CONFALONIERI, FEDERICO, COUNT Italian revolutionary, was born at Milan, descended from a noble Lombard family. In 18o6 he married Teresa Casati. During the Napoleonic period Confalonieri was among the opponents of the French regime, and was regarded as one of the leaders of the ltaliani puri, or Italian National Party. At the time of the Milan riots of 1814, when the minister, Prina, was assassinated, Confal onieri was unjustly accused of complicity in the deed. After the fall of Napoleon he went to Paris with the other Lombard dele gates to plead his country's cause, advocating the formation of a separate Lombard State under an independent prince. But neither there nor in London, where he subsequently went, did he receive any encouragement. He then joined the freemasons and returned to Milan, where he found the Austrians in possession.
Early in 1821 he visited various parts of Italy to sound the liberal leaders, and also corresponded with the Piedmontese of ficers who, believing that they had the approval of Prince Charles Albert of Carignano, the heir to the throne, were planning a mili tary revolt. Confalonieri warned them that Lombardy was not ready. On the outbreak of the Piedmontese revolt (March–April 1821) the Austrian authorities arrested Silvio Pellico and Maron celli and af terwards Confalonieri. After a long trial Confalonieri was condemned to perpetual imprisonment in the fortress of Spielberg (Jan. 1824). He was taken to Vienna and had a long interview with Prince Metternich, who tried, without success, to extract confessions incriminating other persons, especially Charles Albert. His wife died in 183o, and in 1836, on the death of the emperor, Francis, he was pardoned and exiled to America. He came back to Europe after a year's absence, and in 184o obtained permission to return to Milan to see his dying father. He himself, broken in health and spirits, died on Dec. Io, 1846.