Childhood and education Enrico Dandolo was born in
Varese as the son of Count Tullio
Dandolo and Giulietta Bargnani. He spent part of his childhood (1835–1838) at his mother's villa in
Adro, in the province of
Brescia, in a family environment that fostered patriotic ideals. After a two-year stay in
Rome with his family (1838–1840), he returned to
Lombardy and continued his education at the Brera gymnasium in
Milan.
Military service and the First Italian War of Independence Following the Five Days of Milan, Enrico Dandolo, gaining experience and maturity in the tactics of
guerrilla warfare, took part (with the Lombard volunteers) in the
Legione Manara in the
Brescian and
Trentine campaigns of the
First Italian War of Independence. He saw combat at
Castelnuovo and
Lazise. On 14 April 1848, he was recalled to Milan by the commander-in-chief and appointed adjutant to General E. Perrone, commander of the Lombard division. This appointment reflected recognition of his military capabilities and dedication to the independence cause. After a period of training, the division was deployed to the front in early July 1848 and participated in the blockade of
Mantua. Following the defeat at
Custozza (26–27 July 1848), the division abandoned the siege and withdrew, first to the
Oglio river, where it resisted pursuing Austrian columns, and subsequently to the
Adda in support of the defense of Milan. When that effort failed, the division was assigned to defend the city walls on the side facing the castle. On 7 August 1848, from headquarters in
Trecate, Dandolo and Emilio Morosini received from General Perrone a certificate acknowledging their courage, zeal, and military aptitude, after which they were released from service. Dandolo sought refuge in
Lugano and stayed at the Morosini family home in nearby
Vezia, a haven for numerous Italian political exiles. Several weeks later, he crossed into
Piedmont to rejoin Manara's battalion. On this occasion, he was promoted to the rank of ensign, a position formerly held by his brother Emilio. The battalion was reorganized and redesignated the VI Bersaglieri. Dandolo remained with the unit for several months during exercises and training near
Alessandria. It was subsequently deployed to the
Ticino sector during the brief March campaign of 1849, as part of the Lombard division under General Ramorino.
Defence of the Roman Republic Enrico Dandolo participated in the formation of the
Roman Republic in 1849. Following the Piedmontese defeat at the
Battle of Novara on 23 March 1849, Enrico Dandolo shared the fate of Luciano Manara. With the dissolution of their division imminent after the armistice, Manara elected to transfer his battalion to the
Papal States to support the newly proclaimed Roman Republic. The battalion disembarked at
Porto d'Anzio on 27 April 1849 and entered Rome on 29 April 1849. From 30 April 1849, Dandolo served as commander of the 2nd company in the army of the Roman Republic and participated in the city's defensive campaign against French, Austrian, and Neapolitan forces. During this period, he saw combat near
Palestrina and
Velletri against the Neapolitan army, where Republican forces secured victories. During the battle against the French, which finally freed
Rome from the insurgents, Dandolo fought at the rank of captain in the
Battaglione Bersaglieri Lombardi, under the command of Luciano Manara around Porta
San Pancrazio and at Villa Corsini. These clashes represented the most severe fighting of the defense, as Villa Corsini (also known as the Casino dei Quattro Venti) occupied a critical strategic position on the
Janiculum hill, dominating the western approaches to Rome.
Death at Villa Corsini The culminating engagement in the defense of the Roman Republic occurred on 3 June 1849, when French forces launched a major assault on Villa Corsini. Throughout the day,
Giuseppe Garibaldi repeatedly ordered assaults to recapture the villa from the entrenched French garrison. The intense fighting resulted in heavy casualties among the defenders. During these assaults, Enrico Dandolo was mortally wounded. He died that night in the arms of his friend Emilio Morosini, who had himself been gravely wounded in the same action. Dandolo's death came to symbolize the sacrifice of the young generation of Italian patriots who perished in the struggle for national independence. It established him as one of the figures of the heroic resistance of the Roman Republic. == Burial and commemoration ==