Transcript Slide 1

UNIFICATION
OF
ITALY
After the American Revolution
and Napoleonic Wars, countries
sought to unite for national
independence. This was known
as “Nationalism”
At the Congress of Vienna, the map of Europe was redrawn and
Italy sought a united Italian state. Prince Metternich found the idea
“laughable” and divided the territory that became Italy amongst
other European powers.
In 1815 Modern Day
Italy did not exist.
-Separated into a
number of independent
states mostly controlled
by different powers,
even though they all
spoke the same
language
-France (Kingdom of 2
Sicilies)
-Austria (Lombardy and
Venetia)
-The Pope (Papal
States)
By the 1860s Italy
becomes one nation
WHAT PREVENTED THIS
PREVIOUSLY?
1) Political Division
2) Cultural Division
• dialects
3) Economic Issues
• Trade barriers
• Poor transportation
The road to Italian Unification began in 1831
Risorgimento (ree-zawr-jee-mehn-toh)
-means resurgence or revival
-an Italian Nationalist movement
Giusseppe Mazzini
-From Genoa
-Founded “Young Italy”- a
secret society seeking to
make Italy “one, free
independent nation”
-felt that having a NATION
STATE (a political
organization consisting of one
nationality rather than
several) was important
-In January of 1848 inspires a
revolt in Sicily, leading to
revolts in other parts of Italy
Pope Pius IX
-Elected Pope in 1846
-Longest reigning pope in
history
-Pardoned all revolutionaries
upon his election (leading to
more revolts)
-Refused to go to war with
Austria to unify Italy because
they were another Catholic
nation
-Not liked by many because of
his liberal views
-Essentially overthrown leading
to a Roman republic in 1849
-Mazzini heads new Roman Republic
Expulsion of Pope angers other Catholic nations (Spain, Naples
and France)
-Louis Napoleon of France sends troops to restore Pope’s power
and did, but occupied the Papal States until 1870 and blocked the
unification movement
-As a result of French occupation of
the Papal States, people lose faith in
Mazzini as a leader
-Turn to Charles Albert of Sardinia
(pictured left)
-Led a revolt against Austria in
northern Italy, but was defeated
(granting them control of Lombardy
and Venetia)
-He earned the respect of the people
through this revolt
-Italians now looked to Sardinia to head the movement for Italian
unification
-Died in 1849 leaving Victor Emmanuel II (his son) in charge
-Victor Emmanuel II kept alive the
ideals of Nationalism
-More importantly, he named Count
Camillo di Cavour (left) Prime
Minister of Piedmont in 1852
-Cavour was known to be “funny
looking” with rumpled clothes but
possessed great personal charm
-Was bold and intelligent and left
Victor Emmanuel an empire 5x
greater than he inherited it
-Goals as Prime Minister were to:
1) Promote industrialization
2) Reduce the Catholic Church’s influence
3) Advance Nationalism (though not necessarily for all of Italy)
Involvement in the
Crimean War
-Sardinia joined on side
of British and French
(who wanted them to
join to get Austria to join
in)
-This was a shrewd
political move more than
anything
-joined too late to be a military presence (1855 when the war
started in 1853)
-gained them an invite to the Congress of Paris (where treaty
settling Crimean War is signed)
WAR WITH AUSTRIA
-In the summer of 1858 Napoleon
III and Cavour agree that France
will aid Sardinia in case of war
-In return, Sardinia would give
Savoy and Nice to France if the
combined forces were to win
-Cavour essentially forces Austria to go to war with Sardinia by:
• Getting Lombardy to revolt
• Having Sardinia support the rebels
• Refusing to remove support when Austria demands Sardinia
does so
• In April of 1859 Austria declares war on Sardinia
Never trust the French!!!
-The combined French-Sardinian
forces defeat Austria in Lombardy
-France suffers heavy casualties
-In July of 1859 Napoleon signs a
treaty with Austria without consulting
Cavour
-Sardinia gains Lombardy, but Austria
retained Venetia
-Without French support, Sardinia cannot fight Austria alone and
Victor Emmanuel agrees to treaty despite Cavour’s wishes to
continue the war
-Tuscany, Parma, Modeva, and the Papal province of Romagna
overthrew their rulers in 1859 and 1860 and joined Sardinia
-Politicking, Cavour gives Savoy and Nice to France anyhow
Garibaldi Seizes the South
-Southern Italy remained
isolated from Revolutions until
death of Ferdinand II (ruler of
Kingdom of Two Sicilies
- Italian nationalists prepare for
revolution
- Their leader? Giuseppe
Garibaldi (left)
- Was a member of the Young
Italy
- Was forced into exile in 1830
for his part in the uprisings
(went to South America)
Garibaldi (con’t)
-While in S. America fought in
several revolutions (gains
experience)
- Became an expert in Guerrilla
fighting (hit and run)
- Returns to Italy in 1848 and is
active in Mazzini’s Roman
republic
- Fled to USA when republic
falls
- Returns to Kingdom of Two
Sicilies in 1860
Garibaldi (con’t)
-Gained control over the island in a
few weeks, then advanced toward
Naples
- He and his “Red Shirts” fought the
Kingdom of Two Sicilies and won due
to the guerrilla tactics
- Cavour became nervous and sends
army to the Papal States (wins)
- Southern Italy supports union with
Sardinia (Oct 1860) and Garibaldi
surrenders his conquest to Victor
Emmanuel II
-With Kingdom of Two Sicilies
and Sardinia united, all of Italy
is unified except for Rome
(Papal State) and Venetia
(Austria)
- A Constitutional monarchy of
Italy is formed
- Count Cavour dies only three
months after seeing his dream
of a unified Italy come true
Problems facing the newly unified Italy
1) Economic
2) Cultural (South: Poor and Agricultural; North: Industrial)
3) Sardinia tries to force its laws and customs on others (leading
to resentment from the others)
4) Capital- should be Rome, but Pope still ruled the city
Gradually…..
1) Italy forms a unified army
2) Roads are built to connect the
north and south of Italy
3) In 1866 Italy allies with Prussia against Austria
- Italians are promised Venetia
-Prussia defeats Austria and Italy gets Venetia
4) War between France and Prussia (Franco-Prussian) leads
France to pull troops out of Rome in 1870—Italians attack Pope
and seize Rome
5) In 1871 Capital moved from Florence to Rome—completes
unification of Italy