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The Idea
Influenced by the French Revolution and guided by the ideas of Giuseppe Mazzini, the territories in northern Italy tried (unsuccessfully) to uprise Against Austrian and local rulers which resulted in the sense of nationalism that later led to the unification. -
Period: to
First Italian War of Independence
The Kingdom of Sardinia fought Austria to free Lombardy and Venetia (unsuccessfully). -
Sardinia asks for help.
The King of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel II and the Count Camillo di Cavour asked France for help to expel Austria from northern Italy in order to gain its territory and move towards the unification. -
Battle of Magenta
The French-Sardinian troops defeated Austria gaining power over Milan. This was one of the twe decisive battles that assured the loss of Lombardy for Austria. -
Battle of Solferino
This battle assured the victory for France and Sardinia over Austria. Lombardy was not under Austrian possession anymore which awakened a nationalist feeling between the states of central Italy. -
The creation of the Red Cross
Both battles were so brutal that the Swiss Henry Dunant felt the urge to help those who were harmed on battle. His wish to help translated into the birth of the humanitarian and social organization known as the Red Cross. -
Accession of lombardy
After the fight Lombardy was acquired by King Victor Manuel and added to his kingdom. In payment, the territories of Savoy and Nice were given to France. -
Accession of the states of Parma, Modena and Tuscany.
Following the sense of nationalism the territories of Parma, Modena and Tuscany joined the kingdom of Sardinia. -
The liberation of the southern states
Giuseppe Garibaldi took possession of the island of Sicily, he then occupied the kingdom of Naples. The Sardinian army, after conquering the States of the Church, (except the city of Rome) joined Garibaldi in Naples. The two Sicilies declared their incorporation into the kingdom of Sardinia. -
Proclamation of Victor Manuel II as King of Italy
After the accession of the southern states the king of Sardinia Victor Manuel II was proclaimed as King of Italy. -
Incorporation of Venice
To achieve the incorporation of Venice, Italy made an alliance with Prussia for help in the task of defeating Austria. After the fight, Venice finaly was part the kingdom. -
The Lateran treatise
Even though King Victor Manuel took power over Rome in 1870, the addittion of Rome was not possible until almos 60 years later when the Lateran treatise was signed by the Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini and the representative of Pope Pius XIassigning the Vatican State to the Pope. This was the end of the Unification of Italy