Italy was unified under Piedmont-Sardinia rather than a more powerful state due to geopolitical strategy
the verdict
INSUFFICIENT LEANING
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
2 sources for · 0 against
AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says
The retrieved records confirm that Italy was annexed and unified under Piedmont-Sardinia and note that other states like the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies possessed greater land and population on paper, but they provide only partial discussion regarding the specific geopolitical strategy behind choosing Piedmont-Sardinia over more powerful states.
# Why was Italy unified under the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and not under a stronger state?
Tags: 19th-century, italy
- Score: 9
- Views: 1391
- Answers: 2
- Answered: yes
- Asked by: Evil Washing Machine (7362 rep)
- Asked: 2017-04-25
- Site: history
## Question
On paper the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies appears much stronger with about twice the land and population. So how come it was Victor Emmanuel II who became King of Italy and not Francis II Bourbon?
Was it a combination of luck and skill through Cavour's deals with the French, or did the Northern kingdom also possess a much better economy, institutions and army?
## Answers
### Answer by T.E.D. (score: 9)
There was no stronger state. Kingdom of the Two Sicilies at the time was ruled by a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon. These were foreigners, Spaniards in particular. There was no affection for their rule locally, and they owed their position to the fact that foreign powers had placed them there, and continued to replace them after various revolts and conquests during the Napoleonic wars.
So they had no interest, (or likely capability), in engaging in establishing a nation of Italians. If anything, such a natio
Unification of Italy | Map, Date, Cavour, Garibaldi, & Risorgimento | Britannica
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Unification of Italy The unification of Italy. The dates are those of annexation, first to Sardinia-Piedmont and after 1861 to the Kingdom of Italy. (more)
# unification of Italy
Italian history
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### What was the Risorgimento?
The Risorgimento was an ideological and literary movement that helped to arouse the national consciousness of the Italian people and unite them politically during the unification of Italy.
### What role did Napoleon’s downfall play in Italy’s unification?
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia led to the collapse of his regime, allowing Austrian forces to invade Italy and eventually leading to the restoration period, which set the stage for Italian unification.
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