TheDictatorship of Garibaldi orDictatorial Government of Sicily was the provisionalexecutive thatGiuseppe Garibaldi appointed to govern the territory ofSicily during theExpedition of the Thousand in 1860. It governed in opposition to theBourbons of Naples.
On 14 May 1860 inSalemi, Garibaldi announced that he was assumingdictatorship over Sicily, in the name ofVictor Emmanuel II of Italy. On 17 May,Francesco Crispi was appointed First Secretary of State.[1]
TheRedshirts advanced toPalermo, the capital of the island, andlaunched a siege on 27 May. On 2 June 1860 in Palermo were appointed four secretaries of State and created sixdepartments. Created the Sicilian Army and a fleet of the government of Sicily.[2]
The pace of Garibaldi's victories had worriedCavour, who in early July sent him a proposal of immediate annexation of Sicily toPiedmont. Garibaldi vehemently refused to allow such a move until the end of the war. Cavour's envoy,Giuseppe La Farina, was arrested and expelled from the island. He was replaced by the more malleableAgostino Depretis, who gained Garibaldi's trust and was appointed as pro-dictator.[3]
The dictatorial government ended 2 December 1860[citation needed], while November, 4, the annexation of theKingdom of Italy was ratified by the popular plebiscite of 21 October.[4]
From 2 December 1860 to 5 January 1862 the dictatorship was followed by the "General Lieutenancy of the king for Sicily".
