Storia d'Italia


Storia d'Italia is a monumental work of the journalist and historian Indro Montanelli, written in collaboration with Roberto Gervaso and Mario Cervi from 1965 to 1997. The idea of a series of books about the history of Italy came to Montanelli after a conversation with Dino Buzzati. Montanelli initially proposed the idea to Mondadori, who wasn't interested. Montanelli then spoke to Longanesi, who agreed to publish the prologue, Storia di Roma in 1957. Following the success of the book, Rizzoli purchased the rights of the work and republished it in 1959. In 1965 Rizzoli, satisfied with the cultural impact of the book and its commercial sccess, agreed to publish the ambitious Storia d'Italia.
The work is divided into several volumes, each dedicated to an era of Italian history from the fall of the Western Roman Empire until the end of the 20th century. The work has been very successful, selling over a million copies, becoming one of the most popular books of popular history in Italy.

Structure of the work

Italy of the Dark Ages – The Middle Ages up to 1000 AD

The book talks about the history of Italy in the period of the High Middle Ages. Montanelli used as sources the work of the historic Ferdinand Gregorovius, who deeply admired, while the history of the Popes was inspired by Ludwig von Pastor. At the beginning of work is narrated the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire and then begin to tell the Italian medieval history.

Italy of the Commons">Medieval commune">Commons – The Middle Ages from 1000 to 1250

The communal age, fundamental historic step with the affirmation of local part of the Empire. The author was inspired by the work of the British historian Anderson.

Italy of the golden age – The Middle Ages from 1250 to 1492

The evolution from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance in Italy.

Italy of the [Counter-Reformation] – 1492–1600

The book – according to many the best of the series – is based on the regret that Italy, after almost three centuries lived as a protagonist, is degraded to the subject of European affairs. Montanelli identifies the source of all vices and authoritarian traits that explain centuries of civil and economic backwardness in the failure to Reform.
He explains his thesis historiographical:
A judgment evident in the following description: «The Calvinist, grew in the atmosphere of democratic 'congregation' and under the sign of an egalitarian God, rejects hierarchies of Renaissance society... sees money as a sign of Grace», «this religion labor and savings that initiates, providing a moral foundation, to capitalism in the modern sense of the word».
Then the author saw in the triumph of the Counter-Reformation the watershed that marks the loss of national autonomy, which took place at the peak of Humanism and the Renaissance Italian art and literature, and the rapid economic decline of the United Peninsula; Philip II of Spain, King of the Counter Reformation, especially in his war against the Dutch reformed of Flanders, «didn't understand, couldn't understand that his struggle against heresy was the fight against the modern world... all his efforts and those of the Church were only able to steal this revolution their feud: Spain, Italy and the Latin American continent. What are the consequences for these countries we see it today».
From Girolamo Savonarola to the House of Borgia's rise, the drama of the Christian conscience to the Protestant schism, theologians and heretics, the historical impact of the Reformation to the reaction of the Catholic Council of Trent, the art boom of the Renaissance and its protagonists: Michelangelo Buonarroti, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli, Francesco Guicciardini, Torquato Tasso, Ludovico Ariosto, Pietro Aretino, Benvenuto Cellini. Montanelli symbolically closes the work, evoking the image of the Giordano Bruno's stake, because «it illuminates a light more relevant the Italian bleak landscape in the Italy of Counter-Reformation: a priest and a gendarme intent to roast a rebel without even the consolation of a because who lug his sacrifice».

Italy of the seventeenth century – 1600–1700

History of a century marked by scientific advances, the rise and the decline of local powers.
This book is given much space to foreign facts and scenarios: the Spanish conquests in South America leading the tide of gold in Europe, the Thirty Years' War, a result of the crisis, the dynastic events of the House of Habsburg and the rise of France. Italy is described as a colony of the great powers of this century: it's far from Calvinist capitalism emerging in the regions of Northern Europe; it's immobilized in latifundium and charges noble.

Italy of the eighteenth century – 1700–1789

In the background of the European wars of succession, an excursus from baroque to Enlightenment, to the French Revolution.
It's the last book written with Roberto Gervaso: five subsequent books are written by the only Montanelli.

Italy Jacobin and Carbonara – 1789–1831

From the French Revolution to the Carbonari movements.

Italy of the Risorgimento">Italian unification">Risorgimento – 1831–1861

From the conclusion of the Carbonari uprisings until the Unification of Italy.

Italy of the Notables – 1861–1900

The book traces the history of Italy from the Unification to the assassination of King Umberto I.

Italy of [Giovanni Giolitti] – 1900–1920

The book traces the period from the beginning of the new century to the end of the First World War, dominated by the political figure of Giovanni Giolitti.

Italy in Black Shirt – 1919–1925

By riots in 1920 until the establishment of the fascist dictatorship with the of Benito Mussolini.

Fascist Italy – 1925–1936

History of Italy during the consolidation of dictatorship and the colonial adventure.
From this book Montanelli is helped by Mario Cervi.

Italy of the Axis">Axis powers">Axis – 1936–1940

The years marked by the Axis between Rome and Berlin until the declaration of war.

Italy of the Defeat – 1940–1943

The war on the side of Germany is traced until the armistice and the defeat of the Italian army.

Italy of the civil war">Italian resistance movement">civil war – 1943–1946

The book, which calls «Civil War» and not only «Resistance» the period from September 1943 to May 1946, ended with the abdication of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy.

Italy of the Republic – 1946–1948

History of Italy from the Constitutional referendum to the Christian Democracy's victory who coerced the Country to the Western bloc and the election of Luigi Einaudi at the President of the Italian Republic.

Italy of the miracle">Italian economic miracle">miracle – 1948–1954

Between the attempt on Palmiro Togliatti that sparked riots in the Country and the death of Alcide De Gasperi who had led Italy in the reconstruction, born the basis for the «economic miracle» just following.

Italy of two Giovanni – 1955–1965

and Giovanni Gronchi are the characters who, in different ways, characterize the years of Italian history.

Italy of the Years of Lead">Years of Lead (Italy)">Years of Lead – 1965–1978

From the years preceding the protests of 1968 in Italy, the long period of terrorism, through the assassination of Aldo Moro until the election of Sandro Pertini as President of the Italian Republic.
In the book's preface Montanelli wrote:

Italy of the [Years of Mud] – 1978–1993

Since the election of Pope John Paul II through the P2 scandal, the end of terrorism period, the first socialist government led by Bettino Craxi, the Lega Nord's birth to Tangentopoli and the collapse of the political system born after the War.

Italy of Berlusconi">Silvio Berlusconi">Berlusconi – 1993–1995

The aftermath of the corruption and the new election law favors the political rise of Silvio Berlusconi, who won the 1994 elections and leads a government whose brief life will be particularly troubled.

Italy of The Olive">The Olive Tree (Italy)">The Olive – 1995–1997

From the Autumn 1995 until the first crisis of Prodi Cabinet.
It's the last book of the series. History and news are welded, bolted by this sad account of Montanelli in the Postscript:

Summary of the Work: «Italy of the twentieth century» and «Italy of Millennium»

Montanelli and Cervi published other two books as well as summarize the facts described in their books earlier adjourned for a couple of years the work: «Italy of the twentieth century» and «Italy of Millennium».
First book describes the whole Italian political situation from 1900 to 1998, with a short article that describes the fall of Prodi Cabinet and the birth of the D'Alema's government. Second book summarizes the facts of Italian History from 1000 until the end of 2000. Italian political situation is updated with the fall of D'Alema's government, the birth of Amato II Cabinet and forecasts for the upcoming elections in 2001.