The Unification of Italy for AP World History

Dec 8, 2023

7 min read

Italy is a relatively young country. It didn’t exist until 1861. It didn’t gain control of Rome until 1870. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the Italian peninsula formed into a collection of city-states similar to medieval Europe. It stayed that way long after the other countries of Europe formed. Learn more about the unification of Italy by reading the Google Slides!

Italy After Rome

After the fall of Rome, Italy underwent a complex and fragmented period marked by political, social, and economic upheavals. The Italian Peninsula, once the heart of the Roman Empire, witnessed the rise of various city-states, each asserting its independence and pursuing individual interests. These city-states, including powerful entities like Venice, Florence, and Genoa, became centers of commerce, arts, and culture during the Renaissance. The Italian Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual revival that spanned the 14th to the 17th century, saw the flourishing of art, literature, and humanism. However, Italy remained politically fragmented, with regional conflicts and power struggles hindering any unified governance. This fragmentation made Italy susceptible to foreign invasions and interventions, including those by Spain and France. The lack of political cohesion persisted until the 19th century when the drive for Italian unification, known as the Risorgimento, gained momentum, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. The post-Roman period in Italy, characterized by the interplay of regional powers, cultural brilliance, and external influences, laid the groundwork for the nation’s complex and diverse history.

Austria in Italy

During the 19th century, Austria had significant influence and control over several parts of Italy, especially in the northern and central regions. The Congress of Vienna in 1815, which aimed to reorganize Europe after the Napoleonic Wars, played a crucial role in shaping Austria’s dominance in Italy.

Lombardy: Austria had direct control over the Duchy of Lombardy, which encompassed a substantial portion of northern Italy. Lombardy was a strategic and economically vital region that included cities such as Milan.

Venetia: Similar to Lombardy, the region of Venetia in northeastern Italy was under Austrian rule. This included the city of Venice and its surrounding territories.

Modena, Parma, and Tuscany: Austria exerted influence over several smaller Italian states, including the Duchy of Modena, the Duchy of Parma, and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. While these states nominally retained their sovereignty, Austrian forces often intervened to maintain a conservative political order.

Papal States: The Papal States, including Rome, were indirectly influenced by Austria. The Pope’s temporal power was often protected and supported by Austrian forces to counteract liberal and nationalist movements.

France in Italy

In the mid-19th century, France assumed control over Rome and the Papal States in Italy. This intervention was prompted by concerns over the growing influence of nationalist movements and the desire to protect the temporal power of the Pope. Under the leadership of Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon and president of France, French forces entered Rome during a period of political upheaval, reinstating Pope Pius IX’s authority and establishing a French presence in the Papal States. This move was intended to counterbalance the momentum of Italian unification movements and prevent the consolidation of a unified Italian state. The French control over Rome and the Papal States persisted until 1870, when the Franco-Prussian War and related events led to the withdrawal of French forces. This withdrawal eventually paved the way for the annexation of Rome into the Kingdom of Italy, finalizing the process of Italian unification and ending the era of French control in the region.

The Kingdom of Sardinia

The Kingdom of Sardinia, which later played a pivotal role in the unification of Italy, had its origins in the medieval Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica. The House of Savoy, a noble family of French origin, gradually gained control of the region through alliances, inheritances, and conquests. The House of Savoy’s expansion into the Italian mainland began in the 15th century.

Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, moved the capital of the duchy from Chambéry in France to Turin in 1563, establishing a stronger presence in Italy. Over the centuries, the House of Savoy continued to consolidate its territories and influence in the Italian Peninsula. By the 18th century, the Kingdom of Sardinia had evolved, encompassing the island of Sardinia and territories on the Italian mainland.

During the 19th century, the Kingdom of Sardinia became a driving force behind the movement for Italian unification. Through strategic alliances and military campaigns, Sardinia played a crucial role in the liberation and unification of various Italian states, ultimately laying the groundwork for the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

The Italian Risorgimento

The Italian Risorgimento, or Resurgence, was a 19th-century movement that sought to unify the fragmented Italian states into a single, sovereign nation. Beginning in the early 1800s, Italy was a patchwork of independent states, each under foreign or local control. The aspiration for a unified Italy gained momentum with the influence of key figures like Giuseppe Mazzini, who advocated for a republic, and later, Camillo Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi. Cavour’s political maneuvering and alliances, particularly with France, played a crucial role. Garibaldi, a military leader, led the famed “Red Shirts” in campaigns that liberated southern territories. The culmination of these efforts occurred in 1861 when King Victor Emmanuel II of the Kingdom of Sardinia assumed the throne of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. Although the Risorgimento faced challenges, including regional rivalries and foreign intervention, it marked a transformative period that shaped the modern nation of Italy. The movement inspired a sense of national identity and laid the foundation for Italy’s emergence as a unified state in the late 19th century.

