VILLAFRANCA, CONFERENCE OF

meeting between French emperor Napoleon III and Emperor Francis Joseph I of Austria, resulted in a preliminary peace (July 11, 1859) ending the Franco-Piedmontese war against Austria (1859); it marked the beginning of Italy's unification under Piedmontese leadership. Napoleon made peace without consulting the Piedmontese, not wishing them to become too powerful by acquiring all of northern Italy from Austria. He also feared that France would be open to a Prussian attack along the Rhine if he remained engaged in a long war with the Austrians in Italy. Sixteen days after the bloody Battle of Solferino, the preliminary peace was signed at Villafranca 10 miles (16 kilometres) southwest of Verona in northeastern Italy. Austria gave up Lombardy, excluding Mantua and Peschiera, to France; an Italian Confederation was to be formed under the presidency of the Pope; Austria would be a member of the confederation by virtue of its Italian territories; and the dukes of Parma, Modena, and Tuscany were to be restored peacefully to their thrones after having been deposed by nationalist forces. It was understood that Lombardy would be ceded by France to its ally Piedmont. Piedmontese king Victor Emmanuel II accepted these terms, but his prime minister, Count Cavour, resigned over the compromise with Italian nationalist aims. The terms of Villafranca were confirmed in a formal treaty at Zurich (Nov. 10, 1859). Italian nationalists reacted very strongly against its terms, and by January 1860 Cavour could return to office without feeling bound in any way by them.