Charles Albert

Charles Albert, King of Sardinia (1798-1849). son of Charles Emmanuel of Savoy. He succeeded to Savoy in 1800, and in 1817 he married the daughter of the Archduke Ferdinand of Tuscany. At the revolution in Piedmont in 1821 Victor Emmanuel abdicated, and Charles Albert was regent, until the arrival of Charles Felix. The latter, however, did not approve of his measures and annulled many of them. In 1831 Charles Felix died, and Charles Albert became king, and in him the hopes of Italian freedom were centred. But he was too prudent for the hot heads of young Italy, and Mazzini disapproved of him. In 1848 the war broke out against Austria, and Charles lost ground. In the battle of Novara against Radetzky (1849) he was defeated, and abdicated the throne. He retired to Portugal, and died there broken-hearted.