Asses the view that the Risorgimento owed little to the Italian nationalist movement.
It can be said that Italy became unified more as a result of the actions of foreign powers than those of the leaders of the Risorgimento. The Risorgimento was a resurgence of nationalism sweeping over Europe during the nineteenth century, the movement aimed to unite Italy under one flag and one government. Only a small minority of Italians supported the idea of national unity and most felt allegiance to their own regions and localities rather than to Italy'.
In 1815 Italy was divided up into a number of states and was dominated by the influence of Austria. Lombardy and Venetia were part of the Austrian Empire. The kingdom of the two Sicilies and the Papal states looked to Austria as their protector. Only Piedmont was independent of Austrian influence. The domination of Italy by Austria was one of the obstacles to unification, however revolts in Milan and Venice expelled the Austrians.......
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