All over the Roman states, but especially in Romagna, the secret
society of the Sanfedesti flourished exceedingly; whether, as is
probable, an offshoot of the Calderai or of indigenous growth, its
aims were the same. The affiliated swore to spill the last drop of the
blood of the Liberals, without regard to sex or rank, and to spare
neither children nor old men. Many Romagnols had left their country
after the abortive agitation of 1821, and amongst these were the
Gambas. Count Pietro died in Greece, where he had gone on the service
of freedom. Had he lived, this young man would have been sure to win a
fair name in the annals of Italian patriotism; he should not, as it
is, be quite forgotten, as it was chiefly due to him that Byron's life
took the redeeming direction which led to Missolonghi.

In February 1831, Romagna and the Marches of Ancona threw off the
Papal Government with an ease which must have surprised the most
sanguine. The white, red and green tricolor was hoisted at Bologna,
where, as far as is known, this combination of colours first became a
political badge. Thirty-six years before Luigi Zamboni and Gian
Battista De Rolandis of Bologna had distributed rosettes of white, red
and green ribbon; Zamboni was arrested, and strangled himself, afraid
of betraying his friends; De Rolandis was hung on the 23rd of April
1796. Such was the origin of the flag, but, until 1831, the Carbonaro
red, blue and black was the common standard of the revolution. From
that year forth, the destinies of Italy were accomplished under the
colours of better augury, so fit to recall her fiery volcanoes, her
wooded Apennines, her snow-crowned Alps; colours which in one sense
she receives from Dante, who clothes in them the vision of the
glorified Beatrice.

The rising at Parma requires but little comment. The Empress