Giuseppe Garibaldi

Born: Saturday, 04 July 1807
Died: Friday, 02 June 1882

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Giuseppe Garibaldi was an international hero, freedom fighter, and Freemason who promoted unity and liberty for humanity.

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Giuseppe Garibaldi is quite possibly one of the most passionate and active freedom fighters of the 19th century. Born in Italy in 1807 as Napoleon was spreading enlightenment ideals across Europe, Garibaldi was deeply inspired but the rising tide of human liberty. After he came of age he fought in almost every revolution and struggle for freedom from South America to his native homeland. What he is remembered most for, however is leading the hearts and minds of the Italian people to unity, turning a loose collection of small states into a united kingdom of Italy. It was this innate passion for human liberation that led Garibaldi to Freemasonry.

Garibaldi was initiated in 1848 into Les Amis del la Patri Lodge in Montevideo, Uruguay. He remained an active Mason until his death in 1882, frequently mixing his fervor for liberation with masonry. Often his Masonic Brothers were his comrades in arms, and his Masonic ideals went with him everywhere he raised the flag of liberation, and fostered fraternity. He became an international hero, often his presence alone was enough to turn the tide of battle, and lead men to victory.

Because of his massive popular support, Kings and Princes sought to use him for their own ends, however he always flipped the tables, and ended up using them to further his dreams and ideals. He famously switched sides in the Franco-Prussian war, when Emperor Napoleon III of France abdicated and proclaimed a Republic. He famously said on the occasion “Yesterday I said to you: war to the death to Bonaparte. Today I say to you: rescue the French Republic by every means." He was never a slave to personalities and states, only a servant of ideals.