MP Board · Class 10 · Social Science · History: The Rise of Nationalism in EuropeExplain the process of unification of Italy. What were the major hurdles in the way of unification and how were they overcome?

Introduction to Italian Unification\nDuring the middle of the nineteenth century, Italy was divided into seven states, of which only one, Sardinia-Piedmont, was ruled by an Italian princely house. The unification of Italy was a long and arduous process involving the efforts of three key revolutionaries and statesmen: Giuseppe Mazzini, Count Cavour, and Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Major Hurdles in the Unification Process

• Political Fragmentation: Italy was split into multiple states, each under different rulers. The northern regions were under Austrian Habsburg domination, the center was ruled by the Pope, and the southern regions were under the Bourbon kings of Spain.
• Foreign Dominance: Austria was a powerful adversary that actively intervened to suppress nationalist movements and maintain its control over Italian territories.
• Lack of Mass Mobilization initially: Early attempts at unification, such as the revolutionary uprisings of 1831 and 1848, failed because the common masses lacked broad national awareness and unity.

Role of Key Figures and Steps to Unification

• Giuseppe Mazzini and Young Italy: Mazzini played a pivotal role by putting together a coherent program for a unitary Italian Republic. He formed the secret society 'Young Italy' to disseminate nationalist ideas and inspire the youth, though his early uprisings failed.
• Count Cavour's Diplomatic Skill: Cavour, the Chief Minister of Sardinia-Piedmont, was neither a revolutionary nor a democrat. Through a tactful diplomatic alliance with France engineered by Cavour, Sardinia-Piedmont defeated the Austrian forces in 1859, annexing Lombardy.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi's Military Campaign: In 1860, Garibaldi led an armed expedition of volunteers known as 'Red Shirts' into South Italy and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. With the support of local peasants, they drove out the Spanish rulers.

Conclusion\nIn 1861, Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of united Italy. Rome was finally integrated into Italy in 1870 when French troops withdrew, completing the long-awaited unification of the Italian peninsula under a single sovereign government.