LA MARMORA, ALrosso FERRERO, Marquis of (1804-78). An Italian general and states man, born in Turin. In 1816 he entered the mili tary academy in his native city, becoming a lieu tenant in the artillery in 1823. In 1343 he he came major, and for his distinguished conduct in the of IS48 against Austria, was decorated with the medal of valor. The services he then rendered the Sardinian Army removed from the mind of Charles Albert a prejudice which his warm advocacy of military reform had aroused in the King. La Marmora was made a brigadier general, and in 1849 repressed a rebellion in (Ienoa. In the same year he entered the Cab inet as Minister of War, and initiated a series of reforms which amounted almost to the reorganization of the army. in 1855 he was placed in command of the Sardinian troops sent to the Crimea, distinguished him self in the battle of the Tehernaya, and at the close of the war was invested with the Order of the Bath and the grand cross of the Legion of Honor. and reentered the Ministry in his former capacity. Ile was next to the King in command of the Italian forces in the war of 1859, by which Lombardy was acquired, and upon Ca vou•'s resiimation in July, presided over the Cabinet till .January, ISO. In 1861 lie was
sent to Prussia as envoy extraordinary. In No vember of that year lie became Governor of Naples. From I S64 to 1866 lie was Prime Min ister, and concluded the alliance with Prussia. In the campaign against Austria in 1S66 he lost the battle of Custozza and resigned his position as chief of staff, as well as his portfolio. This last official position was that of Governor of Rome, which lie held from October, IS70, to January, 1871. His account of the secret nego tiations between Prussia and Italy (Ur po di /nee snail orrcnimenti del MG. Florence, 1873) incurred the denunciation of Prince Ills marek and the censure of the Italian Govern ment. Tie died in Florence, January 5, 1878 Consult: ..Massari. 11 genende Alfonso La Mar more, rico•di biografiei (Florence, ISSO) ; Chiala, Le general La Marmora et l'alliance prussicnne (Paris, 1S7S).