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Young Italy Movement
One of the most famous Carbonari was Giuseppe Mazzini. He called for all Italian partirots to join his Young Italy Movement, dedicated to spreading the ideas of risorgimento. Mazzini insisted that "neither pope nor king," but rather a republic should rule Italy. -
Venice fall to Austrian forces
The revolutionaries seized Rome, setting up a republic governed by Mazzini and two other leaders. However, these victories did not last long. Austria recaptured some of its former possessios in the north. Monarchs in the other states returned to power, revoking the new constitutions. Only the Kingdom of Sardinia remained a completely independent state. -
Napoleon III
Napoleon III meets with Franz Joseph (Austria) and backs out of the war. Among other land negotiations, Lombardy will be transferred to Sardinia. -
King Emmanuel II
People everywhere in Italy held plebiscities. They voted for unity under the King of Sardinia. Victor Emmanuel II was now king of Italy. The Italian Parliament was under him. Rome was then proclaimed the capital. -
Annexation of Italian states
Sardinia annexes central Italian states. They gave Nice and Savoy to the French. Only four states remain in Italy: Austrians in Venetia, the Papal States, the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. -
Garibaldi and the Thousand
Southern half of Italian penincula and Sicily made up Kingdom of Two Sicilies. Guiseppi Garibaldi, devoted to Italian freedm, led the way. He gathered an army called "the thousand" to invade and capture Sicily. Garibaldi was a military hero within and outside of Italy. He continued on to try and capture Rome and Venetia. -
Garibaldi hands over his power to Victor Emmanuel II
Garibaldi and Emmanual II met in Naples. Garibaldi promised to support the establishment of the kingdom of Italy, with Victor Emmanuel II as king. He asked only to serve as governor of Naples. Fearing Garibaldi's great population, the king refused. -
Austro-Prussian war
Italy enters the Austro-Prussian war. They fight against Austria with Prussia. They are promised Venetia if they win. -
Ottoman Empire
A brief war against the Ottoman Empire brought little gain. -
Conquest of Libya
The conquest of Libya stregthened Italy's position in the Mediterranean region but divided the nation.
