Cesare Ricotti-Magnani
Encyclopedia
Cesare Francesco Ricotti Magnani (June 30, 1822 - August 4, 1917) was an Italian
general
, minister of War of the Kingdom of Italy
and Cavaliere della Santissima Annunziata
(Knight of the Most Holy Annunciation
). He was born at Borgolavezzaro
, near Novara
.
As artillery lieutenant, he distinguished himself and was wounded at the Siege of Peschiera del Garda
in 1848, and in 1852 gained further distinction by his efforts to prevent the explosion of a burning powder magazine. After serving from 1856 to 1859. as Director of the Artillery School, he became General of Division in 1864, commanding the 5th Division at the Battle of San Martino
.
In the war of 1866 he stormed Borgoforte
, to open a passage for Cialdini
's army. Upon the death of General Govone
in 1872 he was appointed Minister of War, and after the occupation of Rome
bent all his efforts to army reform, in accordance with the lessons of the Franco-German War. He shortened the period of military service, extended conscription
to all able-bodied men, created a permanent army, a mobile militia
and a reserve, commenced the renewal of armaments, and placed Italy in a position to put 1,800,000 men on a war footing.
Ricotti fell from power with the Right in 1876, but returned to office with Depretis
in 1884, and amended his previous scheme of reform. Resigning in April 1887, he became a member of the senate in 1890, but took little part in public life until 1896, when, after the Battle of Adowa
, he was entrusted by King Humbert
with the formation of a cabinet.
Having constructed his ministry, he made over the premiership to the Marquis di Rudinì
, retaining for himself the portfolio of war, and seeking to satisfy popular demands for the reduction of military expenditure by consolidating the tactical structure of the army without weakening its fighting power. Rudinì, however, finding that Ricotti's ideas, which he himself shared, were not acceptable at court, obliged him to resign office. His prestige as creator of the modern Italian army remained unimpaired, and his views on army consolidation enjoyed a large measure of technical and public favour.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
, minister of War of the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
and Cavaliere della Santissima Annunziata
Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in mediæval Italy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the honours system in the Kingdom of Italy, which ceased to be a national order when the kingdom became a republic in 1946...
(Knight of the Most Holy Annunciation
Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in mediæval Italy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the honours system in the Kingdom of Italy, which ceased to be a national order when the kingdom became a republic in 1946...
). He was born at Borgolavezzaro
Borgolavezzaro
Borgolavezzaro is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km northeast of Turin and about 15 km southeast of Novara...
, near Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
.
As artillery lieutenant, he distinguished himself and was wounded at the Siege of Peschiera del Garda
Peschiera del Garda
Peschiera del Garda , is a town and comune in the province of Verona, in Veneto, Italy. When Lombardy-Venetia was under Austrian rule, Peschiera was the northwest anchor of the four fortified towns constituting the so-called Quadrilatero...
in 1848, and in 1852 gained further distinction by his efforts to prevent the explosion of a burning powder magazine. After serving from 1856 to 1859. as Director of the Artillery School, he became General of Division in 1864, commanding the 5th Division at the Battle of San Martino
Battle of San Martino
The 15th Century Battle of San Martino in Italy was part of an ongoing conflict between two city states, the Venetians under Berterelli and the Florentines under Giovanni, in 1482...
.
In the war of 1866 he stormed Borgoforte
Borgoforte
Borgoforte is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 130 km southeast of Milan and about 14 km southwest of Mantua....
, to open a passage for Cialdini
Enrico Cialdini
Enrico Cialdini, Duca di Gaeta was an Italian soldier, politician and diplomat.-Biography:He was born at Castelvetro, in the province of Modena. In 1831 he took part in the insurrection at Modena, fleeing afterwards to Paris, whence he proceeded to Spain to fight against the Carlists...
's army. Upon the death of General Govone
Giuseppe Govone
Giuseppe Gaetano Maria Govone was an Italian general and politician of Piedmontese origin, who played a major role in the Italian Risorgimento....
in 1872 he was appointed Minister of War, and after the occupation of Rome
Capture of Rome
The Capture of Rome was the final event of the long process of Italian unification known as the Risorgimento, which finally unified the Italian peninsula under King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy...
bent all his efforts to army reform, in accordance with the lessons of the Franco-German War. He shortened the period of military service, extended conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
to all able-bodied men, created a permanent army, a mobile militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
and a reserve, commenced the renewal of armaments, and placed Italy in a position to put 1,800,000 men on a war footing.
Ricotti fell from power with the Right in 1876, but returned to office with Depretis
Agostino Depretis
Agostino Depretis was an Italian statesman.-Biography:Depretis was born at Mezzana Corte, near Stradella, in the province of Pavia ....
in 1884, and amended his previous scheme of reform. Resigning in April 1887, he became a member of the senate in 1890, but took little part in public life until 1896, when, after the Battle of Adowa
Battle of Adowa
The Battle of Adwa was fought on 1 March 1896 between Ethiopia and Italy near the town of Adwa, Ethiopia, in Tigray...
, he was entrusted by King Humbert
Umberto I of Italy
Umberto I or Humbert I , nicknamed the Good , was the King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his death. He was deeply loathed in far-left circles, especially among anarchists, because of his conservatism and support of the Bava-Beccaris massacre in Milan...
with the formation of a cabinet.
Having constructed his ministry, he made over the premiership to the Marquis di Rudinì
Antonio Starabba, Marchese di Rudinì
Marquis Antonio Starabba di Rudinì was the 18th and 21st Prime Minister of Italy between 1891 and 1892 and from 1896 until 1898.-Biography:...
, retaining for himself the portfolio of war, and seeking to satisfy popular demands for the reduction of military expenditure by consolidating the tactical structure of the army without weakening its fighting power. Rudinì, however, finding that Ricotti's ideas, which he himself shared, were not acceptable at court, obliged him to resign office. His prestige as creator of the modern Italian army remained unimpaired, and his views on army consolidation enjoyed a large measure of technical and public favour.