In the mid-19th century, nationalist movements led by Piedmont-Sardinia and Prussia resulted in the unification of Italy and Germany. Cavour and Victor Emmanuel II unified most Italian states by 1861, while Bismarck used three wars from 1864-1871 to unite most German states under Prussian leadership. These new nation states of Italy and Germany altered the balance of power in Europe and weakened the influence of Austria-Hungary.

1. UNIFICATIONS OF ITALY AND GERMANY

2. In the 2nd half of the 19th century two new states appeared in Europe: Italy and
Germany. They were the consequence of unification nationalist movements led by
Piedmont-Sardinia and Prussia.
EUROPE AFTER THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA EUROPE IN 1871

3. Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon
Bonaparte´s grandnephew, had an important
role in the history of Europe between 1850
and 1870.
In 1850 he was elected the President of the
2nd Republic in France.
In 1852, after a plebiscite, he was elected
Emperor and he became Napoleon III.
The 2nd Empire started in France (1852-
1870).
Napoleon III had an important role in the
unifications of Italy and Germany:
-he supported the Italians´ fight against Austria
-he had to fight against Prussia and this war
contributed to the definitive unification of
Germany.

4. ITALIAN UNIFICATION
After the Congress of Vienna Italy was
divided into seven states, most of which
(Lombardy-Venetia, Parma, Modena,
Tuscany) were under Austrian control.
Austria and the Papal States were the
main obstacles for the Italian unification.
During the 1848 revolution, there was a
failed attempt of unification led by
Piedmont-Sardinia, the richest and most
industrialized Italian state. They declared
war on Austria, but were defeated.
However, the plans for the unification
went on

5. VICTOR EMMANUEL II,
KING OF PIEDMONT-SARDINIA
CAMILO BENSO,
COUNT OF CAVOUR,
PRIME MINISTER OF
PIEDMONT-SARDINIA
GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI
MAIN FIGURES OF THE ITALIAN UNIFICATION
- The Count of Cavour, Piedmont-
Sardinia´s prime minister, wanted to
unify all the States of the Italian
Peninsula under a monarchy led by
Victor Emmanuel II. Cavour looked for
the support of France against Austria.
- Giuseppe Garibaldi also wanted the
unification of Italy, but under a
Republic. He created a military group of
volunteers called the “red shirts”.

6. SITUATION BEFORE THE
UNIFICATION
UNIFICATION PROCESS
- Piedmont-Sardinia got France´s help and declared war on Austria and annexed Lombardy in
1859. France received Savoy and Nice for its help.
- Parma, Modena and Tuscany joined Piedmont- Sardinia immediately.
- In 1860 Garibaldi conquered the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and gave it to Victor Emmanuel II
- Creation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.

7. Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II´s meeting at
Teano. Garibaldi gave the Kingdom of the Two
Sicilies to Victor Emmanuel II
King Victor Emmanuel II and the Count of Cavour,
authors of Italy´s Renaissance (Risorgimento)
Caricature of Victor Emmanuel's leg filling the 'boot' of Italy
with the aid of Garibaldi

8. - In 1866, after the Austro- Hungarians’ defeat by Prussia, the Piedmontese and
Garibaldi took control of Venetia and added it to Italy.
- In 1870 the Italians occupied Rome and annexed the Papal States. Rome became the
capital city of Italy. The Pope considered himself as a prisoner of the Italians and
excommunicated the Italian royal family.

9. Flag of the Kingdom of Italy
Victor Emmanuel II, first king of Italy
Italy became a constitutional
monarchy ruled by the Savoy
dynasty.
The Italian Monarchy lasted
from 1861 to 1946.
Cavour, Victor Emmanuel II and Garibaldi

10. UNIFICATION OF GERMANY
After the Congress of Vienna
the German Confederation had
been created. It included 39
States, which shared language
and a common past, but kept
their independence.
Austria and Prussia were the
most important States.
Prussia industrialized very
quickly due to its coal and iron
mines

11. In 1834 Prussia led the creation of a customs union. All the German States except Austria
joined it This increased Prussia´s wealth and influence in the region.
ZOLLVEREIN

12. During the 1848 revolution there
was an attempt of German
unification under a democratic
regime (Frankfurt Parliament), but
Austria and Prussia crashed it.
1848 revolution

13. MAIN FIGURES OF THE UNIFICATION OF GERMANY
OTTO VON BISMARCK,
PRUSSIA´S PRIME MINISTER
WILHEM I, KING
OF PRUSSIA
In 1862 Otto Von Bismarck was
appointed chancellor (prime
minister) of Prussia and planned
the unification of Germany under
Prussia’s leadership.
He was known as the “Iron
Chancellor”. He knew
that Austria would be the main
obstacle for the unification of
Germany and considered that
unification could only be reached
through war (“blood and fire”)
The unification of Germany was
achieved through three wars.

14. WAR AGAINST DENMARK (1864)
Denmark controlled two duchies (Schleswig
and Holstein), where most of the population
were German speakers.
Austria and Prussia declared war on
Denmark and conquered Schleswig and
Holstein. Prussia got Schleswig and Austria
got Holstein, although the logic said that
Prussia got Holstein (closer to its territory)
The disputes between Austria and Prussia
about the administration of Schleswig and
Holstein led to a second war between them.

15. AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN WAR (1866)
- Dark blue: Prussia
- Blue: Prussian allies
- Red: Austria
- Pink: Austrian allies
- Green: neutral States
Prussia and its allies declared war
on Austria, defeated them in the
Battle of Sadowa and all the
German states of the North
created the North-German
Confederation.
NORTH-GERMAN CONFEDERATION

16. FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR (1870)
Bismarck knew that he needed a common
cause to unite all the German States and he
looked for a casus belli against France, the
traditional enemy of the Germans.
He manipulated a dispatch that explained
the result of a conversation between Kaiser
Wilhem I and the French ambassador at
Ems Spa. The conversation (about the
possible candidacy of Leopold Hohenzollern
to the throne of Spain) had been friendly, but
Bismarck manipulated the
dispatch, sharpening the language and
presenting the French ambassador´s
words as unacceptable.
France had no other option than declaring
war on Prussia. All the German States
united against France
EMS DISPATCH,
“EDITED” BY BISMARCK

17. The French army was
defeated at the Battle of
Sedan and Napoleon III
was captured.
Consequences:
- all the German States
became united and the
2nd German Empire
(Reich) was proclaimed.
- the 2nd French Empire
disappeared and the 3rd
Republic was proclaimed
in France.
-France lost Alsace and
Lorraine

18. Wilhem I became Emperor of
Germany and Bismarck became
chancellor of Germany. Berlin
became the capital city of the
new country.
Proclamation of the 2nd Reich in the Hall of the Mirrors of
Versailles Palace.

19. The Italian and German unifications
affected international relations:
- The German Empire became
continental Europe’s dominant
power.
- The Austro-Hungarian Empire lost
power and influence
- France’s defeat by Prussia led to the
collapse of Napoleon III’s 2nd Empire,
the 3rd Republic was proclaimed and
they lost Alsace and Lorraine.
- Taking advantage of the Austro-
Hungarian weakness, the Russian
Empire tried to expand its influence
to the Balkans, in order to gain access
to the Mediterranean Sea.