Lombardy-Venetia

In 1815, as consequence of what stated by the Vienna treaty, Europe saw a large reshuffling of the territorial and political status. Some country, like Austria and England came out greatly reinforced and in a dominant position.
Austria got the annexation of the territories of Lombardy and of the antique Venice Republic, as a "reward"for the loss of the Holland. It was then formed the Lombardy-Venetia Kingdom, theoretically autonomous, but in fact directly dependent from Vienna that got in that way a more direct influence on the Italian "things".
The Lombardy-Venetia Kingdom had a surface of about 47,000 sqKm and a population of about 6,4 millions of habitants (1850). The King was, during the philatelic period, Frank Joseph.
Geographically it was divided in two regions, Lombardy and Veneto and into 17 provinces: for the Lombardy they were Milano (the capital), Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lodi & Crema, Mantova, Pavia and Sondrio, while for the Veneto there were Venezia (the capital), Belluno, Padova, Rovigo, Treviso, Udine, Verona and Vicenza.

The events that brought to the fall of the Lombardy-Venetia Kingdom and to the annexation of the territories to the Sardinia Kingdom started in 1848/49 with the first Independence war that saw as looser the Sardinian army against Austria at the beginning against the Radetzky troops in Custoza (07/25/1848) and the following year at Novara. It was anyway clear that the situation was moving toward deep changes.
Quite differently were the events of the 1859, with the second Independence war where the alliance between Sardinia and France brought to the liberation of Lombardy (with the exception of few territories) that was given to France that "in turn" gave it to the Piedmont (Zurich treaty). France, for itself, got the territories of Savoia and the Nice area.
Cavour, very skilful strategist, in fact made a secret defensive agreement with Napoleon III (Plombieres agreement): that, in case of an Austrian attack to Piedmont, France would intervene. To force Austria to declare war he created a voluntary Corp (Cacciatori delle Alpi) that was not so well accepted to the Austrian. Austria fell in that trap and ordered to dismiss this Corp; the Austrian ultimatum was logically rejected and Austria attacked by crossing the Ticino river and trying to invade the Piedmont (April 29th 1859). The Austrian find themselves to deal with the Sardinian and the French Armies and collected a long sequence of defeats. The Sardinian army moved forward occupying the Lombardy territories and the lands beyond the Po river around Mantova (Oltrepò Mantovano), territory well known to the postal history collectors for some rare "provisional" use of Sardinian stamps during the short period of Sardinia dominance.
Napoleon anyway, due to the always less hidden threats from Prussia to intervene in favor of Austria, signed a secret armistice (Villafranca) that put an end to the war and caused a strong Cavour resentment and of a lot of Italians. Nevertheless with Zurich treaty the Beyond the Po river territories were given back to Austria while the Lombardy was "sold" to France to be "given" to Vittorio Emanuele.

In 1866, with the third Independence war, Italy now allied even with Prussia, succeeded to obtain the Veneto territory that was definitively annexed to Italy with the Cormons treaty (August 12th 1866), putting an end to the Lombardy-Venetia Kingdom after 51 years from its birth.
The Prussia was indeed the instrument of the unification of the German States, fighting against Austria. Because the enemy now was common, Bismark made an agreement with Italy that in case of victory Italy was getting the Veneto.
During the war (declared June 17 1866 by Prussia) the Italians, somewhat disorganized and surely badly directed, were defeated badly (Custoza, June 24th 1866 and Lissa July 20th 1866).
To our luck Prussian army defeated the Austrian one at Sodowa and forced them to surrender (Praga peace treaty). The Veneto territory was given to France that left it to Italy. The territories of Trentino and Venezia Giulia remained anyway to Austria. In October 21st a plebiscite made official the union of the Veneto to the Italian Kingdom.

The currency used up to October 31st 1858 was the Austrian Lira, divided in 100 centesimi, equivalent to 20 Austrian Kreuzers ("Carantani") It should be clarified that the equivalence 1 Austrian Lira = 20 Kreuzers was only theoretical because the Austrian Lira being a silver coin had anyway more value in real life...
From November 1st 1858 the Austrian Fiorino (Gulden) was introduced, silver coin too, made by 100 Soldi and equivalent to an Austrian Gulden (1 Gulden= 60 Kreuzers). 1 Soldo was equivalent to 2.47 Italian Lire and the old Austrian Lira was equated to 35 Soldi.

Here are briefly the main fees existent for a letter first rate (porto) for inside the territory (up to 17,5 grams). Double rate cost was twice, triple rate cost was three times etc. The cost for the inside territory was due by the sender and the letters without or with not correct postage stamps were delivered anyway but the receiving party had to pay the full tax plus an additional one of 15 centesimi (3 Kreuzer) for each lot.

From November 1st 1858, with the introduction of the SOLDO, the fees were converted using the following exchange (the letters without postage stamps paid at the arrival the full fee plus a tax of 5 Soldi):