Unification of Italy

The unification of Italy was a big change that happened in the 1800s. It was when many different parts of the Italian land came together to form one country called the Kingdom of Italy. Before this, Italy was made up of several smaller states, each ruled differently. This change was driven by people who wanted Italy to be one nation and free from other countries’ control.

Important leaders helped make this happen. There was King Victor Emmanuel II, a wise leader who became known as Father of the Fatherland. Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, a smart politician, helped plan the way forward. Giuseppe Garibaldi, a brave general, led soldiers to join the lands together. And Giuseppe Mazzini, a writer and speaker, shared ideas about freedom with many people.

The unification started after big protests in the late 1840s and finally finished in 1871 when Rome became the capital city. Even after that, some Italian-speaking areas were still not part of the new country until after World War I. Italy still celebrates this important time every year on March 17, remembering when the Kingdom of Italy was officially proclaimed.

Background

From ancient times to early modern era

Italy was first united by the Roman Republic around the third century BCE. For many years, it was a key part of the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Italy was ruled by different groups, including the Ostrogothic Kingdom and the Kingdom of the Lombards. Over time, Italy split into many smaller states and city-states.

During the Renaissance, writers like Dante, Petrarch, and Machiavelli dreamed of a united Italy. Later, battles such as the Italian Wars brought foreign powers like Spain and France into control of parts of Italy.

French Revolution and Napoleonic era

The French Revolution brought big changes to Italy. New ideas about government and rights spread, and many Italian people began to hope for a united country. When Napoleon took control, he set up new governments in Italy that were influenced by France. After Napoleon’s defeat, Italy went back to being controlled by other countries, mainly the Austrian Empire.

Reaction (1815–1848)

After Napoleon left, Italy was again split and controlled by Austria and other powers. Many Italians still wanted to be united. Writers and thinkers began to share these ideas, and some even created secret groups to work toward unification.

Carbonari

One of these secret groups was called the Carbonari. They were made up of middle-class people who wanted freedom and a united Italy. Though they faced harsh punishments, they kept working for change.

Giuseppe Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi

Two important leaders, Giuseppe Mazzini and Giuseppe Garibaldi, dreamed of a free and united Italy. Mazzini created a group called La Giovine Italia (Young Italy) to work toward this goal. Garibaldi had to leave Italy but returned later with experience from fighting in other countries.

Early revolutionary activity

Exiles and European and masculine ideals

Many important leaders for Italy's unification lived far away from their country after revolutions failed. Being away from Italy, they wrote and spoke about what it meant to be Italian. They talked about old ideas from Europe that described Italians in negative ways. These leaders both agreed with and fought against these ideas, often talking about what it would mean for Italy to become strong like other European countries.

Two Sicilies insurrection

In 1820, people in Spain stood up for their rights, which inspired others in Italy. Soldiers in the army of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, led by Guglielmo Pepe, also wanted change. They took control of part of the land and made the king agree to new rules. But they did not get enough support from ordinary people, and soldiers from Austria stopped the movement. The king took away the new rules and punished those who supported the change. Many people who wanted change in Sicily, like the scholar Michele Amari, had to leave their homes for many years.

Piedmont insurrection

In 1821, Santorre di Santarosa led a movement in Piedmont to remove Austrian control and bring Italy together under the House of Savoy. The revolt began in Alessandria, where soldiers used the green, white, and red tricolore flag of the Cisalpine Republic. King Victor Emmanuel I stepped down, and Prince Charles Albert agreed to new rules to calm the situation. But when King Charles Felix returned, he rejected the new rules and asked for help from Austria. Santarosa's forces were defeated, and he fled to Paris.

In Milan, Silvio Pellico and Pietro Maroncelli tried to reduce Austrian control through education. In October 1820, they were arrested and put in prison.

1830 insurrections

Main article: Revolutions of 1830

Before 1830, few people thought an Italian nation could exist. Italy had eight different states, each with its own laws and traditions. Italians who cared about their country were often forced to leave. After 1830, feelings for a united Italy grew stronger, and a series of uprisings helped lay the groundwork for one nation.

