 1840 was appointed law professor at Pisa.
He contributed to the Antologia, a celebrated Florentine review, and in 1847 founded a newspaper called L'Italia, the programme of which was "Reform and Nationality." In 1848 Montanelli served with the Tuscan student volunteers at the battle of Curtatone, where he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Austrians.
On being liberated he returned to Tuscany, and the grand duke Leopold II, knowing that he was popular with the masses, sent him to Livorno to quell the disturbances. In October, Leopold, much against his inclinations, asked him to form a ministry. He accepted, and on January 10, 1849, induced the grand duke to establish a national constituent assembly. But Leopold, alarmed at the turn affairs were taking, fled from Florence, and Montanelli, Guerrazzi and Mazzini were elected "triumvirs" of Tuscany. Like Mazzini, Montanelli advocated the union of Tuscany with Rome. But after the restoration of the grand duke, Montanelli, who was in Paris, was tried and condemned by default; he remained some years in France, where he became a partizan of Napoleon III. On the formation of the Kingdom of Italy he returned to Tuscany and was elected member of parliament.
Montanelli died at Fucecchio in 1862.
Although it has been reported that Indro Montanelli, the 20th century Italian journalist, is the grandson of Giuseppe Montanelli, there is in fact no relation between the two. Giuseppe had no children, and the family name of "Montanelli" was passed down through his sister as "Gori-Montanelli."
Read more about this topic: Giuseppe Montanelli
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