Italy’s unification, known as the Risorgimento (Resurgence), was a complex and multifaceted process that transformed a fragmented peninsula of separate kingdoms, duchies, and city-states into a single nation-state by 1861. This historical transformation was driven by political, cultural, and military efforts over several decades.
The Fragmented Peninsula
Before unification, Italy was divided into various states influenced or controlled by foreign powers:
The Kingdom of Sardinia (including Piedmont and Savoy) in the northwest.
The Austrian-controlled Lombardy and Venetia in the north.
The Papal States in central Italy, governed by the Pope.
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in the south, ruled by the Bourbon dynasty.
Smaller duchies and city-states like Tuscany, Modena, and Parma.