During the July Revolution of 1830 in France, King Charles X was forced to step down, and Louis-Philippe became king. He had promised to help if Austria tried to stop uprisings in Italy, but he did not keep this promise. The Duke of Modena arrested revolutionaries like Ciro Menotti, who was later executed.

At the same time, uprisings happened in Bologna, Ferrara, Ravenna, Forlì, Ancona, and Perugia in the Papal Legations. These areas adopted the tricolore flag instead of the Papal flag and declared plans to unite as the Italian United Provinces. The Pope asked Austria for help, and Austrian troops moved through Italy, stopping the uprisings and ending the revolutionary movement.

Revolutions of 1848–1849 and First Italian War of Independence

Main articles: Revolutions of 1848 in the Italian states and First Italian War of Independence

In 1844, two brothers from Venice, Attilio and Emilio Bandiera, members of Young Italy, planned to support Italian unification by making a raid on the Calabrian coast against the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. They gathered a small group of men and set sail on June 12, 1844. Four days later, they landed near Crotone, aiming to reach Cosenza and support political prisoners. However, they were betrayed and captured, leading to their execution. This event had a strong impact across Italy and helped inspire later movements.

In 1847, the song Il Canto degli Italiani, which later became Italy’s national anthem, was performed for the first time. It was written by Goffredo Mameli and set to music by Michele Novaro.

In early 1848, protests began in Lombardy and spread to Sicily and Naples. In Sicily, a new government was formed under Ruggero Settimo. Revolts also occurred in Tuscany, where Grand Duke Leopold II allowed a constitution. Pope Pius IX also granted a constitution to the Papal States. In Milan, people rose up against Austrian forces and succeeded in driving them out after five days of fighting.

Soon after, Charles Albert, the King of Sardinia, decided to support the Italian cause and declared war on Austria. Although his forces had some early wins, they were later defeated. Meanwhile, in Rome, Pope Pius IX fled when revolutionaries arrived, and a new government was formed.

Later, Charles Albert tried again to fight Austria but was defeated. The fighting continued in other parts of Italy, with French and Austrian forces playing major roles. Eventually, the revolutionary governments were overcome, and control returned to the previous rulers.

Cavour and prospects for unification

Despite these setbacks, the idea of uniting Italy remained strong. Leaders like Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour worked to modernize the country and seek support from other nations. He became a key figure in guiding Italy toward unification, focusing on building a strong monarchy under King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy.

Towards the Kingdom of Italy

Victor Emmanuel II (left) and Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour (right), leading figures in the Italian unification, became respectively the first king and first Prime Minister of unified Italy.

In 1857, Carlo Pisacane, an aristocrat from Naples, tried to start a rebellion in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. His small group landed on the island of Ponza, freed many prisoners, but failed to get local support. Pisacane was killed by locals who thought he was leading a group trying to take their food.

The Second War of Italian Independence began in April 1859 when the Sardinian leader Count Cavour allied with Napoleon III. This led to a war with Austria. Although Austria had more soldiers, their leaders were not very effective. The French and Sardinians defeated Austria at the Battle of Magenta and the Battle of Solferino. Volunteers led by Giuseppe Garibaldi also helped by defeating Austrian forces. The war ended with an agreement that gave Lombardy to Sardinia, but Austria kept control of other areas.

In early 1860, only a few states remained separate in Italy. Giuseppe Garibaldi gathered about a thousand volunteers and landed near Marsala in Sicily. They fought and won several battles against the forces of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Garibaldi took control of Sicily and then moved to the mainland. People welcomed him, and many areas joined the new Kingdom of Italy.

After taking the capital city of Naples, Garibaldi handed over power to Victor Emmanuel II, who became the first King of Italy. By 1861, most of Italy was united, though Rome would not become the capital until 1871.

Third War of Independence (1866)

Main article: Third Italian War of Independence

See also: Plebiscite of Veneto of 1866

In 1866, during the war between Austria and Prussia, Italy saw a chance to take Venetia from Austrian control. Italy joined forces with Prussia. Despite some losses, such as at Custoza and the Battle of Lissa, Garibaldi's volunteers won at the Battle of Bezzecca.

Prussia's victory forced Austria to give up Venetia. After a vote by the people, Venetia became part of Italy. King Victor Emmanuel visited Venice to celebrate this moment.