Giuseppe Mazzini

Giuseppe Mazzini played a pivotal role in the Italian Risorgimento, a movement advocating for the unification and independence of Italy. Born in 1805, Mazzini was a fervent nationalist and republican who envisioned a united Italy under a democratic government. His advocacy for the creation of a Italian republic, free from foreign rule, marked the early phase of the Risorgimento. Mazzini was a founder of the secret society “Young Italy,” which aimed to inspire a sense of national identity and foster the spirit of revolution among Italians. While his vision for a republic faced challenges and was not fully realized during his lifetime, Mazzini’s ideals deeply influenced the trajectory of Italian nationalism. His commitment to the cause of Italian unity inspired subsequent leaders, including Giuseppe Garibaldi and Camillo Cavour, who would go on to play key roles in the actual unification of Italy in the 1860s. Mazzini’s legacy endures as a symbol of the early aspirations and fervent nationalism that fueled the Italian Risorgimento.

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Giuseppe Garibaldi, a central figure in the 19th-century Italian Risorgimento, emerged as a charismatic and daring military leader committed to the unification of Italy. Born in 1807, Garibaldi became known for his passionate advocacy of Italian nationalism and his role in numerous military campaigns. He led the famous “Red Shirts,” a volunteer army, in a series of daring and successful military expeditions that liberated various regions of Italy from foreign and local rulers. Garibaldi’s military prowess, coupled with his populist appeal, made him a national hero and a symbol of the fight for Italian unity. Despite ideological differences with other key leaders like Camillo Cavour, Garibaldi willingly handed over his conquests to King Victor Emmanuel II of the Kingdom of Sardinia, contributing to the broader goal of a unified Italy. Garibaldi’s legacy endures as a symbol of the passionate pursuit of national liberation, and he remains one of the iconic figures of the Italian Risorgimento.

Count Camillo Cavour

Count Camillo Cavour, a prominent figure in 19th-century Italian history, was a key architect of the Italian unification movement. Born in 1810 into the Piedmontese aristocracy, Cavour became a statesman known for his political acumen and vision for a unified Italy. Serving as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia from 1852 to 1859, Cavour played a central role in orchestrating the diplomatic and military strategies that led to the consolidation of Italian states. His diplomatic finesse was evident in his alliances, notably with France under Napoleon III. The Kingdom of Sardinia, under Cavour’s leadership, participated in the Crimean War and later joined forces with France to expel Austrian influence from northern Italy during the Italian Wars of Independence. Cavour’s pragmatic and realpolitik approach contributed significantly to the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, with Victor Emmanuel II as its first monarch. His enduring legacy lies in his instrumental role in navigating the complex geopolitical landscape of 19th-century Europe to pave the way for Italian unification.

Victor Emmanuel II

Victor Emmanuel II, a central figure in the 19th-century unification of Italy, was born in 1820 into the House of Savoy. He became the King of Sardinia in 1849 and later assumed the title of the first monarch of a united Italy in 1861. Victor Emmanuel II played a crucial role in the Italian Risorgimento, a movement advocating for the political and territorial unification of the Italian states. Under his rule, particularly during the leadership of statesman Camillo Cavour, the Kingdom of Sardinia engaged in strategic alliances and military campaigns that led to the expulsion of foreign powers and the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy. Victor Emmanuel II became the symbol of a unified Italy, and his reign marked the end of fragmented Italian states. His efforts contributed significantly to the realization of the long-held aspirations for a united Italian nation, and he is remembered as one of the key architects of modern Italy.

Italian Wars of Independence

First Italian War of Independence (1848-1849): Triggered by widespread uprisings and nationalist sentiments, this conflict involved various Italian states, including the Kingdom of Sardinia, attempting to expel Austrian forces. Despite initial successes, the intervention of Austrian and French forces led to the defeat of the Italian nationalists.

Second Italian War of Independence (1859): Also known as the Franco-Austrian War or the Austro-Sardinian War, this conflict primarily involved the Kingdom of Sardinia, led by Camillo Cavour, and the French Empire against the Austrian Empire. The war resulted in the Austrians ceding Lombardy to Sardinia, a significant step toward Italian unification.

Expedition of the Thousand (1860-1861): Led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Expedition of the Thousand was a military campaign that aimed to liberate the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (southern Italy). Garibaldi’s Red Shirts successfully marched through Sicily and the southern mainland, contributing to the unification of Italy.

These wars, along with political maneuvering and diplomatic efforts, eventually led to the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 under King Victor Emmanuel II. The unification process was completed with the addition of Rome in 1870.

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