Unification of Italy

1 ) The process of unification of ITALY was the work of 3 main leaders, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Count
Cavour, and Victory Emmanuel II .

2) Italy was divided into 7 states in which only Sardinia-Piedmont was the only region ruled by a
Italian Princely house.

3) The northern Region was ruled by Austrian-Habsburg dynasty, The central was ruled by Popes by
France and the Southern region by the Bourbon kings of Spain.

4) The unification of Italy started with the secret societies formed by Mazzini like the Young Italy and
the Young Europe.

5) Count Cavour with his tack full diplomacy with France defeated the Austrians and freed the
northern Italy.

6) Garibaldi with his armed volunteers called red shirts defeated the Bourbon kings of Spain freeing
the kingdom of 2 sicilies.

7) Victory Emmanuel the 2nd defeated the popes of France and freeing the southern region and
completing the unification of Italy and he was proclaimed the emperor of united Italy.

Italy was a “geographical expression” up to 19th century.

Italy had been divided into number of principalities with their own individual governments

Italy lacked unity in all fields even the Italian language had not acquired one common from as there
where many local and regional variations.

Under Napoleon

Napoleon brought Italy under his control and created the kingdom of Italy by United all the provinces
and applied his code for legalities

this in turn lead to the emergence of national consciousness among the Italians.

The Congress of Vienna

After the fall of Napoleon the Congress of Vienna held in 1815 resolved the kingdom of Italy and
divided Italy into small states

1. Naples and Sicily -Bourbon dynasty of France

2. The Papal States in Central Italy with Vatican- Pope
3. Kingdom of Modena Parma and Tuscani under the Austrian Princess
4. The two provinces of Lombardy and Venetia under Austria
 5. The Kingdom of Sardinia including Piedmont remained independent

Italy again becomes politically disunited and there was no scope for integration of these States

Resorgimento

It was a political and social movement for the unification of Italy

The first step towards unification of Italy was done by researgimento.

It's revolt was targeted against Austrian domination and they could achieve unity among Italian to
a certain extent.

Carbonari Society

The Carbonari was an informal network of secret revolutionary society active in Italy from about
1800 to 1831

It was a secret society working for the unification of Italy

It started a movement which known as Carbonari Movement to obtain freedom from foreign Yoke
they organised several unsuccessful revolts.

Main leaders of Italian unification

1. Garibaldi - he known as the sword of the unification

2. Mazzini - he known as heart of the unification
3. Cavour - the brain of unification

They came to the scene and led the process of unification of Italy

Giuseppe Mazzini

He joined the Carbonari Society and involved in revolutionary activities

He founded a new organisation named the young Italy

he appealed to the youth for working for the liberation of the country and consequently it became a
mass movement that made the unification of Italy in to a political issue in Italy

He organised successful rebellion against Rome and Pope was compelled to leave Rome but later
Pope restored Rome with the support of French army

He inspired the people of Italy through his writings and it was his ideological base which laid the
foundation of nationalism in Italy

Victor Emmanuel II

he is the son and successor of king of Sardinia Charles Albert

He is the most important figure of Risorgimento movement of Italian unification.

He appointed Cavour as his prime minister

Victor Emmanuel II became the king of United Italy later

Count de Cavour

he was the prime minister of Sardinia under victor Emmanuel II

he played a crucial role in the unification of Italy

He outline the practical program of Italian unification under his state, the kingdom of Sardinia and
Piedmont

he initiated economic reforms and organised an army, known as the LiberationAarmy to fight the
Austrians and defeated them.

This victory inspired the people of Parma Modena and Tuscany and they expelled the Austrian
Princess and became independent

he freed Lombardy Lombardy

Cavour took the risk of forging a United Italy with his King victor Immanuel II as its ruler

Giuseppe Garibaldi

he was the disciple of Mazzini and was a member of the Young Italy who sacrificed everything for
achieving the unification of Italy

when he was in South America he helped Uruguay to obtain her independence with his
Guerrilla tactics

He helped Sardinia to get victory over Austria

He raised 1000 volunteers to fight for independence

They were called as the Red Shirts and lead a military expedition against the kingdom of two Sicilies
and captured it

Then he marched to Naples and occupied it and handed over his possessions to Sardinia

After that he retired from active politics.

Liberation of Venetia

next step was the liberation of Venetia from the clutches of Austria

when victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed as the king of Italy, he was looking for an opportunity to
overthrow Austria from Venitia

In 1866 when Austria declared war on Prussia, victor Emmanuel II extended his support to Prussia

In the Austro-Prussian war of 1866, Prussia defeated Austria

as a result, Venitia was freed and handed over to the king victor Emmanuel II

Rome was annexed and completed unification

in the Franco Prussian war Prussia compelled the French ruler Napoleon III to withdraw his troops
from Rome

Exploiting the opportunity the Italian soldiers marched to Rome and annexed it except
the city of Vatican.

Thus, the unification of Italy was completed and the new country Italy came into exist.

From this time onwards Italy played a vital role in the history of Europe