When we think of Italy today, it’s easy to picture a unified nation with a shared culture, language and identity. But the country as we know it is surprisingly young. Its transformation from a patchwork of states, kingdoms and foreign-controlled territories to the modern Republic of Italy was dramatic and complex.
Known as the Italian Risorgimento, this 19th-century movement laid the foundations for modern Italy. Yet many of the most fascinating stories behind the unification of Italy remain relatively unknown.
Ahead of his short course Rome or Death! Garibaldi and Co. – Italy’s Risorgimento, our resident historian Richard Stone reveals five surprising facts that shed new light on this pivotal period of Italian history.
1. Italy wasn’t a country for much of its history
One of the biggest surprises about the origins of Italy is that, until the 19th century, there was no single Italian nation.
At the time of the French Revolution, the Italian peninsula was divided into numerous kingdoms, duchies and republics. Many were controlled or heavily influenced by foreign powers. Later, Napoleon dramatically reshaped the political landscape, creating republican governments before eventually declaring himself king of a newly created Kingdom of Italy in 1805.
When Napoleon’s rule collapsed in 1815, many of the old political structures returned. Yet something had changed. The relative peace that followed saw the gradual emergence of the patriotic movement known as the Risorgimento.
2. Garibaldi had an unexpected Australian connection
Revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi is one of the most famous figures in Italian history, but few realise that his travels brought him surprisingly close to Australia.
In 1852, while travelling from China to Peru, Garibaldi briefly stopped at Three Hummock Island in Bass Strait, just off the coast of Tasmania. The island appears to have left an impression – in later life, during difficult times, he fondly recalled its pristine beauty.
It’s a small detail, but one that highlights the extraordinary global adventures of a man who would become one of the key figures in the unification of Italy.
3. Garibaldi didn’t unite Italy alone
Popular history often presents Garibaldi as the lone hero who single-handedly created modern Italy. The reality is far more interesting.
While Garibaldi’s courage and military successes made him a powerful symbol of the Italian Risorgimento, he was only one part of a much larger movement. The push towards national unity involved politicians, philosophers, activists, artists, composers, monarchs and even popes.
It was not solely a military campaign. It was an intellectual, cultural and political cause that drew support from people from many different backgrounds and professions.
Understanding these diverse voices helps reveal why the story of Italian unification remains so compelling today.
4. Opera houses were once political hotspots
Today, the opera is often associated with music and entertainment. In 19th-century Italy, it could also be a place for political discussion and social networking.
Opera houses served as important gathering places where people could exchange ideas, discuss current events and keep up with local gossip. In an era when public political expression could be risky, theatres offered a relatively safe space for communities to share opinions.
Composers and performers also played a role in fostering patriotic sentiment, using their work to promote political awareness and inspire audiences. For many Italians, important conversations about the nation’s future happened not in political chambers, but in the theatres.
5. A thousand volunteers helped change history
In 1860, Garibaldi led a force of around 1,000 red-shirted volunteers on a campaign that would become legendary. Their success in Sicily and southern Italy helped overthrow Bourbon rule and remove the Spanish King of Naples from power.
The campaign dramatically altered the political balance of the peninsula and accelerated the creation of a united Italy. More than 160 years later, it remains one of the defining moments of the Italian Risorgimento.
From opera houses to Three Hummock Island, the story of the origins of Italy is full of unexpected twists.
In Rome or Death! Garibaldi and Co. – Italy’s Risorgimento, Richard explores the people, ideas and events that shaped the unification of Italy. Whether you’re passionate about Italian history or simply curious about one of Europe’s most transformative periods, the short course offers a fascinating journey through the triumphs, conflicts and personalities behind the Risorgimento.