Rome

Mentana and Villa Glori

The group working to unite Italy wanted Rome to be the capital. In 1867, a leader named Garibaldi tried to capture Rome, but he was defeated by soldiers from the Papal army with help from France.

Before this battle, two brothers named Enrico and Giovanni Cairoli tried to reach Rome by boat. They planned to join a rebellion inside the city. However, when they arrived, the rebellion had already ended. Sadly, Giovanni was hurt badly, and Enrico was fatally wounded during the fight.

Memorial

There is a simple white column at the place where Enrico died, remembering him and his companions. Nearby stands a bronze statue showing Giovanni holding Enrico.

Capture of Rome

Main article: Capture of Rome

In 1870, France recalled its soldiers from Rome after starting a war with Prussia. This gave Italy the chance to move forward. The Italian army entered Rome on September 20 after a short battle. Rome became part of Italy, and later, in 1871, it was made the country's capital.

Problems

When Italy united in the 1860s, many promises made to different regions were not kept. The new Kingdom of Italy was mostly run by leaders from one region, Piedmont. Many important jobs were given to people from Piedmont, and the rules and taxes from Piedmont were used everywhere in Italy.

Some people were unhappy with the new government, especially in places like Sicily and Naples. There were protests and uprisings in these areas during the first years of the new kingdom. The pope also did not agree with the new government after losing control of Rome.

The way Italy was governed did not always match what people in the south hoped for. Some northern writers described southern Italy in very negative ways, which influenced how the government treated those areas.

Historiography

See also: Brigantaggio and Southern question

The unification of Italy is still a topic that many people discuss. After Italy became one country, some leaders thought the government needed to help bring all Italians together. One famous leader, Massimo d'Azeglio, said, "Italy has been made. Now it remains to make Italians."

Some believed the new government made mistakes. For example, the north and south of Italy had very different economies. When the same economic rules were applied to both, the south struggled. Some thought these changes should have happened more slowly to help the south grow stronger.

Later historians have continued to study the successes and failures of Italy's unification, with recent work focusing on the role of nationalism.

Risorgimento and Italian irredentism

Main article: Italian irredentism

Origins of Italian irredentism

The unification of Italy in the 19th century did not include all areas where people spoke Italian. Many Italian speakers remained outside the new Kingdom of Italy, creating a movement called Italian irredentism. This movement wanted to bring these areas into Italy.

The term Risorgimento means "rising again" and refers to the effort to unify Italy and build national pride. It aimed to end foreign rule and influence over Italian lands. Some believe it helped modernize Italian culture, while others think it mainly helped wealthy classes more than ordinary people.

Italia irredenta was a nationalist movement that emerged after unification. It believed Italy should include all areas with Italian-speaking people nearby. This idea was common in Europe during the 19th century.

At first, Italian irredentism focused on areas where Italians were the majority but were controlled by the Austrian Empire after the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866. During World War One, the main areas wanted were Trento and Trieste.

The movement later expanded to include areas with smaller Italian populations, such as South Tyrol, Istria, Gorizia and Gradisca, part of Dalmatia, the city of Fiume, Corsica, Malta, Nice, and Swiss Italy.

Many Italian speakers in Istria and Dalmatia supported the Risorgimento. After the Third Italian War of Independence, when Veneto and Friuli joined Italy, Istria and Dalmatia stayed with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This led to rising Italian irredentism in these areas. The Austrians saw Italians as enemies and favored local communities in Istria, Kvarner, and Dalmatia.

Istrian Italians made up about a third of the population in 1900. Dalmatia also had significant Italian communities in its coastal cities. For example, in Split in 1890, about 9% of people were Italian speakers. In Zadar, it was about 27%. But in other places, the number of Italian speakers dropped sharply between 1890 and 1910. By 1909, Italian was no longer an official language in Dalmatia.

Irredentism and the World Wars

Italy entered World War One in 1915 to finish unifying the country. This is sometimes called the Fourth Italian War of Independence. Italy was neutral at the start because its alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary was defensive. Many Italians disliked Austria-Hungary holding Italian-speaking areas, so Italy eventually joined the war after the Treaty of London promised land like Friuli, Trentino, and Dalmatia in exchange.

