Assassination of King Umberto I of Italy

On July 29, 1900, King Umberto I of Italy was assassinated by Gaetano Bresci, an Italian-American anarchist, in Monza, Italy. This event marked a significant moment in Italian and European history, reflecting the widespread social and political unrest of the era.

Background

King Umberto I ascended to the Italian throne on January 9, 1878. His reign witnessed the consolidation of Italy as a nation-state, but also significant social and economic challenges. The late 19th century was a period of political instability across Europe, characterized by increased tensions between rising populist movements and established monarchies. In Italy, economic difficulties and social unrest were amplified by harsh government crackdowns and repression, including the response to the 1898 bread riots, known as the “Bava Beccaris massacre,” where General Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris ordered troops to fire on demonstrators, resulting in numerous deaths. King Umberto’s subsequent decision to award Bava Beccaris with a medal exacerbated public anger.

The Assassination

On the evening of July 29, King Umberto I was attending an athletics competition in Monza. As the King was leaving in an open carriage, Gaetano Bresci approached and fired several revolver shots at him, hitting him three times and killing him almost instantly. Bresci was immediately apprehended by the authorities.

Gaetano Bresci was an anarchist who had immigrated to the United States and lived in Paterson, New Jersey, before returning to Italy with the express intent of avenging those killed in the protests of 1898. Bresci was motivated by a broader anarchistic ideology that opposed the inequalities perpetuated by the monarchy and sought to incite revolutionary change.

Aftermath and Significance

The assassination of King Umberto I shocked Italy and the broader monarchical systems across Europe. It highlighted the rising tide of anarchist violence targeting figures of authority and underscored the deep societal divisions present in Italy at the time. King Umberto was succeeded by his son, King Victor Emmanuel III, who would eventually oversee an era marked by further challenges, including World War I and the rise of fascism in Italy.

Bresci was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. His incarceration ended abruptly when he was found dead in his prison cell in 1901, officially recorded as suicide, although conspiracy theories about his death persist.

The assassination is remembered as a pivotal moment in the history of Italian anarchism and as an example of the radical measures taken by individuals who believed political assassination could precipitate broader social change.