Alessandro Nunziante

Alessandro Nunziante, Duke of Mignano (30 July 1815 – 6 March 1881), was an Italian general and politician of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and, from 1861, the Kingdom of Italy.

While an officer in the Bourbon Army, Nunziante was a reactionary. Although he was a friend of Ferdinand II and close collaborator with Francis II, he left the Bourbon court in 1860, resigning and returning his honors, and joined the Italian unification effort.

Early life Alessandro Nunziante was born in Messina, the son of General Vito Nunziante and Camilla Barrese. In 1827, Nunziante entered the Nunziatella Military School. After completing his studies, he began his career in the 7th Regiment of the Bourbon Army.

In 1839, Nunziante married Teresa Tuttavilla of the Dukes of Mignano, daughter of the Duke of Calabritto. They had 5 children: Francesco (died in infancy), Mariano, Maria Elena, Maria Camilla (died in infancy), and Pasquale (died in infancy).

The following year, in 1849, Sicily also revolted against the Bourbons, and Nunziante participated in the expedition commanded by Carlo Filangieri to reconquer the island. With the Bourbon Army at the gates of Palermo, the rebels made a request for amnesty in exchange for their surrender. Nunziante informed Filangieri that Ferdinand II left him to specify the extent of the amnesty. Having clarified that those guilty of common crimes would be amnestied, Filangieri and his troops returned peacefully to Palermo on 15 May 1849.

In 1850, Nunziante was promoted to colonel. That year, he was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit by Ferdinand II, and Knight of the Legion of Honour by France. In 1855, he was promoted to brigadier general, and in 1856, he was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of Leopold by Austria.

The Garibaldines, with victories at Calatafimi and Palermo, had taken major strongholds in Sicily by May 1860. Nunziante convinced Francis II to prepare a 25,000-soldier mission to reconquer the island. However, Francis II's reinstatement of the Statuto Albertino on 25 June changed kingdom policy, and 's government rejected the mission.

Nunziante, according to a letter to Cavour on 28 August, proposed demonstrations in favor of Victor Emmanuel II (rather than Garibaldi) to motivate the Bourbon troops to join the Italian cause. However, the Mazzinian committee had spread the rumor that Nunziante had been corrupted by the Savoys and that he would've betrayed the soldiers who joined him. Nunziante was not discouraged by this. He intended to convince the Bourbon troops who remained in Naples to simply refuse to fight, as he considered inciting troops to desert dishonorable. Ultimately, despite the rallies and demonstrations in favor of Victor Emmanuel II, the anti-Garibaldine revolt never took place.

1861–1868: Kingdom of Italy

Nunziante was granted entry into the Royal Sardinian Army on 17 November 1860 as a lieutenant general.

The Kingdom of Italy was established on 17 March 1861. Nunziante was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus—which had become a de facto Italian state order for military and civilian merits—on 4 August 1861. He was later promoted to Grand Officer of the Order on 30 March 1862.

In 1864, Nunziante joined the commissione permanente for the general defense of the Italian state, and, when the Third Italian War of Independence broke out in 1866, he was appointed to command the 4th Division of the II Army Corps under General . He participated in the Battle of Custoza and the subsequent siege of the Austrian bridgehead of Borgoforte.

On 6 December 1866, Nunziante was awarded the title of Grand Officer of the Military Order of Savoy. In 1868, he was awarded the title of Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy and was appointed chairman of the Infantry Weapon Committee.

Political career and death On 26 May 1870, Nunziante was elected to Legislature X of the Chamber of Deputies with the Historical Left. He was re-elected up to Legislature XIII in 1876, but resigned in 1879 upon being appointed to the Senate of the Republic by Umberto I.

On 6 March 1881, Nunziante died in Naples at the age of 65.

Awards 1845: Knight of the Order of Saint Vladimir 1848: Commander of the Order of Saint George of the Reunion 1849: Commander of the Order of Charles III 1850: Knight of the Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit 1850: Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour 1856: Commander of the Order of Leopold 1858: Grand Officer of the Order of Saint George of the Reunion 1861: Commander of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus 1862: Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus 1866: Grand Officer of the Military Order of Savoy 1868: Grand Cordon of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus 1868: Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy 1877: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown of Italy