After World War One, Italy gained Trieste, Gorizia, Istria, Zara, and Pola under the Treaty of Rapallo in 1920. Some historians see this as the end of the Risorgimento. However, Italy did not get all the lands promised, such as Dalmatia, leading to feelings of a "mutilated victory." This idea was used by leaders to promote stronger national policies.

During World War Two, after Italy attacked Yugoslavia, it temporarily controlled parts of Dalmatia, including Split and Kotor, as well as Corsica and Nice. This brought Italy closer to its irredentist goals for a short time.

The movement aimed to free all Italian lands still under foreign rule. It focused on areas like Trentino, Trieste, Dalmatia, Istria, Gorizia, Ticino, Nice, Corsica, and Malta. Before World War One, Austria-Hungary supported Croatian interests in Dalmatia and Istria to weaken Italian claims.

End of Italian irredentism

After World War Two, under the 1947 Treaty of Peace with Italy, areas like Istria, Kvarner, most of the Julian March, and the Dalmatian city of Zara were given to Yugoslavia. Many Italian speakers chose to leave these areas, leading to a large emigration. The Italian irredentist movement ended after World War Two, and Italy abandoned all territorial claims by the 1947 Constitution, which recognized special regions like Sardinia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sicily, Aosta Valley, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

Anniversary of the unification of Italy

Main article: Anniversary of the unification of Italy

Italy celebrates the anniversary of its unification every fifty years on 17 March, the day the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed. Celebrations have taken place in 1911 (50th anniversary), 1961 (100th anniversary), 2011 (150th anniversary), and 2021 (160th anniversary). Though it is a working day, 17 March is seen as a special day to honor the country's identity.

Another important day is National Unity and Armed Forces Day on 4 November. This marks the end of World War I with the Armistice of Villa Giusti, an event that helped complete Italy’s unification.

Culture and Risorgimento

Art

During this time, art was inspired by Neoclassicism, which looked back to the art and culture of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. One of the most famous sculptors was Antonio Canova, known for his marble sculptures. Another important artist was Francesco Hayez, whose paintings often showed ideas about Italian unification. His famous painting The Kiss showed the spirit of this movement. Other artists like Andrea Appiani and Giovanni Fattori also created works that supported the idea of a united Italy.

Literature

Many writers helped spread the idea of unifying Italy. Alessandro Manzoni wrote The Betrothed, a famous book that supported unification. Vittorio Alfieri expressed his feelings about foreign rule in his plays. Ugo Foscolo wrote about love for Italy and its history. Other writers like Vincenzo Monti, Giacomo Leopardi, and Niccolò Tommaseo also contributed to the movement with their works. After unification, many of these ideas were taught in schools and universities.

Music

Many famous Italian composers supported the unification of Italy through their music. Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini included messages about Italy in their operas. Giuseppe Verdi's music, especially the chorus from Nabucco, became a symbol for Italian patriots. His operas often talked about freedom and love for the country, even though sometimes the government tried to stop these messages.

Films

Some movies were made about this time in history. The Leopard directed by Luchino Visconti is one famous example. Other films include Piccolo mondo antico, A Garibaldian in the Convent, and We Believed, which show different parts of this important period in Italian history.

Museums

Central Museum of the Risorgimento of Rome

Inside the Altare della Patria in Rome are some museums dedicated to the history of Italy, especially the Unification of Italy: the Central Museum of the Risorgimento with an adjoining study institute, the Flag of Italy Memorial and an area that hosts temporary exhibitions of artistic interest, historical, sociological and cultural called "ala Brasini".

Since 2020, together with Palazzo Venezia, it has been managed by the VIVE Institute, one of the eleven institutes of significant general interest of the Italian Ministry of Culture.

Access to the Central Museum of the Risorgimento is on the left side of the monument, at the back of the Santa Maria in Ara Coeli along via di San Pietro in Carcere. The period of Italian history between the end of the 18th century and the First World War is displayed by memorabilia, paintings, sculptures, documents (letters, diaries and manuscripts), drawings, engravings, weapons and prints.

