republic · Italy

Republic of San Marco

1848 CE – 1849 CE · capital Venice

The revolutionary Venetian republic of 1848–1849 led by Daniele Manin, which held out against an Austrian siege for seventeen months.

Origins

As revolution spread across Europe, crowds freed the lawyer Daniele Manin from prison on 17 March 1848, and on 22 March the Venetians rose against the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia and took the Arsenal. Manin proclaimed the Republic of San Marco, reviving the name of the old Republic of Venice.

Rule and society

Manin led the government, with the writer Niccolò Tommaseo among its ministers. The republic briefly voted in July 1848 to join the Kingdom of Sardinia, but after Piedmont's defeat at Custoza it returned to independence. Venetians raised loans, printed paper money and organised a national guard and defence of the lagoon, which became a symbol of Italian resistance.

Decline and legacy

Austrian forces besieged Venice from 1849, bombarding the city while cholera and hunger spread. The republic surrendered in August 1849, and Manin went into exile in Paris. Venetia joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1866.

Lineage

Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia 1815 CE – 1866 CERepublic of San Marco

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Republic of San Marco. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-san-marco
MLA
“Republic of San Marco.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-san-marco. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Republic of San Marco.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-san-marco.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Republic of San Marco’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/republic-of-san-marco (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