The Unification of Italy
Part 1
Mazzini and Garibaldi
Italy before Unification
 Italy never existed as one country.
 It was a group of small city states or kingdoms that was linked together
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only by language and culture.
However, since Nationalism hit Italy, (again we see the influence of
Napoleon) Italians began to feel like they should be together in one
strong united country.
Parts of Italy were constantly invaded and/or occupied by foreign powers
In Northern Italy, for example, French, Germanic and Slavic linguistic
and cultural influences can be seen
In Southern Italy, there is the vast influence of the Catholic Church.
The Papal States literally cut the country in half
Also, the church owned approx. 60% of the land in the Kingdom of the
Two Sicilies
During the 19th Century, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was controlled
by the Bourbons, the French Royal Family
Vast poverty in Southern Italy
The 3 Wise Men
The Story of Italian Unification
(in Italian the “Risorgimento”)
can be best understood through
the lives and accomplishments
of 3 men
The Soul of Italian Unification
Giuseppe Mazzini
Mazzini
 Mazzini was a famous Italian
Nationalist Writer.
 He believed that all Italians
should be joined together and
that Italy could be a great and
powerful country.
 He also believed that a strong
Italian government could use
liberal ideas to improve the
conditions of the poor
throughout the land.
 Mazzini’s works inspired the
revolutions of 1848 and he was
a hero of the Nationalist
movement.
Quotes from Mazzini
 A Country is not a mere territory; the particular territory is only its foundation.
The Country is the idea which rises upon that foundation; it is the sentiment of
love, the sense of fellowship which binds together all the sons of that territory.
 Slumber not in the tents of your fathers. The world is advancing.
 So long as you are ready to die for humanity, the life of your country is
immortal.
 The theory of rights enables us to rise and overthrow obstacles, but not to
found a strong and lasting accord between all the elements which compose the
nation.
 God has given you your country as cradle, and humanity as mother; you cannot
rightly love your brethren of the cradle if you love not the common mother.
The Sword of Italian Unification
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Garibaldi: The Early Years
 Garibaldi was born in Nice, which was French, but given
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back to the Italians after the congress of Vienna
Garibaldi was, as a young man, passionate about building the
Nation of Italy
He was enthralled by the works of Mazzini
He eventually joins “Young Italy,” a secret society dedicated to
destroying Austrian rule in Northern Italy
He joins the Carbonari Revolutionary Association and takes
part in a rebellion against the King of Piedmont in 1834
It fails and Garibaldi flees the country
He is sentenced to death in absentia
To South America
 Eventually Garibaldi finds his way to Brazil
 There he met his future wife, Anita, and they fought
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together alongside “Gaucho” rebels to separate from Brazil
and form a new, democratic country
This is where Garibaldi developed his “look” . . . Red
Shirt, Poncho and Sombrero . . . And his horse riding
skills.
Garibaldi and Anita, then travel to Uruguay and took part
in their civil war
He raised an Italian Legion and fought many victorious
battles against numerically superior opponents
However, through it all, he never forgot his homeland and
wished to someday return to liberate Italy
In all his battles, his soldiers wore the trademark “red
shirts” and they carried with them a black flag with a
volcano in the middle
Black representing mourning for Italy
The Volcano representing the dormant power of the
Unified Italian people
In 1848, much of Italy revolts and Mazzini, the now
skilled warrior, returns home
1848
 Garibaldi went to Milan and fought with their
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revolutionary government against Austrian
Rule
However, after a major Austrian victory, the
cause was lost
Garibaldi then went to Rome, where
revolutionaries had declared a republic in the
Papal States
Garibaldi fought several battles and defeated
numerically superior French forces
However, the French sent a massive amount of
reinforcements to defend the Pope
Garbaldi was forced to retreat
His wife died and he was forced to leave the
country again
He travelled to the USA and lived in New York
There he worked in a candle factory and a
merchant ship captain
Back to Italy and the March of the 1000
 Garibaldi returned to Italy and aligned himself with
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King Victor Emmanuel of Piedmont in his war against
Austria
He was impressed with this king and realized that a
strong leader was needed to unify Italy
He was promoted to General and won many victories
The war was won and Garibaldi became a national hero
However, he would not be satisfied until all Italy was
free
In 1860, during popular uprisings, he took 1000 of his
Red Shirts and invaded the kingdom of Sicily
As, he marched through, local peasants and rebels
joined
With just this small force, he managed to defeat the
entire army of the Kingdom
He proclaimed himself dictator in the name of King
Victor Emmanuel . . . He hoped to unify his new
conquest under the leadership of a king that he trusted
The March on Rome
 Garibaldi wanted to continue and took his Army north, into the
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Papal States
However, he was blocked from doing so by the Army of Piedmont
King Victor Emmanuel did not want to risk war with France
Victor Emmanuel himself travelled south to meet with Garibaldi
The two men met of a bridge to discuss the future of the country
Victor was desperate to stop here and receive the gift of southern
Italy
Garibaldi was desperate to unify all Italians, get rid of the horrible
influence of the catholic church in Italy and now was beginning to
distrust Emmanuel
The result of this meeting . . . Next time!