Unification of Italy

The unification of Italy refers to the political and social movement that resulted in the consolidation of several small states in the Italian Peninsula into a single, united kingdom of Italy in 1861. This process was driven by a combination of factors, including economic and cultural factors, as well as a desire for national unity and independence from foreign rule. For over 700 years, beginning in the third century BCE, Italy was united together under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Byzantine Empire’s invasion finally shattered the unity, and other city-states emerged. At the beginning of the eighth century, the Holy Roman Empire (a German-speaking Empire) ruled the northern half of Italy. In contrast, the middle and southern halves of the country were alternatively ruled by the Kingdom of Naples, the Kingdom of Sicily, and the Papal States. 

The Milanese and Venetian city-states rose to prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries, changing the balance of power after the Renaissance. The Peace of Westphalia formally ended the control of the Holy Roman Emperor over Italy in 1648.

Italy was split up into numerous minor principalities, and this division persisted until the French Revolution began in 1789.

The unification of Italy was finally achieved in 1861 when the Kingdom of Italy was established, and Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed its first king. The new kingdom faced many challenges, including social and economic difficulties, as well as opposition from the Papacy and other powers, but it eventually became a stable and prosperous state and a significant player on the international stage.

French Revolution and Napoleonic Era

1.  Napoleon Bonaparte launched a series of conflicts toward the end of the French Revolution, altering the political climate of Europe for years to come.
2. In the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon Bonaparte overcame the last emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
3.  After capturing Italy, Napoleon united the city-states into a unified political entity.
4.  Napoleon’s collapse split the city-states in 1815, and the Austrian empire started to assemble power.

The qualities of the French Revolution were transferred to the Italian Peninsula. 

• Napoleon placed foreign rulers on thrones in Italy, which the Italians have always opposed.
• The French revolution introduced modern ideas into Italy and destroyed the old structures of feudalism.
•  The empire established by Napoleon had served as fuel for revolutionary ideas, as he even encouraged nationalism.
•  The Italian intellectuals’ fuelled by nationalism by the revolution, began to raise their voices again foreign involvement in Italy, and a series of insurrections started to drive out foreign rule.

Congress of Vienna

After the fall of the Napoleonic empire in 1815, Italy became divided again, being partitioned among other European powers, with the Empire of Austria holding the most sway.

An international diplomatic endeavor to rebuild Europe after Napoleon’s downfall was the Congress of Vienna. They brought back the multiple separate governments of pre-Napoleonic times, and the Austrians and Habsburgs once more rose to dominance. But by this point, the Italian people had grown weary of foreign occupation and would launch several uprisings to force the foreigners out and unify their nation.

First Italian War of Independence: Revolution of 1848

•  Throughout Europe in 1848, including various locations in the Apennines and other regions of Italy, revolutionary riots broke out.
• With the support of Pope Pius IX, president of the Papal States, which at the time included enormous areas in the center of the Italian peninsula, King Charles Albert of Piedmont-Sardinia (1831–1849) desired to unite Italy.
• From March 23, 1848, to August 22, 1849, the Italian Peninsula was the scene of the First Italian War of Independence, which was waged by the Kingdom of Sardinia (Piedmont) and Italian volunteers against the Austrian Empire and other conservative governments.
•  The Papal States and the Kingdom of Two Sicilies supported the Kingdom of Sardinia at the start of the royal war but withdrew without barely taking part in any fighting. However, volunteers from the Papal and Neapolitan Armies fought with the other Italian volunteers.
•  Charles Albert was defeated at the Battle of Custoza on July 24, 1848, because he lacked friends and could not stand up to the Austrian forces.

Leaders of Italian Unification

1. Giuseppe Garibaldi

• Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian general and revolutionary who played a crucial role in forming the Kingdom of Italy. He is regarded as one of Italy’s “fathers of the fatherland,” Later, individuals like Jawaharlal Nehru and Che Guevara were also influenced by Garibaldi. 
• In 1862 and 1867, Garibaldi led two individual expeditions against papal Rome. In 1866, he commanded an Italian army in another triumph over the Austrians that resulted in the capture of Venice for the Italian Kingdom. 
• Garibaldi retired after his final campaign in 1870–1871, during which he aided France in the Franco–Prussian War.

2. Count Camillo di Cavour

• Count Camillo di Cavour was a prominent proponent of the Unification of Italy. He was the first Prime Minister of Italy.
• The combined forces of France and Sardinia swiftly entered the war and crushed Austria. Sardinia and Lombardy were added to Italy by him. The papal states, Tuscany, Modena, Parma, and Modena all opted to join Sardinia.

