      Unification of Italy
         - 1850-1870 -

The unification of Italy was 
difficult due to the fact that 
the Austro-Hungarian Empire 
occupied northern Italy and 
Austria's sphere of influence 
dominated the entire Italian 
peninsula.  Piedmont (Kingdom 
of Sardinia), led by Cavour, 
became the breeding ground for 
Italian independence.


       War of Austria with 
       France and Piedmont 

With a secret treaty with 
France to support Piedmont 
expelling the Austrians, Cavour 
mobilized his troops.  The 
Austrians demanded immediate 
demobilization.  Cavour refused,
which allowed the French to 
intervene.  After winning the 
battles at Palestro, Mageneta, 
and Solferino, the Piedmont-
France coalition signed the 
Treaty of Zurich with the 
Austrians.  This allowed 
Lombardy to go under Piedmont 
control and Austria to keep 
Venetia.


 Garibaldi's Invasion of Sicily

With covert support from Cavour 
and King Victor Emmanuel II of 
Piedmont, Garabaldi and his 
"Thousand Redshirts" landed in 
Sicily, which was owned by the 
Kingdom of Naples.  After 
defeating the Neopolitan forces 
at Calatafimi and Milazzo, 
Garabaldi, with the help of 
the British, landed on the 
Italian mainland.  With unrest 
in the Papal States, Cavour 
sent Piedmontese troops across 
the border.  The Papal forces 
were decisively defeated at 
Castelfidardo.  

With the Piedmontese army 
heading south, Garabaldi gained 
another victory over the 
Neopolitans at Volturno.  
After the surrender of Naples, 
an all-Italian parliament 
proclaimed the Kingdom of 
Italy with Victor Emmanuel 
as King.  

The only part of Italy not 
controlled by this monarchy 
was the Papal States, which 
had a large French force 
garrisoning it.  A year later, 
Garabaldi, rallying volunteers, 
marched from the Straits of 
Messina towards Rome.  The new 
Italian government could not 
support this overt act of war 
and sent troops to intercept 
Garabaldi's army.  The regular 
Italian troops defeated 
Garabaldi at Aspromonte.


        War with Austria

Signing an alliance with 
Prussia, Italy declared war 
on Austria at the outbreak of 
the Austro-Prussian War.  The 
Italians were defeated piecemeal
by the Austrians at Custozza.  
The Austrian army had to 
withdraw back to Vienna to 
protect the city from the 
Prussians.  Garabaldi returned 
with a small volunteer army to 
win several successes at 
Ladrone, Monte Asello, Confino, 
Ampola, and Bezzecca.  
Garabaldi had done so well 
that the Prussian Bismark made 
it clear that he did not want 
the Italians to occupy Tyrol.  
At the signing of the Treaty 
of Vienna, the Italians picked 
up Venetia. 


  The French Withdraw from Rome

Since the French had removed 
their forces from Rome and with 
the Papal States the only area 
not under Italian control, 
Garabaldi seized the opportunity
to lead an invasion into the 
Papal States.  The French 
reinforced Rome while Garabaldi 
won a small battle at Monte 
Rotondo against a small Papal 
force.  At the battle of 
Mentana, Garabaldi met a 
combined force of papal and 
French troops.  After losing 
badly, Garabaldi streamed back 
across the border to be arrested
by the Italian authorities.  

A few years later, the French 
removed their troops again 
because of the Franco-Prussian 
War.  The Italian government 
took this opportunity to besiege
Rome.  After a short 
bombardment, the Italians 
moved into Rome, and the Pope 
surrendered.  After an election,
Rome was declared the capital 
of the Italian nation.