Bava-Beccaris massacre
Encyclopedia
The Bava Beccaris massacre, named after the Italian General Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris, refers to the repression of widespread riots in Milan
in May 1898.
On May 5 1898, workers organized a strike to demonstrate against the government of Antonio Starrabba di Rudinì, holding it responsible for the general increase of prices
and for the famine
that was affecting the country. The first blood was shed that day at Pavia
, when the son of the mayor of Milan was killed while attempting to halt the troops marching against the crowd.
After a protest in Milan the following day, Antonio di Rudinì's government declared a state of siege
in the city. Infantry, cavalry and artillery were brought into the city and General Bava-Beccaris ordered his troops to fire on demonstrators. On May 9, 1898, the troops used artillery to breach the walls of a monastery outside Porta Monforte
, but they found inside only a group of beggars who had come to receive assistance from the friars. According to the government, there were 118 dead and 450 wounded.
The opposition claimed 400 dead and more than 2,000 injured people. Filippo Turati
, one of the founders of the Italian Socialist Party
in 1892, was arrested in 1898, accused of inspiring the riots.
King Umberto I praised the General and awarded him the medal of Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine Militare dei Savoia , saying that "You have rendered a great service to the King and to the Country". The decoration exacerbated the Italian population's indignation. On the other hand, Antonio di Rudinì was forced to resign in July 1898.
On 29 July 1900, at Monza
, Umberto I was assassinated by the anarchist Gaetano Bresci
who claimed he had come directly from America to avenge the victims of the repression, and the offense given by the decoration awarded to General Bava Beccaris.
The painter Quinto Cenni undertook a large collection of coloured illustrations showing scenes from the riots. These portrayed the demonstrators in unfavourable terms and stressed the support of at least the middle class citizens of Milan for the military.
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in May 1898.
On May 5 1898, workers organized a strike to demonstrate against the government of Antonio Starrabba di Rudinì, holding it responsible for the general increase of prices
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
and for the famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
that was affecting the country. The first blood was shed that day at Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, when the son of the mayor of Milan was killed while attempting to halt the troops marching against the crowd.
After a protest in Milan the following day, Antonio di Rudinì's government declared a state of siege
State of Siege
State of Siege is a 1972 French film directed by Costa Gavras starring Yves Montand and Renato Salvatori.-Summary:...
in the city. Infantry, cavalry and artillery were brought into the city and General Bava-Beccaris ordered his troops to fire on demonstrators. On May 9, 1898, the troops used artillery to breach the walls of a monastery outside Porta Monforte
Porta Monforte
Porta Monforte is a district of Milan, Italy, located within the Zone 3 administrative division. It is named after the eponymous city gate, which was added in the 1890s to the existing Spanish walls of the city. The gate was meant to serve as a customs office; the tax booths were designed by Luigi...
, but they found inside only a group of beggars who had come to receive assistance from the friars. According to the government, there were 118 dead and 450 wounded.
The opposition claimed 400 dead and more than 2,000 injured people. Filippo Turati
Filippo Turati
Filippo Turati was an Italian sociologist, poet and Socialist politician.-Early life:Born in Canzo, province of Como, he graduated in law at the University of Bologna in 1877, and participated in the Scapigliatura movement with the most important artists of the period in Milan, publishing poetry...
, one of the founders of the Italian Socialist Party
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy founded in Genoa in 1892.Once the dominant leftist party in Italy, it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party following World War II...
in 1892, was arrested in 1898, accused of inspiring the riots.
King Umberto I praised the General and awarded him the medal of Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine Militare dei Savoia , saying that "You have rendered a great service to the King and to the Country". The decoration exacerbated the Italian population's indignation. On the other hand, Antonio di Rudinì was forced to resign in July 1898.
On 29 July 1900, at Monza
Monza
Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June...
, Umberto I was assassinated by the anarchist Gaetano Bresci
Gaetano Bresci
Gaetano Bresci was an Italian American anarchist who assassinated King Umberto I of Italy. Bresci was the first European regicide not to be executed, as capital punishment in Italy had been abolished since 1889.-Militancy:...
who claimed he had come directly from America to avenge the victims of the repression, and the offense given by the decoration awarded to General Bava Beccaris.
The painter Quinto Cenni undertook a large collection of coloured illustrations showing scenes from the riots. These portrayed the demonstrators in unfavourable terms and stressed the support of at least the middle class citizens of Milan for the military.
See also
- History of Italy as a monarchy and in the World WarsHistory of Italy as a monarchy and in the World WarsThis articles covers the history of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars.-Italian unification :Modern Italy became a nation-state during the Risorgimento on March 17, 1861 when most of the states of the Italian Peninsula and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies were united under king Victor...
- List of massacres in Italy