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Silvio Spaventa

The Honourable
Silvio Spaventa
Silvio Spaventa.jpg
Member of the Italian Senate
In office
30 May 1886 – 23 November 1890
Constituency Naples
Personal details
Born (1822-05-12)12 May 1822
Bomba, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Died 20 June 1893(1893-06-20) (aged 71)
Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Nationality Italian
Political party Historical Right
Parents Eustachio Spaventa and Maria Anna Croce
Profession Journalist, patriot

Silvio Spaventa (12 May 1822 – 20 June 1893) was an Italian journalist, politician and statesman who played a leading role in the unification of Italy, and subsequently held important positions within the newly formed Italian state.

Younger brother of the Italian philosopher Bertrando Spaventa, Silvio was born into a middle-class family of limited means. His mother, Maria Anna Croce, was the great-aunt of philosopher Benedetto Croce. When Croce's parents died in an earthquake, in 1883, Silvio became his guardian, an experience that had a deep influence on Croce.

In 1836, Silvio joined his brother at the Diocesan Seminary in Chieti. In 1838 he moved, along with Bertrando to Montecassino, to study at the Benedictine seminary. It is probable they were sent to Montecassino because new political and religious ideas were allowed to flourish there. Silvio befriended the philosopher Antonio Tari. In 1840, in collaboration with two other seminary students, he began his political career by writing a petition to the king demanding a constitution.

In 1843, he moved to Naples to work as tutor to the children of the magistrate Benedetto Croce, his maternal uncle, and grandfather of the famous philosopher of the same name. Like his elder brother, Silvio became interested in liberalism and the thought of Hegel, and soon had to leave Naples on account of his political views. Moving to Tuscany, he forged strong links with a number of local moderate politicians. After returning to Naples in February 1848, following the granting of a constitution, he founded Il Nazionale. After the newspaper's first issue, on 1 March 1848, within a short time it became a point of reference for the liberal middle class, and even found favour in more conservative and royalist circles. During this period he also founded, with the help of Luigi Settembrini and Filippo Agresti, a secret society named the Grande Società dell'Unità Italiana, the aim of which was the overthrow of the Bourbon dynasty.

Spaventa was elected to parliament, where he joined the effort to give Neapolitan patriotism a national dimension. This included lending strong support to the sending of troops of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to fight in the First Italian War of Independence.


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