In the same year, Central Italy, Southern Italy, the Papal States, and Naples, all joined the kingdom of Emmanuel and, in February, 1861, the first Parliament of all the Italian States was held at Turin. It was this event that was celebrated by the Italian Jubilee stamps.
The third event which the Italian stamps commemorated was the completion of the new Campanile in Venice. The old monument collapsed on the square of St. Mark's some ten years ago, and a new erection of similar design to the original one has been built in its place.
A very attractive series of stamps was placed on sale throughout Austria in 1908 to commemorate the sixtieth year of the reign of Franz Joseph I. The labels are particularly interesting, as they reveal to us many Austrian rulers about whom our history books have much to say. They are as follows:
1 heller: Karl VI. Best known, perhaps, as the father of Maria Theresa.
2 heller: Maria Theresa.
3 heller: Joseph II. A great reformer, but a very harsh ruler.
5, 10, 25, 30, and 35 heller: Franz Joseph I.
6 heller: Leopold II. Brother and successor to Joseph II. Pacified the Netherlands and Hungary which his elder brother had inflamed.
12 heller: Franz I. Assisted Napoléon in his campaign against Russia, and later joined with other countries to break Napoleon's power.
20 heller: Ferdinand. Was persuaded to abdicate in favour of Franz Joseph, as he was too weak to rule in such troublous times.