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Carbonari
After the Congress of Vienna, many of these societies sprung up in Italy. One popular group was the Carbonari, who were anti-clerical and republican. Despite many failures, they helped achieve unification through their relentless effort. -
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Process of Unification
The journey of bringing together the various states of the small peninsula was a enduring one. Featuring outside hostility from Austria, and a confrontation of conflicting ideologies and thoughts, the endpoint required everything to be set up virtually in perfect manner. Yet, with Sardinia taking centerstage with help from France, the goal was ultimately a successful one. -
1820 Failed Revolutions
A series of failing revolutions took place before the unification of Italy. The uprising in 1820 is one of them. It initially appeared as if the revolts were going to become successful as compromises and political revisions were temporarily made. But foreign influences from the Holy alliance with their intervention brought this hope to an end before the revolution's gains could become concrete. -
1831 Failed Uprising
Previous rebellions caused more sentiment towards unifying Italy. Francis IV of Modena wished to gain more land and wanted to do this by uniting Italy. But the Duke of Modena betrayed his supporters that planned a rebellion, including some carbonari, and the leaders were arrested along with the key figure, Ciro Menotti, was executed. Small movements in some Papal states were successful. -
Young Italy
It was another movement that seeked unification. It was led by Giuseppe Mazzini with help from Garibaldi. They led numerous insurrections, many of which failed. Main tactic of their fighting was guerrilla warfare -
Risorgimento
This became the name for the period of movements that led up to the unified peninsula. It was also a newspaper that helped successfully spread nationalist ideas of trying to unify Italy, founded by Camilo Cavour. The newspaper helped increase sentiment in Italians of coming together. -
Italy in the Crimean War
Cavour became involved in the war as a chance to form needed allies. He utilized greatly the ideology of realpolitik in trying to become friendly with Great Britain and Germany by joining them against Russia. -
Assassination Attempt by Orsini
A radical revolutionary by the name of Felice Orsini sought to kill Napoleon the Third. He believed by doing so, that it would smoothen Italy's road to unification. His bombs killed and injured many, but it did not harm Napoleon. The attempt unexpectedly resulted in Napoleon reaching a agreement w/ Sardinia to start a war with Austria. -
Franco-Prussian War
After pressure had risen from Sardinia organizing troops, Austria demanded they stop. But Sardinia refused, and France jumped on Sardinia's side to defend them, beginning the war. -
Battle of Magenta
The fight was not very large but it proved to be very important for Sardinia. They had won due to the French outflanking Austria after crossing the Ticino River. The victory was mostly because of the French, with little help from Sardinia -
Treaty of Villafranca
Napoleon the Third wanted out of the war because he had to deal with his own issues at home and became wary of the power of Piedmont and a unified Italy. Therefore he met with Austrian Franz Joseph to agree upon a treaty. -
Garibaldi's fight
Garibaldi and his redshirts helped gain Italian unification by taking control of Naples and Sicily. Though Garibaldi wanted a republic, Cavour demanded for a more absolute order. The Papal states were also conquered except for the area around Rome as French looked to protect the pope. Soon after, Parma, Modena, Tuscany, and Romagna voted to join the Piedmont Afterwards, Garibaldi supposedly met Victor Emmanuel II at Teano and declared him the king.
