Carlo Felice Nicolis, conte di Robilant

Carlo Felice Nicolis, conte di Robilant (8 August 1826 – 17 October 1888), Italian statesman and diplomat, was a native of Turin.

He entered the army, and lost his left hand at Novara, where he was aide-de-camp to Charles Albert, king of Piedmont.

In spite of the active part he had taken in driving Austria from Italy, he was a persona grata in Vienna, and his policy was steadily directed to an alliance between the two powers.

[1] Robilant's independent attitude as foreign minister secured greater consideration for Italy from her allies, but he did not adapt himself to the exigencies of domestic politics, and his excessive unpopularity contributed to the downfall of the ministry on February 7, 1887, consequent on an adverse vote on the Massawa question.

[1] Before leaving office, he completed the negotiations for the renewal of the Triple Alliance, and for its extension to cover Anglo-Italian co-operation in the Mediterranean.