Giuseppe Mazzini
Mazzini was a strong believer in the concept of a unified Italy, and he dedicated his life to working towards this goal. He believed that Italy should be an independent and self-governing nation, free from foreign domination. He also believed that the Italian people should have a say in their government and that the country should be governed according to democratic principles.
To achieve his goals, Mazzini founded the Young Italy movement in 1831. The Young Italy movement aimed to unite all Italians, regardless of their social class or region, under a single banner. Mazzini and the Young Italy movement were instrumental in the revolutions that swept through Italy in 1848 and 1849. However, these revolutions were ultimately unsuccessful.
Despite the setbacks, Mazzini continued to work for the unification of Italy. He played a key role in the negotiations that led to the creation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Although Mazzini did not become the leader of the new nation, he was widely recognized as one of the most important figures in the unification movement.
Camillo di Cavour
Cavour was another strong advocate for the unification of Italy. He believed that Italy could only become a strong and independent nation if it was unified. However, Cavour was more pragmatic than Mazzini and was willing to use diplomacy and negotiation to achieve his goals.
Cavour was the prime minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont from 1852 until 1861. During his time in office, he played a key role in the unification of Italy. Cavour forged alliances with France and Britain and used these alliances to expand the territory of Sardinia-Piedmont. He also negotiated with the Austrian Empire and convinced them to cede the territories of Lombardy and Veneto to Sardinia-Piedmont.
In 1861, Cavour was able to unite the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont with the rest of Italy, creating the Kingdom of Italy. Cavour became the first prime minister of the new nation. He died in 1861, shortly after the unification of Italy was complete.
The feelings of nationalism that inspired Mazzini and Cavour played a crucial role in the unification of Italy. Their dedication to the cause of Italian unity and their willingness to work tirelessly for their goals ultimately led to the creation of a unified Italian nation.