Learn about the unification of Italy through a timeline of events. See when Italy was founded, who unified the country and what the goal of young... The northern half of Italy was under the control of the Holy Roman Empire (a German-speaking Empire) beginning in the 8th century while the central and the southern half were intermittently governed between the Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily and the Papal States. Unification of Italy stands as an important chapter in the history of the Italian peninsula. It shows the struggle of separate states to become a unified nation. Learn about the 19th century political and social movement that resulted in the unification of the Italian Peninsula into a single state. Explore the historical context, the role of Napoleon, Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II, and the challenges of the new kingdom.
