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| 1852, Oct |
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| Massimo d'Azeglio was forced to resign the premiership over a civil marriage bill his ministry had introduced that roused Catholic opposition. After a brief period of crisis, Cavour became premier (Nov. 4) in exchange for his assurance that he would not turn the civil marriage bill into a vote of confidence. Cavour governed with the aid of a coalition of Liberals of the Right and Left Center. Cavour's government reorganized finances, negotiated commercial treaties and revised tariffs, planned and implemented public works, and helped develop Piedmont's railway system. | 1 |
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| 1854, Dec. 8 |
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| The dogma of the Immaculate Conception became an article of faith. The pope established this dogma unaided by an ecumenical council. | 2 |
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| 1855, Jan. 26 |
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| Cavour joined France and Britain during the Crimean War (See 1853–56). The Piedmontese regained morale and prestige as well as improving Piedmont's relations with France and Britain. | 3 |
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| 1856 |
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| Foundation of the National Society by Giuseppe Farina, Daniele Manin, and Giorgio Pallavicino. The organization sought the unification of Italy and received the support of Garibaldi and, secretly, Cavour. | 4 |
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| 1858, July 20 |
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| Secret Meeting of Napoleon III and Cavour at Plombières. Spurred by Orsini's assassination attempt (See 1858, Jan. 14), Napoleon III agreed to join Piedmont in a war on Austria if it could be provoked in a manner that would justify it in French and European opinion (formalized by treaty, Dec. 10). After the defeat of Austria, Italy would be organized as a federation of four states with the pope as president—(1) an upper Italian kingdom of Piedmont, Lombardy, Venetia, Parma, Modena, and the Papal Legations; (2) a central kingdom of Tuscany with Umbria and the Marches; (3) Rome; (4) the kingdom of Naples. France would receive Savoy and Nice, and Princess Clotilde, Victor Emmanuel's daughter, would marry Napoleon III's cousin, Prince Joseph Charles Bonaparte. | 5 |
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| 1859, March 8 |
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| Piedmontese reserves were called up, including volunteers. | 6 |
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| April 19 |
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| Austrian ultimatum to Piedmont demanded that the latter demobilize in three days, which supplied Cavour with the provocation he needed. | 7 |
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| April 29 |
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| The Austrians invaded Sardinia under Gen. Franz Gyulai, but the French had already arrived by this time. | 8 |
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| May |
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| Peaceful revolutions in Tuscany, Modena, and Parma. | 9 |
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| May 30 |
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| Piedmontese victory at Palestro. Allies advanced into Lombardy and engaged the Austrians at the Battle of Magenta (June 4). After the indecisive Battle of Solferino (June 24), the Austrians withdrew to the Quadrilateral fortresses. | 10 |
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| July 11 |
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| Meeting of Napoleon III and Emperor Francis Joseph at Villafranca resulted in peace terms, which Victor Emmanuel later agreed to as well. Lombardy (except Mantua and Peschiera) would be ceded to France who could then cede it to Piedmont. Venetia would remain Austrian. Cavour resigned. The agreement was finalized in the Treaty of Zürich (Nov. 10). | 11 |
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