Italian unification Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Map showing the unification of Italy, 1829–1871
Native name	Unità d'Italia
Date	1815–1871
Location	Italy
Also known as	Risorgimento

Italian unification (Italian: Unità d'Italia), also known as the Risorgimento (meaning "the Resurgence"), refers to the Italian movement that united the Italian states in the 19th century. The movement began in 1815 with the Congress of Vienna. It ended in 1871 when Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, through the efforts of Count of Cavour, the Piedmontese prime minister, as well as Giuseppe Garibaldi - an Italian national hero, who united the South. That allowed king Victor Emmanuel to become the first king of Italy.

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History

Napoléon's defeat

Napoléon Bonaparte invaded Italy in 1796 and later controlled it. When he was defeated in 1815, in the battle of Waterloo, it became possible for the now free states to join together.

After the fall of Napoléon, the Congress of Vienna (1814–15) restored the Old Regime. The Austrian Empire and the Habsburgs controlled most of the Italy.

Sardinia's conquest

Victor Emmanuel II and Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, main figures in the Italian unification.

Victor Emmanuel of Piedmont-Sardinia had a great vision of a unified Italy. He wanted Piedmont-Sardinia to be a model for the unification of Italy. To do so, he started many public works, projects, and political reforms. Piedmont-Sardinia was soon recognized as an emerging power. The next step for Piedmont-Sardinia 's conquest was to get Austria out of the Italian Peninsula. With the Crimean War breaking out between France and Britain on one side, and Russia on the other, Piedmont-Sardinia had a chance to earn some respect and make a name for itself. Britain and France proved victorious, and Sardinia was able to attend the peace conference. As a result of this, Piedmont-Sardinia gained the support of Napoléon III.

War with Austria

In 1858, Sardinia and France secretly plotted a plan of attack against Austria. The following year, Sardinia put its plan into action. Instead of attacking, Sardinia's encouraged nationalist revolts in Austrian-held territories in Italy. This provoked Austria into starting the war. Following the battles of Magenta and Solferino, France drove Austria out of Lombardy, but Austria still held onto Venetia. At this point, France dropped out of the war, fearing a unified Italy might be a threat, as well as realising that Austrian strength would eventually crush them. This ended the war, with Austria keeping Venetia.

Unification complete

Meanwhile, the Italian nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi led a nationalist uprising, combining the states and territories into a full Republic. As Sardinia ended the war, Garibaldi gave most of the provinces to Sardinia. In March 1861, a parliament of all of Italy except Rome and Venetia, agreed on unifying Italy with Victor Emmanuel as its first king. When Prussia defeated Austria in a war in 1866, Italy struck a deal with Berlin, forcing Vienna to turn over Venetia, leaving Rome as the last missing Italian city.

Franco-Prussian War

Because of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, France sent her army away from Rome. Without protection, the Pope could not resist, and Rome finally became the capital of Italy.

Images for kids

Flag of the Cispadane Republic, which was the first Italian tricolour adopted by a sovereign Italian state (1797)
Giuseppe Mazzini, highly influential leader of the Italian revolutionary movement
Animated map of the Italian unification from 1829 to 1871
The first meeting between Garibaldi and Mazzini at the headquarters of Young Italy in 1833.
The Arrest of Silvio Pellico and Piero Maroncelli, Saluzzo, civic museum
Ciro Menotti and his compatriots clashed with the army
Execution of the Bandiera Brothers
Holographic copy of 1847 of Il Canto degli Italiani, the Italian national anthem since 1946
Daniele Manin and Niccolò Tommaseo after the proclamation of the Republic of San Marco
Garibaldi and Cavour making Italy in a satirical cartoon of 1861
Giuseppe Garibaldi, celebrated as one of the greatest generals of modern times and as the "Hero of the Two Worlds", who commanded and fought in many military campaigns that led to the unification of Italy
Battle of Calatafimi
People cheering as Garibaldi enters Naples
Victor Emmanuel meets Garibaldi near Teano
Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy
The Injured Garibaldi in the Aspromonte Mountains (oil on canvas), credited to Gerolamo Induno
Battle of Bezzecca
Victor Emmanuel II in Venice
Garibaldi at Mentana, 3 November 1867
Capture of Rome
The Quirinal Palace in Rome became the head of state of Italy's official residence (royal residence of the Kings of Italy and after the Italian constitutional referendum, 1946 residence and workplace for the Presidents of the Italian Republic)
Massimo d'Azeglio
The Victor Emmanuel II Monument in Rome, inaugurated in 1911 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the unification of Italy.
Mourning Italia turrita on the tomb to Vittorio Alfieri by Antonio Canova
Portrait of Alessandro Manzoni (1841) by Francesco Hayez
Portrait of Francesco De Sanctis (1890) by Francesco Saverio Altamura
Verdi's bust outside the Teatro Massimo in Palermo
Patriots scrawling "Viva VERDI" on walls
The final scene of the opera Risorgimento! (2011) by Lorenzo Ferrero
Italy in 1860: orange Kingdom of Sardinia, blue Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia (Austrian Empire), pink United Provinces of Central Italy, red Papal States, pale green Kingdom of Two Sicilies.
Italy in 1861: orange Kingdom of Italy, blue Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia (Austrian Empire), red Papal States.
Kingdom of Italy in 1919

Italian unification facts for kids

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