ABSTRACT
On 18 October 1859 the Marquis Gioacchino Napoleone Pepoli and his family arrived at the commune of San Giorgio in the province of Bologna. With fi reworks, music and cheers to “our king Vittorio Emanuele” the local population celebrated their annexation to Piedmont. As soon as the people noticed the arrival of the noble family they formed a procession and presented the Marquis the royal coat of arms.2 This enthusiasm for the liberation from the Papal regime and the unifi cation of Italy would not prevent the same local population from staging uprisings against the imposition of new taxes and conscription to the Piedmontese army. Occasionally, cheers for Vittorio Emanuele were replaced by cheers for the ancient ruler, the pope. However, whatever their attitudes towards the Italian State, the majority remained loyal to the local nobility.
