A considerable portion of the state affairs required the personal handling of Vittorio Emanuele II before they could be finally decided, which might be one of the reasons why Emanuele II's health continued to decline.
Do not be fooled by Italy's relatively small size compared to other great powers, as it boasts a population of up to 28.66 million, more than 10 million over Spain.
Such a large population also means there are numerous state affairs that need handling, and a significant portion of these responsibilities fell on the shoulders of Vittorio Emanuele II.
For this King, who had experienced the pain of losing sons multiple times, his health indeed deteriorated amidst the long hours of busyness, yet he faced increasing state affairs, falling into a prolonged vicious cycle.
