The Unification of Italy 1831-1871

Italy before Unification Divided into

Independent States French Bourbons ruled

Kingdom of Two Sicilies Austria ruled Lombardy

and Venetia Pope ruled Papal States

Different dialects of Italian

Trade Barriers

Italy Pre-1850 Development of Nationalist Groups

Risorgimento (Resurgence): Movement for Italian Unity, best speaker was Giuseppe Mazzini

Giuseppe Mazzini & Young Italian Movement: goal to make Italy an independent nation

Jan 1848, Young Italians with support of King Charles Albert of Sardinia led revolutions in Sicily, Lombardy, & Venetia

By April they had almost driven the Austrians from Italy, but lost Pope’s support and Austria took back land

Mazzini and followers drove Pope from Rome, which upset people so turned to King Charles Albert of Sardinia

Count Cavour & Sardinia King Victor Emmanuel II (King

Charles Albert’s son) became king Tried to keep unification

movement alive Chief minister (guy who actually

ran kingdom) = Count Cavour “squat, pot-bellied form; small

stumpy legs; short, round arms with hands stuck constantly in pockets…goggle spectacles”; Brilliant political mind

Supported France and GB in Crimean War against Russia so they would help him rid Italy of Austria

Made defensive treaty with France that if French helped fight Austria, they would get Nice

French Betrayal France aids Italy but pulls out after suffering

heavy losses Makes treaty with Austria Italy kept fighting and took Tuscany, Parma,

Modena, and Romagna

French Betrayal Napoleon III of France pulled out of

Italy after heavy losses Cavour wanted to keep fighting,

Victor Emmanuel did not The people fought on and overthrew

Tuscany, Parma, Modena, and Romagna; wanted to unify with Sardinia

Cavour gave Napoleon III Nice and Savoy to gain his consent for unification

Giuseppe Garibaldi Member of Young Italy, forced into

exile after revolts failed Went to South America where he

learned about warfare and guerilla tactics during the S. American revolutions

Hearing that Sicily was ready to revolt, Garibaldi gathered 1000 soldiers and returned to Italy; known as the “Red Shirts” because of their uniforms

Garibaldi in a Red Shirt UniformGaribaldi in a Red Shirt Uniform

Giuseppe Garibaldi & 2 Sicilies Southern Italy

Southern Italy stayed isolated from the revolutions Garibaldi led the “Red Shirts” against the Kingdom of

Two Sicilies and won Cavour was nervous that Garibaldi might take over, sent

army to take over Rome so he would have the most power

Garibaldi surrendered his conquests to the King Victor Emmanuel II because he wanted a unified Italy more than power

by Feb. 1861 all of Italy was under one government

Venice was added to Italy in 1866. Cavour died 3 months

after unification. Last words: “Italy is made. All is safe.”

A deal was negotiated by Cavour’s successors after his death.

Bismarck (Germany) gave it to Italy after he defeated Austria in the Austro-Prussian War (1866)

Monument to CavourMonument to Cavour

Rome was added in 1870. The Franco-Prussian War forced France to remove troops

it had protecting Rome. After this, Italy took control of Rome easily. Rome became the capital of a unified Italy.

Italian Unification Timeline Jan. 1848: Mazzini leads revolution in Sicily,

breakout across country Nov. 1848: People force Pope to leave Italy &

proclaim Rome a republic, Louis- Napoleon sends troops to restore Pope

1849: Victor Emmanuel II became King of Sardinia, Names Ct. Cavour advisor

1854: Cavour sides w/ France & GB in Crimean war, Sardinia becomes member of Congress of Paris & international equity

1858 Cavour meets w/ Nap III = gets promise of aid in case of war w/ Austria Engineers war, France sends troops, but w/draws after heavy loses, Sardinia gains Lombardy from Austria

1859-60 Fighting continues, 4 provinces gain independence & requests annexation by Sardinia, Cavour agrees to give France Nice & Savoy in exchange for his agreement

1860 Garibaldi returns to Kingdom of Two Sicilies, Forms Red Shirts, begins campaign of guerilla warfare, wins Naples

Oct 1860: People of Sicily vote to join w/ Sardinia, Garibaldi surrenders

Feb 1861: Italian Peninsula under 1 gov’t = Constitutional Monarchy of Victor Emmanuel II (except Rome/Venetia)

1866: Italy sides w/ Prussia in a war against Austria, gains Venetia

1870: French w/ draw support of Pope, Italy gains Papal Province of Rome & moves capital there