Italian Unification
The Italian Unification, also known as the Risorgimento, was a pivotal period in the history of Italy, spanning from the late 18th century to the 1870s, culminating in the creation of a single Italian state from disparate regions. Here are key aspects of this historical process:
Background and Pre-Unification Italy
Key Figures and Movements
Major Events
- First War of Italian Independence (1848-1849): A series of revolutions against Austrian rule, which although initially successful, were eventually suppressed.
- Second War of Italian Independence (1859): Sardinia allied with France against Austria, leading to the annexation of Lombardy to Sardinia.
- Expedition of the Thousand (1860): Garibaldi's campaign in southern Italy, where he and his volunteers conquered the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
- Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy (1861): Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed King of Italy, marking the official birth of the new nation.
- Third War of Italian Independence (1866): Italy allied again with Prussia against Austria, gaining Veneto and parts of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
- Capture of Rome (1870): With French troops withdrawn due to the Franco-Prussian War, Italian forces captured Rome, making it the capital of Italy in 1871.
Legacy
- The unification process had a profound effect on Italian culture, politics, and society, fostering a sense of national identity.
- However, the process also left Italy with significant regional disparities and social-economic issues, some of which persist to this day.
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