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Giacomo Medici

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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GIACOMO MEDICI (1817-1882), Italian patriot and soldier, was born at Milan in January 1817. Exiled in 1836, he fought in Spain against the Carlists between 1836 and 1840, and in 1846 joined Garibaldi at Montevideo. Returning to Italy with Garibaldi in 1848, he raised a company of volunteers to fight against Austria, and commanded the volunteer vanguard in Lombardy, proceeding thence to Rome, where he gained distinction by defending the "Vascello," a position near the Porta San Pancrazio, against the French. During the siege of Rome he himself was wounded. In the war of 1859 he commanded a volunteer regiment, and was sent by Cavour into Tirol. In 1860 he tried in vain to dissuade Garibaldi from the Marsala expedition, but, after his chief's departure, he sailed for Sicily with the second expedition, taking part in the whole campaign, during which he forced Messina to capitulate after an eight days' siege. Joining the regular army, he was appointed military commandant of Palermo, in which capacity he facilitated the abortive campaign of Garibaldi in 1862. In 1866 he commanded the division which invaded Tirol, but the effect of his victories was neutralized by the conclusion of peace. Returning to Palermo he did good work in restoring order in Sicily. He became a senator in 1870, and marquis of the "Vascello" and first aide-de-camp to the king in 1876. He died on the 9th of March 1882.