The Kingdom of Sardinia

From 1720 the Savoy (family of antique descendants) started to be really influent in the Italian history, when Amedeo II exchanges with the Austrian the Sicily to get the Sardinia. The Sardinian expansion continues in the following decades due to the military support given to France. The Kingdom continued to extend itself by adding also some Piedmont territory too. After a period of relative quiet a new important event was the Vienna treaty in 1815. The Sardinia kingdom sees the annexation of the Genoa Republic, very important strategically because it was opening the path to the sea for the continental part of the Kingdom. From 1831 the King is Carlo Alberto who get soon the reputation of liberal man. We come then to one of the most intense and tumultuous period of the Italian history: the Independence Wars and the "Risorgimento".
Under the push of the independence riots that were flourishing in all Europe, the Sardinia Kingdom made war to Austria (1st Independence war - March 23rd 1848): after few battles in favor of the Sardinian army the Custoza defeat (July 25th 1848) forced the Sardinian army to step back and to the Salasco armistice; Few months after nevertheless (12 March 12th 1849) again the Sardinians attacked the Austrian but once again they were ruinously defeated and forced to surrender (Novara defeat of March 23rd 1849).
Carlo Alberto left the dominion to his son Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy (Fig. 1) and also the head of the Government, d'Azeglio, in1852 left the seat to Camillo Benso Count of Cavour (Fig. 2). This last one, very skilled strategist and politician, succeeded to form an alliance with France against Austria.

Fig. 1: Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy	Fig. 2: Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour
(images from "Dagli Stati Preunitari al Regno d'Italia", vol. 1, ed. Sassone, 1999)

He, in fact, formed a defensive secret agreement with Napoleone III (Plombieres pact): in case Austria would attack the Piedmont, France should have to get involved in favor of the Piedment. To force Austria to declare war he established a voluntary Corp (Alps Hunters) that was not at all welcome to the Austrian. The Austrian ultimatum to dissolve the Corp was refused and Austria attacked (April 29th 1859). Things went quite differently in comparison with 1849 and Austria lost the Lombardy. Nice and Savoy territories were given to France in exchange for the military support (June 1860).
To deal now with all the events that followed and the episodes that brought to the Italian unity would mean to write again the history of the Italian "Risorgimento". I invite you to go to the introduction of the single Duchies to understand how the annexation of the various territories was prepared and implemented.

The Italy Kingdom was officially instituted March 17th 1861.

At the time of the first postage stamps introduction (January 1st 1851) the Sardinia surface was about 75,300 SqKm and comprehended a continental part (Piedmont, Liguria, Nice, and Savoy) and an island part (Sardinia Island). The inhabitants were about 5.2 millions. The territory was divided in 14 Administrative Divisions (Turin, Genoa, Annecy, Chambery, Cuneo, Alessandria, Ivrea, Nizza, Novara, Savona, Vercelli, Cagliari, Sassari, Nuoro).

The currency circulating was the Italian Lira divided in 100 centesimi.

Here are briefly the main postal rates existent for a letter first class for the interior.
The application of the stamp was at will (it was that way up to December 31st 1857) with the "certified" (raccomandata) exception.

From January 1861 the printing material fee was brought to 1 centesimoi each 24 tenth of meter square.