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  • Giuseppe Garibaldi was a disciple of Mazzini and a very able military leader.
  • After participating with Mazzini in an abortive republican uprising against the King of Sardinia in 1834, Garibaldi gained fame for military exploits in South America.
  • He returned to Italy in 1848 and fought first against the Austrians and then against the French.
  • He put up a gallant but hopeless struggle to maintain the Roman Republic of 1849.
  • Learning of the proposed giveaway of Nice (his birthplace) and Savoy to France, Garibaldi organized an army to protect these territories from the French.
  • Cavour, fearing the consequences of antagonizing the French, diverted Garibaldi by finding him another mission.
  • A revolt had broken out against Francis II (1859-1861), the King of the Two Sicilies. Cavour secretly persuaded Garibaldi to use his volunteers to support this revolt.
  • Publicly, Cavour distanced himself from the scheme. Garibaldi’s army of a thousand Red Shirts landed at Marsala in Sicily on May 11, 1860.
  • Enjoying rapid success, Garibaldi captured Palermo, the capital of Sicily by the end of May.
  • In late August, he crossed over to the mainland. Naples, the mainland capital, fell on September 7, 1860.
  • Thousands had deserted from the royal Sicilian army to join Garibaldi. His attractive personality brought many other volunteers.
  • Cavour became concerned about Garibaldi’s successes. He feared that Garibaldi might become a rival to the Sardinian King, Victor Emmanuel II, or provoke intervention by either the French or Austrians.
  • He hastily had a Sardinian army attack the Papal States, defeating the Pope’s forces.
  • This Sardinian army joined Garibaldi for the final sweep against the Bourbon King of the two Sicilies.
  • Garibaldi nobly honored his previous pledge to support the Sardinian monarch.
  • On March 17, 1861, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, with Victor Emmanuel II as King.
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