Unification of Italy | Famous Books for UPSC Exam (Summary & Tests) PDF Download

Introduction

The history of the Italian Peninsula can be traced back to the fragmentation of the Roman Empire in 476 AD. It underwent numerous transitions, with brief unity under the Ostrogothic Kingdom and later facing disunity after the invasion of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) in the 500s. Subsequently, the northern half of Italy came under the control of the Holy Roman Empire, while the central and southern regions were governed intermittently by the Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily, and the Papal States. These divisions persisted until the 17th century, when the rise of Italian city-states like Milan and Venice altered the power dynamics in the region, leading to wars and the eventual Peace of Westphalia in 1648.

The Age of Foreign Domination

The complexities of Italian history continued, with most of Northern Italy being ruled by the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs after the Spanish Wars of succession, until 1714. Consequently, Italy remained divided into several small principalities until the advent of the French Revolution in 1789.

Napoleon's Influence

The French Revolution brought Napoleon Bonaparte into the limelight, who went on to reshape the political landscape of Europe through a series of wars. Napoleon's conquest of the Italian city-states resulted in the formation of a single administrative unit. The ideals of the revolution, such as liberty, equality, and fraternity, found a place in the hearts of the Italian people. The idea of active public participation in governance, hitherto unfamiliar in the Italian states, took root.

The Dawn of Unification

The fervor for unification grew during the 1820s and 1830s, culminating in a series of revolutions across Italian states in 1848. Although these initial revolutions were suppressed, they only served to fuel the movement further. Giuseppe Garibaldi emerged as a prominent figure in the unification process, having taken part in the 1848 insurrection. After a period of exile, Garibaldi returned to Italy in 1860, leading an army of volunteers from Sicily and Naples. Meanwhile, King Victor Emmanuel II of Piedmont, in alliance with other northern Italian states, sought to end Austrian involvement in the region.

Triumph of Unification

The year 1860 saw the successful insurrection as Garibaldi's Redshirts conquered Sicily and Naples. Simultaneously, the northern states joined forces with Piedmont-Sardinia, accepting Victor Emmanuel II as their King. In November 1860, Garibaldi handed over Naples and Sicily to King Victor Emmanuel II, and in 1861, Italy was officially declared as a kingdom. The unification process continued, with Venice and Rome becoming part of Italy in 1866 and 1871, respectively.

The Aftermath

Despite the triumphant unification, the Kingdom of Piedmont dominated the newly united Italy. The promise of equal participation by regional authorities in governance was overshadowed by the ruling class of Piedmont, leading to a strong central government and weaker states. The Italian people desired a united Italy with robust state powers, but the reality presented a centralized authority with limited state influence.

Legacy of Unification

The aftermath of the unification left a profound impact on Italy's national unity. The first decade of the Kingdom of Italy witnessed civil wars in Sicily and Naples, which were forcefully suppressed, leading to a lingering weakness in national unity and a system marked by regional hostilities. These factors continue to influence the nation's dynamics even in the 21st century.