The Italian Unification or Italian Risorgimento is known as the chain of political and military events that produced a united Italian peninsula under the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

Five StagesPre-RevolutionaryRevolutionaryCavour’s Policy and the Role of PiedmontGaribaldi’s Campaign in Southern ItalyCreation of the Italian Kingdom

Pre-Revolutionary PhaseAfter the Napoleonic Wars and Napoleon Bonaparte’s second defeat, the major powers that has resisted met at a conference called the Congress of Vienna in 1815

Agenda: limit France’s Power, balance of power (no nation too strong), divide up territory conquered by Napoleon

The topic of discussion was to limit France’s power, set limits on nations so no one nation become too strong, and divide up the territory conquered up by Napoleon.

Italian Peninsula returned to Austria, which controlled many of the Italian states

Few independant states – Kingdom of Sardinia, which controlled Piedmont, Savoy, Nice and Genoa

In its negotiations, the congress returned domination of the Italian Peninsula to Austria. Austria now occupied Lombardy and Venice and had considerable influence on other Italian states. One of the few places of independence was the Kingdom of Sardinia, which now controlled Piedmont, Nice, Savoy and Genoa..

Some of the things that conflicted and interfered with the unification process were: Austrian control of Lombardy and Venice, several independent Italian states, the autonomy of the Papal States, and the limited power and influence of Italian leaders

Revolutionary Phase:

During first half of 19th C, only very educated wanted unification

The masses showed no concern.

At first, only wanted more rights from govtBut they became more revnBy 1820, Carbonari involved in many failed

revolutions against Italian statesAustrian Empire crushed all of them

However, the people with a passion for unification started to form secret societies, namely the Carbonari. Although at first, they only demanded more rights from their respective government, the cause began to grow.

By 1820, the Carbonari were involved in numerous failed revolutions against the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, the Kingdom of Sardinia, Bolonga, and other Italian states. However, the Austrian Empire crushed all of these revolutions; thus leading to more resentment from the Italians.

Soul and spirit of Carbonari and revns was Giuseppe Mazzini

Wanted a united Italy with republican govtHe popularized the movement by creating

‘Young Italy’, which spread ideas of unification

1848, revolutions in Europe, some reforms, but not enough

The revolution also occurred in the Kingdom of Two Sicilies were the king signed a constitution.

In the Papal States, radical took over Rome, causing the Pope to flee.

In the absence of the pope, Garibaldi and Mazzini created a republic called the Roman Republic.

In Piedmont, after the insistence of nationals, the King Charles Albert was sent to Lombardy in their fight for freedom from Austrian rule.

1848 revolutions crushed1849, France sent troops to Rome, and

destroyed the short lived Roman RepublicPiedmont lost to Austria, and the King was

forced to abdicate, causing his son Victor Emanuel II to become King in 1849

Unification of Italy seemed far offBut, a turning point – Count Cavour was

appointed prime minister of Piedmont in 1852Italy would never be the same

Cavour’s Policy and the Role of Piedmont

By the use of bargaining, putting great powers against each other, war, and political cunning, Cavour was able to unite Italy in a short time.

Piedmont a small state – but it had considerable influence due to its military strength

Also, Victor Emmanuel ruled with parliament, which created stability

Cavour wanted a strong state ie Piedmont, to lead the unification

And Piedmont can only become strong with railroads, economic freedom, stable finances, and a higher standard of living.

Cavour needed an ally – FranceGot Napoleon III on his side, since they both hated

AustriaNapoleon wanted a liberated ItalyTo seal the deal of this partnership, both leaders met

secretly at Plombieres, a French spa. Piedmont would stir up trouble in one of the territories controlled by Austria, thus forcing Austria to go to war against Piedmont. France would help Piedmont in exchange for Nice and Savoy.

In April 1859, war broke out between Piedmont and Austria.

France and Piedmont did well won battles at Magenta and Solferino

Prussian mobilized in defence of AustriaNap scared, signed a peace with Austria, angered Cavour

Piedmont received Lombardy from Austria as a result of the war. After the war and the political maneuvering, Piedmont had greatly increased its size. However, Garibaldi’s campaign in southern Italy would more than double the size of the kingdom

Garibaldi’s Campaign in Southern Italy

If Mazzini was the soul of the unification process, then Garibaldi was the heroHe recruited soldiers from Genoa to go to SicilyThe expedition of soldiers was an instant hitGaribaldi’s red shirts had tremendous successHe wanted Rome, but this worried CavourCavour like a fox, started uprisings in papal states, and sent Piedmonts army

to stop it1860, 2/3 of papal states joined piedmont, and rome was left aloneHim and his troops marched south Sept 18, Garibaldi gave up command of his army, shook hands with Victor

Emmanuel – unity of Kingdom of Italy in 1861

Creation of the Italian KingdomAlthough the Kingdom was formed, it did not include

all of ItalyRome and Venetia missingRome under control of France, Venetia was Austrias1866, Seven Weeks war with Aust/PrussiaAustria promised Venetia if Italy remained neutral,

Prussia promised it if they joined prussiaItaly joined prussia, and they won

In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War occurred between France and Germany and Napoleon III was forced to pull the French troops from Rome to aid the war effort. While Rome and the remaining Papal States remained unprotected, Italian troops marched in unopposed. In October 1870 Rome voted to join the union and in July 1871, it became the capital.

In the end, Cavour, Garibaldi, and Mazzini became the founding fathers of a nation and were immortalized.