3. Giuseppe Mazzini:

• Mazzini played a crucial role in developing the contemporary European movement for republican popular democracy. 
• Giovine Italia was the name of the movement he started for young men with the purpose of uniting the several Italian states into one free and independent unitary republic by releasing them from foreign rule.
• The Italian and European republican movements, especially the Italian constitution, were greatly influenced by Mazzini’s ideas.

Revolution of 1866: Third War of Independence (1866)

1. Victor Emmanuel II was crowned King of Italy on March 17, 1861, although he had no power over Venetia or the significantly diminished Papal States.
2.  Italy had the opportunity to annex Venetia in 1866, thanks to the growing hostility between Austria and Prussia over the German Question.
3.  The Armistice of Nikolsburg, signed in July 1866, ended hostilities between the two nations after Prussia defeated Austria.
4.  The Austrian-Italian Treaty of Vienna, signed after the Peace of Prague and ratified the territory’s transfer to Italy, came next.

Historical Timeline 

• 1859, Franco-Austrian War: Piedmont-Sardinia prompted Austria to declare war in 1859 after forming an alliance with Napoleon III’s France, starting the struggle that helped to unite the northern Italian nations against the Austrian Army.
• 1861, Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy:  Piedmont-Sardinia had one of the more liberal political systems and was one of the peninsula’s more strong states. The southern peninsula was included in Garibaldi’s advance to “liberate” the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1860. On March 17, 1861, the new Kingdom of Italy was established, with the royal family of Piedmont-Sardinia as the new ruling monarch of Italy.
• 1866, Annexation of Venetia: Venetia was added to the Kingdom of Italy’s possessions in 1866 as a result of Austria’s loss in the Austro-Prussian War.
• 1870, Taking over Rome: The major defense against the Italian occupation of the Papal States after 1867 was provided by French troops. Invading the Papal States in September 1870, the Italians later incorporated Rome and the Papal States into the Kingdom of Italy with the help of a referendum that took place in the first few days of October.

Challenges of the Unification of Italy

• Political fragmentation: Italy was divided into a number of small states and kingdoms, many of which were ruled by foreign powers. This fragmentation made it difficult to achieve national unity and independence.
• Foreign opposition: The unification of Italy was opposed by a number of foreign powers, including Austria, France, and the Papacy. These powers saw the unification of Italy as a threat to their own interests and influence in the region.
• Economic disparities: The different regions of Italy had different levels of economic development and prosperity, which made it difficult to create a united economy.
• Social and cultural differences: Italy was also divided by differences in language, religion, and culture, which made it difficult to achieve national unity.
• Lack of popular support: Many Italians were opposed to the idea of a unified Italy, either because they preferred to maintain their local identities or because they were concerned about the impact of unification on their economic and political interests.

Anniversary of the Unification of Italy 

Every year on March 17, Italy commemorates the anniversary of its unification. The declaration of the Kingdom of Italy took place on March 17, 1861, although it took several more years for Italy to be fully united. The province of Mantua and the Veneto were annexed in 1866. By the First World War, Trentino-Alto Adige and Julian March were taken over in 1918.

Conclusion 

1. Piedmont’s previous constitution was the new one. The document was viewed favourably by liberal groups because it was typically liberal. However, pro-clergy groups in Venice, Rome, Naples, and Sicily took exception to this.
2. Terrible civil wars in Sicily and the Naples region during the first decade of the kingdom were all put to an end.
3. There remained ongoing turmoil throughout the kingdom, commonly known as Italian irredentism, and many native Italians continued to express unhappiness with the arrangement.

FAQs

Q1. What was the unification process of Italy?

Ans: The process of Italian unification was launched by the Franco-Austrian War of 1859. At Magenta and Solferino, the French and Piedmont beat the Austrians, forcing them to cede control of Lombardy.

Q2. When was Italy unified?

Ans: The declaration of the Kingdom of Italy took place on March 17, 1861, although it took several more years for Italy to be fully united.

Q3. Who were the three leaders of Italian unification?

Ans: The three prominent leaders of Italian unification were: Giuseppe Garibaldi, Giuseppe Mazzini, and Victor Emmanuel II.

Q4. What is the Unification of Italy? 

1. The Italian peninsula was scattered into multiple smaller states or provinces. 
2. The socio-political movement of the 19th century that brought the many states of the Italian Peninsula together to form the Kingdom of Italy was known as the unification of Italy. 
3. The Italian intellectuals’ fuelled by nationalism by revolution began to raise their voices again foreign involvement in Italy. 
4.  In 1848, numerous Italian states experienced upheavals as the desire for unity gained momentum.
5.  The declaration of the Kingdom of Italy took place on March 17, 1861, although it took several more years for Italy to be fully united.

Q5. How many countries are involved in the unification of Italy?

Ans: The key players in Italian unification are the states of Sardinia, Tuscany, Parma, and the Papal States.