Risorgimento

The literal meaning of Risorgimento in Italian is "rising again" and it has come from the word "resurgere”. This word has tremendous significance in Italy's history. Italy is a united country in today's time, but this was not the case till 1870 when a movement led to its independence and the Italian unification. From 1796 to 1815 (the era of Napoleonic wars and the French revolution), Italy was dominated by the French, who brought many new reforms to Italy. Once the wars were over, the Italian states were restored to Austrians, who were the former rulers of that region. 

The Austrians ruled with a conservative character, which led to many secret societies that were part of a literary and ideological movement. These societies aimed at securing a united Italy that was free from any foreign domination. The Risorgimento definition and meaning comes from this movement, and the modern use of the term "Risorgimento" still refers to this movement. The word Risorgimento acquired a broader meaning in English, and by the mid-20th century, the name also began to denote revival. Let us learn more about this movement by delving into Risorgimento Italian history and understanding the Risorgimento significance for Italy.

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Fragmented Italy

Until the beginning of the 19th century, the Italian peninsula was a fragmented conglomeration of many states like Rome, Naples, Venice, and many others. Each of these states had its own ruler and distinct way of life. The only common thing in the quality of life of an average Italian amongst all these various states was that they were extremely poor. The recurring attacks and defeat by foreign powers (Spanish, Austrian, French, etc.) gave little hope that Italy would ever become a powerful nation in its own rights.

Here are some of the major wars and events that led to the political fragmentation of Italy.

• In 1792 war broke out between the revolutionary French government and Austria. After invading the Italian peninsula, the French consolidated many Italian states.

• In 1799 the French were pushed out of the Italian region by the joined army of Austrians and Russians. This was the reason behind the downfall of the French.

• When Napoleon rose to power, the French once again invaded the Italian peninsula. Under Napoleon reign, the peninsula got divided into three separate entities:

1. The northern parts were joined to the French empire (Rome, Piedmont, Piacenza, Liguria, Tuscany, and Parma).

2. A new kingdom of Italy was created, which consisted of Modena, Lombardy, Venice, Romagna, Reggio, and the Marshes. Napoleon ruled this kingdom himself.

3. The kingdom of Naples was initially ruled by Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother) but was later passed on to Joachim Murat, who was Napoleon's brother-in-law.

4. The French revolution overthrew many old conservative ruling orders and demolished feudalism with their revolutionary ideas on how the government and society should operate. This sowed the seeds of Italian nationalism all through the central and northern parts of the Italian peninsula.

5. The downfall of Napoleon in 1814 led to the redistribution of Italian territory by the Congress of Vienna. After this, most of the states in Italy were reconstituted (Sardinia, the Duchy of Parama, etc.) and ruled mostly by the old social orders and conservative regimes.

Italian Unification Summary

Despite the Italian peninsula being in a fragmented state all through the mid-1800s, the idea of a united Italy was gradually taking roots. Amongst the many secret societies that sprung, one of the most important ones was the Young Italy group that was founded in 1831 by an ardent advocate of Italian unification, Guiseppe Mazzini.

Let us look at some of the landmarks in Risorgimento Italian history.

• 1820- The first revolt, in the series of revolutionary acts, broke out in Cadiz, Spain. This rebel was led by the troops that were leaving for South America. They demanded to re-establish the Spanish Constitution of 1812, and in early March of 1820, Ferdinand VII had to relent to do so.

• 1831- There was a second wave of nationalist sentiment spreading across Modena to Perugia, which had the support of the liberal aristocracy and the bourgeoisie section of society. Due to this, provisional governments were created that aimed at enacting a governmental constitution in those provinces of Italy which were pervaded by insurgence.

• 1847-1849- There was an economic crisis spreading across Europe which also reached the Italian peninsula. There was immense unrest in the population due to an increase in the costs of food. With revolutionary sentiment all over the continent, the first revolt occurred in 1848 in Paris. Prince Metternich lost his power over Berlin and Vienna, and a new liberal government was born. This weakened Austria's reign, and in 1849 the republican and constitutional governments (established over 20 years) were defeated. The French army then returned to Rome.

• 1859- This was the year when the final push for the unification of Italy was led by the most liberal and wealthiest Italian state, the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. President of this state, Count Camillo di Cavour, orchestrated the whole move with the help of France.

• 1861- In this year, the Italian state was born with the King of Italy, Victor Emanuel II, holding the first Italian parliament on March 17th, 1861, in Turin. It was here that Rome was declared the capital of Italy (though still not part of the new nation).

• 1870-1871- Giuseppe Garibaldi (referred to as the father of Italian unification), after many attempts of conquering Rome, finally managed to bring about the downfall of the city and the end of Papal rule. In 1871 Rome was declared as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The pope was made the spiritual leader of the kingdom by a law approved by the parliament.