Cispadane Republic Repubblica Cispadana (Italian) | |||||||||||||
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| 1796–1797 | |||||||||||||
 Northern Italy in 1796.Modena andPapal Legations (all lower right) were merged into the Cispadane Republic. | |||||||||||||
| Status | Client state ofFrance | ||||||||||||
| Capital | Bologna | ||||||||||||
| Common languages | Emilian,Romagnol,Italian | ||||||||||||
| Government | Unitarydirectorial republic | ||||||||||||
| Legislature | Legislative Body | ||||||||||||
| Council of Thirty | |||||||||||||
| Council of Sixty | |||||||||||||
| Historical era | Napoleonic Wars | ||||||||||||
| 10 May 1796 | |||||||||||||
| 19 February 1797 | |||||||||||||
| 29 June 1797 | |||||||||||||
| 17 October 1797 | |||||||||||||
| Currency | Bolognese lira and all other old currencies | ||||||||||||
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TheCispadane Republic (Italian:Repubblica Cispadana) was a short-livedclient republic located innorthern Italy, founded in 1796 with the protection of theFrench army, led byNapoleon Bonaparte. In the following year, it was merged with theTranspadane Republic (formerly theDuchy of Milan until 1796) to form theCisalpine Republic. The Cispadane Republic was the first Italian sovereign state to adopt theItalian tricolour as its flag.[1]
On 16 October 1796, a congress was held inModena after the ruler,Duke Hercules III, had fled toVenice to escape the French advance.[2] The congress was formed by representatives from the provinces of Modena,Bologna,Ferrara andReggio Emilia, all located south of thePo;Cispadane indicates "on this side of (the river) Po", with the correspondingTranspadane indicating "across (the river) Po".
The congress was unofficially organized by Napoleon, whose French army had swept through northern Italy earlier in the year, and who needed to settle the situation in Italy and gather new troops for an offensive againstAustria.[3]
The congress proclaimed that the four provinces would form theRepubblica Cispadana: a civic guard, composed of mounted hunters and artillery, was formed.[4] In the 7 January 1797 session, in Reggio Emilia, the congress decided to form a government.
The flag, the firsttricolour in Italy, was a horizontal tricolour, with red (top), white and green stripes.[5] In the centre was an emblem composed of a quiver, accolade to a war trophy, with four arrows that symbolized the four provinces forming the Republic, all within a crown of bay.[3] The Cispadane Republic was the first Italian sovereign state to adopt theItalian tricolour as its flag.[1]
On 29 June 1797, the Cispadane Republic united with theTranspadane Republic to form theCisalpine Republic.[6][7]
| Sister republics |
|  Europe at the height of Napoleon's Empire | |||||||||||
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| Napoleonic creations |
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44°29′42″N11°20′33″E / 44.49500°N 11.34250°E /44.49500; 11.34250
