Reign (1821-1831) Charles Felix of Sardinia

1 reign (1821-1831)

1.1 internal policy
1.2 economic initiatives
1.3 foreign policy
1.4 patronage

reign (1821-1831)

even before reached turin, charles felix repudiated regent s promise and, restore order, called in austrians, stayed in piedmont till 1823. in same year charles albert went spain extinguish force of arms last sparks of revolt, making himself object of hatred betrayer of italian liberalism, regaining confidence of king, might have chosen successor.

charles felix true reactionary, convinced world swept clean of - in view - wicked , sacrilegious innovations introduced french revolution , diffused throughout europe napoleon bonaparte rascal called him.

internal policy

charles felix depicted on 1 lira coin of 1828

charles felix present @ turin king , did not participate in social life of capital, since had never sought throne , had no particular affection turinese, whom considered have proven traitors dynasty through support napoleon , constitutional protests.

in practice, resided in turin during theatre season , spent rest of time travelling around savoy, nice, genoa (one of favourite residences) , castles of govone , agliè, had inherited sister maria anna.

as result, king tended elegate large amounts of power ministers, count roget de cholex, minister of interior, reserving supervisory role himself. government characterised massimo d azeglio follows:

a despotism full of straight , honest intentions representatives , arbiters 4 old chamberlains, 4 old maids of honour, hive of friars, priests, monks, , jesuits.

nevertheless, king not entirely unaware of need reform , exerted himself in defense of piedmontese realm pontifical , foreign intervetion. limited privileges , exemptions of church, seemed harmful state, abolishing right of sanctuary in holy places, granted secular courts right hear cases against priests , , imposed civic oversight of catechisms, sermons, , religious books.

regarding issue of church property had been secularised in 1792 (with papal consent) , francisican property had been secularised unilaterally, king appointed extraordinary board composed of official , supporters of clergy. proposals, delivered pope leo xii ambassador-extraordinary filiberto avogadro di collobiano in december 1827, examined council of cardinals, rejected financial details , right of state dispose of property freely. however, on 1 april 1828, king summoned new council, professed flexibility on financial issues , rigidity on issue of disposal. resulting agreement approved on 14 may 1828 holy see.

there important legislative reforms, effected edict of 16 july 1822, reformed mortgages; edict of 27 august 1822, unified military penal law; , edict of 27 september 1822, reformed judicial system. these changes capped civil , criminal laws of kingdom of sardinia, signed on 16 january 1827, replaced dated carta de logu.

charles felix, every man of restoration, simultaneously included both reactionaries , reformers, had had great variety of experiences , appeared oscillate between open revival of eighteenth century despotism, had come end napoleonic state, , historic innovations, had little luck in italy, however... on 1 hand there typical effort update dynastic absolutism, on other hand there substantial adoption of frence system - exceptions , modifications.

in fact, while victor emmanuel had implemented rigid counter-revolution, uncritically revoked every arrangement made french after abdication of charles emmanuel iv, state not continue ignore of majority of subjects called laws in accordance ideas , needs of contemporary world. reforms fill gaps necessary.

thus, on 27 september 1822, after charles felix had re-established publication of mortgages , codified military penal law, promulgated edict on reform of civil judicial system - excluding sardinia.

the edict abolished majority of special jurisdictions (e.g. gambling offences, or management of ports), instituted 40 collegial prefecture tribunals (which managed 416 district courts ), original jurisdiction, divided 4 classes, according importance of area, , entrusted instruction of procedures special members of these tribunals. civil , penal jurisdiction remained senate in turin , fiscal jurisdiction court of audit.

in addition, single appellate jurisdiction introduced, eliminating multiplicity of appeals had existed , ministerial position of fiscal advocate introduced.

finally, made act of taking case court free, inadequately, replacing old system of sportula, heavy judicial fee, calculated on basis of seriousness of case, provided judges pay, regular system of salaries paid state.

another important change code of civil , criminal law of kingdom of sardinia promulgated on 16 january 1827, result of work of count of cholex. code prepared in turin supreme council of sardinia. examined appropriate sardinian committee , reale udienza of sardinia. result confection of sardinian , mainland sources, creating law both traditional , novel.

the novel changes relate penal law: abolition of giudatico (impunity criminals had arrested other criminals) , esemplarità (cruel extensions of death penalty, quartering corpse , scattering ashes); restrictions on imposition of death penalty; affirmation of principle punishment should fit crime; , distinction between attempted crimes , crimes committed.

finally, slave trade abolished , declared person found in captivity on ship flying sardinian flag instantly freed.

economic initiatives

the teatro carlo felice, genoa

charles felix s reign characterised financial , economic difficulties , rigid protectionism, there initiatives relating services , public works.

the road network improved construction of road between cagliari , sassari (now strada statale 131 charles felix) , between genoa , nice, bridges on bormida , ticino (the latter completed in 1828). large number of public buildings constructed in cities: port of nice largely restored, genoa received theatre (the teatro carlo felice, named after king), , turin benefited programme of urban improvement included bridge on dora, piazza carlo felice, underground drainage channels, porticos of piazza castello , various new suburbs.

charles felix paid attention steelworking sector, had occupied him viceroy, banking , insurance sectors, improved creation of cassa di risparmio di torino in 1827 , establishment of royal mutual society of insurers in june 1829. encouraged agricultural , manufacturing sector granting lots of exemptions , fiscal benefits , through creation of trade fairs of 1829, in 500 exhibitors participated.

foreign policy

theoretically, charles felix committed territorial expansion of realm, did not maintain expansionist illusions , preferred concentrate on economic , commercial interests of realm. in 1821, of austrians , english, signed advantageous trade agreement sublime porte.

in september 1825, in order force bey of tripoli observe treaty established him in 1816 under english auspices, , respect sardinian ships sailing along coast of north africa, launched demonstration of force. towards end of month, 2 frigates (commercio , cristina), corvette (tritone) , brig (nereide) under command of captain francesco sivori, appeared off coast of tripoli. after final attempt pressure bey diplomatically, ten sardinian longboats sailed harbour on night of 27 september , set fire tripolitanian brig , 2 schooners, routing or murdering tripolitanian troops. forced bey take more conciliatory approach.

in 1828 , ended construction of bridge on river ticino @ boffalora, had been begun brother victor emmanuel years earlier result of treaty emperor of austria, controlled other side of river part of kingdom of lombardy–venetia.

patronage

tomb of charles felix, hautecombe abbey

charles felix avid patron of art , culture. in 1824, acquired hautecombe abbey, many of ancestors buried , entursted restoration programme architect ernesto melano.

in same year, responsible acquisition of part of collection constitutes museo egizio in turin. pieces acquired bernardino drovetti, native of barbania, french consul in egypt. collection placed in palazzo dell accademia delle scienze, still site of museum.

in 1827, charles felix instituted chamber of commerce , school of palaeography , diplomacy, affiliated academy of painting , sculpture.