On the entrance stairway of the Central Museum of the Risorgimento are visible engravings related to some significant episodes for the birth of the Risorgimento movement, from the seed thrown by the French Revolution to the Napoleonic Wars, to better frame and remember the national history included between the reform of the ancient Italian states and the end of the First World War. Along the walls, other marble engravings show some pieces of texts enunciated by prominent personalities, which better testify and describe this part of Italian history.

The Central Museum of the Risorgimento also includes the Shrine of the Flags, a museum where the war flags of dissolved military units and decommissioned ships from the Italian Army, Italian Air Force, Italian Navy, Carabinieri, Polizia di Stato, Penitentiary Police and Guardia di Finanza are collected and temporarily stored. In case a unit is reformed, the flags are retrieved by the unit. Access to the shrine is along Via dei Fori Imperiali, where memorabilia, relating mainly to the Risorgimento wars, in which the Italian Armed Forces took part, are also kept.

The "ala Brasini", reserved for temporary exhibitions, is dedicated to Armando Brasini, the main promoter of the Central Museum. The wing has three exhibition rooms: the "large exhibition hall", with a surface area of 700 m² (7,535 sq ft), generally hosts art exhibitions, and those that require more space, the "central hall" of 400 m² (4,306 sq ft) and the "jubilee hall" of 150 m² (1,615 sq ft), are used.

National Museum of the Risorgimento of Turin

Main article: Museum of the Risorgimento (Turin)

The National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento of Turin is the first, the biggest and the most important among the 23 museums in Italy dedicated to the Risorgimento; and the only one which can be considered "national" according to a 1901 law, and due to its rich and great collections. It is housed in the Palazzo Carignano in Turin.

The museum was established in 1878, shortly after Italian unification, even though it only had its first permanent exhibition in 1908. Originally located in the Mole Antonelliana, in 1938 it was moved to its current site (which had previously housed the Subalpine Chamber of Deputies, from 1848 to 1860, and then the first Italian Chamber of Deputies, from 1861 to 1865).

Its exhibits include weapons, flags, uniforms, printed and written documents (including the original manuscript of the song Il Canto degli Italiani, dated 10 November 1847 by Goffredo Mameli, now Italian national anthem since 1946), and artworks. The new exhibition, which opened on 18 March 2011, occupies about 3500 square metres across 30 rooms, and covers the real Risorgimento period, stretching from the late 18th century revolutions to the beginning of the First World War. It includes a specialized library, a print cabinet and a documentary archive.

Museum of the Risorgimento of Milan

Main article: Museum of the Risorgimento (Milan)

The Museum of the Risorgimento of Milan, located in the 18th-century Milanese Palazzo Moriggia, houses a collection of objects and artworks which illustrate the history of Italian unification from Napoleon's Italian campaign of 1796 to the annexation of Rome in 1870. The city of Milan played a key role in the process, most notably on the occasion of the 1848 uprising against the Austrians known as the Five Days of Milan.

The museum was founded on a collection of documents on the Risorgimento, gathered for the Exhibition of Turin in 1884 and then moved to the showroom at Milan’s Public Gardens. The exhibition was later transferred to the Rocchetta rooms at the Sforza Castle, where it was officially inaugurated on 24 June 1896. In 1943, due to the war-time bombardment of the castle, the museum was temporarily moved to the estate of Casa Manzoni (home of the famed Italian poet and novelist Alessandro Manzoni). Finally in 1951 it was housed inside the Moriggia Palace, where it remains today.

The museum is part of the Civic Historical Collections. Its collections include Baldassare Verazzi's Episode from the Five Days and Francesco Hayez's 1840 Portrait of Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria. The permanent exhibition is displayed to follow the chronological order of events of the Risorgimento, leading the visitor through fifteen rooms, to which the new Weapons Room has been recently added. The latest refurbishment in 1998 included the redesign of the permanent exhibitions, to accentuate the highlights of the collections, particularly the relics.

The museum boasts the green-and-silver velvet cloak and the valuable regal insignia of Napoleon Bonaparte’s coronation, the banner of the Legione Lombarda Cacciatori a Cavallo (Lombard Legion on Horseback) and the first Italian flag. The last renovation saw the redesign of the lighting and information systems, as well as improvements to the ‘Romantic Garden’ behind the building.

