How Their Methods Worked Together
| Figure | Main methods | Contribution to unification |
|---|---|---|
| Count Camillo di Cavour | Diplomacy and limited war | Expanded Piedmont-Sardinia across northern and central Italy under its monarchy |
| Giuseppe Garibaldi | Popular nationalism, volunteers and conquest | Conquered Sicily and Naples, bringing southern Italy into the kingdom |
As prime minister of Piedmont-Sardinia, Cavour strengthened the state through economic modernization and participation in the Crimean War. This increased Piedmont’s diplomatic influence and made Italian nationalism an international issue.
At Plombières in 1858, Cavour secured Napoleon III’s conditional support against Austria. War in 1859 removed Austrian control from Lombardy. Plebiscites then brought central Italian states into Piedmont-Sardinia, while Nice and Savoy went to France as the price of its support.
Garibaldi supplied revolutionary force Cavour could not openly use. In 1860, his Expedition of the Thousand conquered Sicily and Naples, defeating the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Fearing an attack on Rome or a republic, Cavour sent Piedmontese forces through most of the Papal States.
At Teano in October 1860, Garibaldi handed his conquests to Victor Emmanuel II. This united northern and southern territories under the Piedmontese monarchy, and the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861.
A common misconception is that they completed unification alone. Their methods were complementary but tense, and Italy still lacked Venetia until 1866 and Rome until 1870.
Exam technique: For an “examine” or “to what extent” essay, compare contributions and judge relative importance. Cavour supplied diplomacy and legitimacy; Garibaldi supplied southern conquest, while the monarchy converted both into a unified state.
