P3 - Unification of Italy

The Congress System

Series of congresses between the Great Powers (1818 and 1822)

• Common enemy → Napoleon

• Aim → keep Great Powers united and prevent change/ any one great power from expanding or getting too powerful. (Able to defend but not attack)

• Not a real system

• Metternich used these meetings crush revolts in Italy 1920. → Austria retains control over Italian lands

• Developed → Great Powers intervene in any cases of unrest or revolutionary ideology across Europe.

Romanticism

European artistic and intellectual movement of individualism, emotion, nature, and the sublime, often as a reaction to the rationalism and order of the Enlightenment. It glorified the past which helped fuel nationalism.

Italia irridenta

After Italian unification in 1861, some Italian-speaking territories, such as Trentino, South Tyrol, and Trieste, remained under Austrian or other foreign control. Italian nationalists saw these areas as "unredeemed," believing they rightfully belonged within Italy’s borders. This continued on into the 20th century and fueled Italy's actions in WW1.

Transformismo

Political strategy used in ~1870s that brought people of opposing political parties together to create stable, centrist governments. → Pragmatic conclusions, trading political support for favors was common.

Stable governments but also corruption, which weakened Italy’s political system and undermined the power of those seeking actual reform.

Statuto

Constitution that King Carlo Alberto of Piedmont agreed to in 1848 following Cavour's pressure to agree to it. This was later used as a base for the constitution of the Kingdom of Italy.

Liberal, established constitutional monarchy, gave freedoms to the elected parliament.

Klemens Von Metternich

Austrian Foreign Minister (1809-1821) and Chancellor (1821-1848)

• Congress of Vienna and strong advocate for conservatism

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Italian general, revolutionary and republican. He contributed to Italian unification and the creation of the Kingdom of Italy. "Fathers of the fatherland"

Giuseppe Mazzini

Italian politician, journalist, and activist who played a key role in the unification of Italy. Prominent figure in the Risorgimento and founded the revolutionary organization "Young Italy". Mazzini advocated for a unified, republican Italy based on principles of freedom, duty, and national identity. 

• Good writer and swayed people to his cause

• Used propaganda and insurrection

Camillo Benso di Cavour

Italian politician, statesman, businessman, economist, and noble

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia (1852-1861), first Prime Minister of the unified Kingdom of Italy (1861). Cavour's political strategies, including alliances with France and diplomatic maneuvering, were crucial in achieving Italian unification. 

Victor Emmanuel II

 King of Piedmont-Sardinia (1849-1861), King of the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1878). Blunt manner and lacked tact.Maintained Piedmont’s constitutional government and appointed Cavour as his chief minister. He encouraged Italy’s participation in the Crimean War and welcomed Piedmont’s territorial expansion. Less enthusiastic about the new Kingdom of Italy, as he knew little about southern and central Italy.

Great Powers

Great Britain, France, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Prussia (which later became Germany)

Congress of Vienna

(1815)

Meeting between Great Powers which wanted to bring back peace and security to Europe. Sought end to dangerous liberal, nationalist, and republican ideology

The Battle of Custoza

(1848)

Austrian forces, led by Field Marshal Radetzky, defeated the Piedmontese army of King Carlo Alberto of Sardinia. This battle was a major setback for Italian forces.

The battle of Novara 

(1849)

Near the city of Novara in Sardinia. Fought between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire during the first Italian War of Unification.

• Sardinia wanted Lombardy and Venice so they attacked Austria. But they had a significantly weaker military force and Radzynsky, the general on the Austrian side was able to use superior military tactics in order to crush the Sardinian forces

The Crimean War

(1853-56)

Russia and the united powers of the Ottoman empire, Britain, and France. Russia wanted to gain power over regions in the Ottoman empire and wanted to provide security for Eastern orthodox people in the Ottoman empire. The ottomans were weak but the powers that allied with it didn’t want Russia to gain any more power and helped in warding off Russia. the war ended in Russia's defeat and the Paris Peace treaty (1856)

Paris Peace Treaty

(1856)

Ended the Crimean War.

Signatories: Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, France, and the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Outcomes: The Black Sea now declared neutral territory. Independence and territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire. Russia could not interfere with the Ottoman Empire’s Christian population.

The Pact of Plombièrs

(1858)

Cavour, the PM of Piedmont and the French Emperor, Napoleon III.

If Austria attacked Piedmont, the French would aid Piedmont in destroying Austria and taking control of Lombardy and Venice.

In return Piedmont would pay for the costs of the war and a dynastic marriage was arranged between Bonaparte’s cousin and Piedmont’s king, Emmanuel II’s eldest daughter. 

The War of 1859

The Second Italian War of Independence. The united forces of Piedmont and France against Austria. In the late 1850s, Piedmont was preparing for war with Austria as they wanted to unify the Italian states (Venice & Lombardy which were in control of Austria). 

Battle of Magenta

Franco-Piedmontese forces won, allowing them to enter Milan and push the Austrians out of Lombardy.

Battle of Solferino

A decisive Franco-Piedmontese victory against Austria, which led Austria to agree to cede Lombardy to Piedmont.

Treaty of Villafranca

(1859)

Austria retained control over Venetia, but Piedmont gained Lombardy. This significantly expanded the territory under Italian control and furthered the unification cause.

The Expedition of 1000

(1860)

A volunteer army called the red shirts were led by Garibaldi to conquer Sicily and Naples (the kingdom of two Sicilies).

Success, culminating in a plebiscite that led to the annexation of the southern territories by the Kingdom of Sardinia. 

Third Italian War of Independence

(1866)

Italy allied with Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War, hoping to gain Venetia from Austria.

Treaty of Vienna

(1866)

Italy acquired Venetia, bringing another significant Italian region under unified control.