Discover the fascinating story of how one of Italy’s most legendary figures became a beloved icon in Victorian England.

Rome, November 13, 2024 – Giuseppe Garibaldi, one of Italy’s greatest national heroes, also enjoyed a cult-like status in 19th-century England, where his daring exploits and romantic persona made him an international icon.

His extraordinary popularity across the English Channel, which inspired poetry, biscuits, and even a football team, will be the focus of a unique conference in Rome on Saturday, November 16, at 4:00 PM.

The event, titled “Poetry, Football, and Biscuits: The Curious Story of Garibaldi’s Myth in England,” will take place at the Museum of the Roman Republic and Garibaldi Memorial.

Garibaldi Fever in Victorian England

The conference will be led by Jim Holden, a British journalist and historian who has lived in Rome for four years and teaches at the American University of Rome. As part of his research for a forthcoming book on Garibaldi, Holden has retraced the hero’s footsteps across Italy, from Genoa to Caprera.

Holden will shed light on the fascination Garibaldi inspired among the English public, who saw him as a swashbuckling hero of liberty. His arrival in London in 1864 attracted a half-million-strong crowd in what became one of the era’s largest public spectacles. Though celebrated by literary giants like Charles Dickens and political exiles such as Giuseppe Mazzini, Garibaldi failed to win over Queen Victoria, who dismissed him as a “dangerous revolutionary” and remarked, “Garibaldi has driven the English people mad.”

From Biscuits to Football

Garibaldi’s myth left an indelible cultural legacy in England. He inspired poets, and his name was immortalized in the now-famous Garibaldi biscuit, a confection still sold in British supermarkets today. Perhaps most curiously, a prominent football team embraced Garibaldi as a symbol, integrating his legacy into its identity—a detail Holden promises to reveal during the talk.

An Intriguing Legacy

Beyond his cultural influence, Garibaldi’s time in England included secret missions and political maneuvers. He partnered with the British Museum’s chief librarian to plan the release of political prisoners and received the honorary citizenship of London, a rare accolade also awarded to figures like Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Event Details

The conference promises to provide fresh insight into Garibaldi’s enduring international appeal, blending history, culture, and personal intrigue. The event is free and open to the public until capacity is reached.

Date: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Museum of the Roman Republic and Garibaldi Memorial, Via Garibaldi 29E, Rome
Info: Tel. 060608 | www.museodellarepubblicaromana.it