RATTAZZI, UR.BANO, an Italian statesman, was b. in the middle ranks of life, at Ales sandria (Piedmont), in 1810. He was an advocate at Casale, where, in 1847, he was president of the agricultural committee. After the proclamation of the constitution iu 1848, he was elected member for Alessandria, and began his political career as a demo. mt. His knowledge, eloquence, and liberal principles raised him to the ministry, and his first act was to write to the bishops, threatening to have them arrested if they should. preach against liberty. He resisted his chief, Gioberti, Who wished to send Piedmontese soldiers into Tuscany and Rome, to prevent the occupation of these places by the Aus trians and French; urged Charles Albert into a new war with Austria, and after the defeat of Novara, was obliged to retire from the ministry. After Napoleon's coup d'etat, the liberty of Piedmont was threatened, and Cavour, Rattazzi, and their parties joined together to defend it. This union was called connubio. Rattazzi took the portfolio of minister of justice in the Cavour ministry in 1854, and presented the bill for the abolition of convents. The priests were up in arms against him, and he was strenuously opposed
by the Catholic-party. After the 191azzinian movement iu 1857, being accused of weak ness in suppressing it, he retired. After the peace of Villafranca, he returned to the ministry. He did not wish to accept definitively the annexation of the duchies, because he knew that the price of it was Savoy and Nice, which he was unwilling to give up; and being, as is alleged, secretly undermined by Cavour and sir.James Hudson, he fell. In 1862 Rattazzi was intrusted with the formation of a new ministry. His policy was an attempt to secure the development of Italian liberty and unity by peaceful and diplo matic means. He opposed Garibaldi's expedition against Rome in that year, so that its result was the disaster at ASpromonte. His ministry failed to secure the confidence of parliament, and he accordingly resigned at the end of the year 1862. He returned to office in 1867, but had to resign the seine year. He died June 5, 1873.