Museum of the Risorgimento of Bologna

Main article: Museum of the Risorgimento, Bologna

The Civic Museum of the Risorgimento pf Bologna is located in the ground floor of the Casa Carducci, located in Piazza Carducci 5, in central Bologna.

Prior to being a Museum, part of the site had housed the church of the Madonna della Pietà, known commonly as the Madonna del Piombo (Virgin Mary of the Lead). It was so named because it contained a relief of the Madonna etched on a lead plate, attributed to Sperandio Savelli, that had gained veneration. There is also a legend that in the first years of the 16th century the icon had been discovered by youths playing here, near the city walls, and this led to the first chapel, then church.

This church burned down in 1712, but was soon replaced by a frescoed oratory completed in 1752. This oratory whose facade is represented by the three round arches with double central pilasters. After the Napoleonic occupation, the members of the company who owned the oratory had the structure deconsecrated and the contents sold off to antiquarians. The oratory had been decorated by the artists Antonio Rossi, Ercole Graziani the Younger, Gaetano Ferratini, Giuseppe Orsoni, Antonio Gionima, and Lorenzo Garbieri.

A Bolognese Museum of the Risorgimento was first inaugurated on June 12, 1893. The museum has exhibits that chronicle the history from the Napoleonic invasions to the end of the First World War. The main exhibits are divided into 5 eras:

• The Napoleonic Era (1796-1814)
• The Restoration of Papal States (1815-1848)
• The Epic of the Risorgimento (1848-1860)
• The Unification of Italy (1860-1914)
• Bologna at War (1915-1918)

The Museum houses a library of documents and an archive of diverse items from the period. It houses the a project towards maintenance of the city's monumental cemetery at the Certosa di Bologna.

The museum has varied in scope and themes across the decades. The initial founding of the museum focused on the patriotic events leading to Italian sovereignty and union. During and after the First World War, this conflict was defined as the Fourth War of Independence. Fascism added to the focus, the ideals of a greater Italy, the aggressive colonial wars that led to the formation of Italian East Africa, the Italian intervention in the Spanish Civil War, and the Second World War. The museum first closed in 1943, and did not reopen until 1954. Fascist wars and goals were now removed as a focus, and the Resistance to Fascism was viewed as the Second Risorgimento. The museum closed again from 1962 to 1975, and now focuses on the history prior to the Italy's entry into World War II.

The museum was located in the present Casa Carducci premises only in 1990, and includes the premises of the oratory. The Casa Carducci was the last home of the poet Giosuè Carducci, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1906.

Tricolour Flag Museum

Main article: Tricolour Flag Museum

The Tricolour Flag Museum is located in Reggio nell'Emilia, the city that saw the birth of the Italian flag in 1797, inside the town hall of the city, adjacent to the Sala del Tricolore, whose collection is made up of relics related to the Italian flag.

The museum reconstructs the history of the Italian flag, which was adopted in Reggio Emilia for the first time, right in the nearby Sala del Tricolore. On 7 January 1797 it was in fact chosen as the national flag of the Cispadane Republic: for the first time the tricolour became the national flag of a sovereign Italian state. In fact, previously, the tricolour was used as a war flag and as a civic symbol of local authorities. It was inspired by the French flag, which at the time was a symbol of freedom against the states of the ancien régime.

Inaugurated on 7 January 2004, it preserves documents, relics and Italian flags ranging from the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte in Reggio Emilia (1796) to its fall (1814), and others from the subsequent Italian unification period. The part of the museum that houses the latter was inaugurated on 7 January 2006. The dating of the relics preserved goes back to 1897, the year of the first centenary of the Italian flag. There are also a large number of tricolor flags of the Italian pre-unification States.

Maps of Italy before and during Italian unification

Italy changed a lot during the 1800s as it became one country. Maps show Italy in different years, like 1494, 1796, and 1843, before it was united. In 1860, different parts had different rulers, shown in colors: orange for the Kingdom of Sardinia, blue for the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia (Austrian Empire), pink for the United Provinces of Central Italy, red for the Papal States, and pale green for the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. By 1861, most of Italy was one kingdom, but some parts still had different rulers. In 1870, Rome was captured, and by 1871, Rome became the capital of the new Kingdom of Italy. A map from 1919 shows Italy after World War I.