ABSTRACT
Malenchini's arrival and, perhaps even more, the news that French troops were moving into Piedmont gave authoritative support to the huge popular demonstration which Rubieri and Dolfi had arranged for 27 April; yet when the leading aristocrats were invited late on the 26th to associate their names with this demonstration, they absolutely refused, and in fact it took place in spite of them. While the mob fraternized with the soldiers, Boncompagni's role on the 27th was mainly to provide an extra" territorial residence where revolutionaries and aristocrats could meet and discuss a compromise policy.41 Towards midday, Leopold agreed under severe pressure to accept the Italian cause and appoint a liberal government. Rubieri was for refusing this and overthrowing the dynasty; but here Boncompagni intervened in order to make quite clear first where the Army officers stood. When it was obvious that even the more liberally ... minded officers supported the Grand Duke, the Piedmontese Minister encouraged Ridolfi and Peruzzi to form a government under Leopold, and certainly must have felt that such was Cavour's wish.42 4° For the activity of Malenchini on the 26th, there is a tantalizing single
The liberal ... conservative aristocrats were fully behind this move. Anxious to retain Tuscan independence, they were deter,. mined to keep the dynasty if possible, but in any case their main fear was of 'the reds', against whom the Grand Duke was their best defence. 43 In Ricasoli' s absence from Florence, Corsini therefore agreed to Leopold's request to form a ministry. This decision was then discussed at Boncompagni's house, where Rubieri and Malenchini opposed it, but they gave way when Ridolfi and the aristocratic party, supported by Boncompagni, agreed to join Corsini on the one condition that Leopold would abdicate in favour of his son. Corsini thought such a condition altogether excessive. He came round only when he saw it as the one chance of securing broad agreement and saving the dynasty. What defeated this consensus and allowed Dolfi's revolution to pro" ceed was the unexpected decision by Leopold and Ferdinand to leave the country rather than accept abdication.
