Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris (; 17 March 1831 – 8 April 1924) was an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

general, especially remembered for his brutal repression of riots in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

in 1898, known as the

Bava Beccaris massacre The Bava Beccaris massacre, named after the Italian General Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris, was the repression of widespread food riots in Milan, Italy, on 6–10 May 1898. In Italy the suppression of these demonstrations is also known as ''Fatti di Magg ...

Biography

Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris was born in

Fossano Fossano ( pms, Fossan) is a town and ''comune'' of Piedmont, northern Italy. It is the fourth largest town of the Province of Cuneo, after Cuneo, Alba and Bra. It lies on the main railway line from Turin to Cuneo and to Savona, and has a branch l ...

, and took part in the

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and the

Italian Wars of Independence The War of Italian Independence, or Italian Wars of Independence, include: * First Italian War of Independence (1848–1849) *Second Italian War of Independence (1859) *Third Italian War of Independence (1866) * Fourth Italian War of Independence ( ...

. In May 1898, when serious riots arising from high

food prices Food prices refer to the average price level for food across countries, regions and on a global scale. Food prices have an impact on producers and consumers of food. Price levels depend on the food production process, including food marketing ...

broke out in Milan, the Italian government under

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declared a

state of siege A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

in the city. General Bava Beccaris, as extraordinary commissar of the city, ordered his soldiers to fire on demonstrators, who had erected several barricades during a strike. Artillery was also used. According to official figures 80 people were killed and 450 wounded. However, the opposition claimed 400 dead and more than 2,000 injured people while ''

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'' reported 300 deaths and 1,000 wounded. In recognition of his action Bava Beccaris received the Great Cross of the Order of Savoy from King

Umberto I Umberto I ( it, Umberto Rainerio Carlo Emanuele Giovanni Maria Ferdinando Eugenio di Savoia; 14 March 1844 – 29 July 1900) was King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his assassination on 29 July 1900. Umberto's reign saw Italy attempt colo ...

in June 1898. He was shortly afterwards appointed to the Italian Senate.From Italian senate website personal page
/ref> During 1914, he warmly supported the interventionist party in Italy who wished to participate in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, (as they did on 25 May 1915). In 1922, he recommended that King

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grant power to Benito Mussolini and the

National Fascist Party The National Fascist Party ( it, Partito Nazionale Fascista, PNF) was a political party in Italy, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of Italian Fascism and as a reorganization of the previous Italian Fasces of Combat. Th ...

. Bava Beccaris retired in 1902. He died in Rome in 1924.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bava Beccaris, Fiorenzo 1831 births 1924 deaths People from Fossano Italian generals Members of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy

Biography

See also

References