Guiseppe Mazzini was a driving force behind Italian Unification. He was an associate of Guiseppe Garibaldi, and intensely disliked Cavour, the Sardinian prime minister. Although Mazzini spent most of his life running from one country to the other to avoid the authorities, he never forsook the cause of Italian Unity. He was sorely disappointed when Italy finally did unite, because he had envisioned a republic similar to the United States of America, rather than a kingdom under a monarch. His differences with the new ruling government of Italy got him into trouble on multiple occasions. Although some claim that Mazzini did not make any significant contribution after 1848, he is still considered one of the fathers of Italian Unification, and a key founder of Modern Italy.
| Born in Genoa, to Giacomo Mazzini (a university professor) and his wife Maria Drago. | |
| Enters University at age 14, studies law. | |
| Graduates from University as a lawyer. | |
| Travels to Tuscany, becomes member of the Carbonari. | |
| Arrested at Genoa for association with radicals, imprisoned at Savona. | |
| Collaborates with Genoese newspaper L'indicatore genovese, later closed by the authorities. Becomes one of leading authors of L'Indicatore Livornese, until that paper is also closed by the authorities. | |
| Released from imprisonment, chooses exile in Geneva, Switzerland, rather than house arrest. | |
| Goes to Marseille, organizes secret society La giovine Italia (Young Italy) to promote Italian unification. | |
| First attempt at insurrection fails. 12 participants executed. Mazzini's best friend and director of Genoese section of Giovine Italia, Jacopo Ruffini, kills himself. Mazzini tried in absentia and sentenced to death. | |
| Guiseppe Garibaldi joins Young Italy. Assists Mazzini with second insurrection, which also fails. | |
| Organizes Young Europe (Giovine Europa) while in Bern, with goal of international liberty. | |
| Mazzini arrested and exiled from Switzerland. Moves to Paris, but is imprisoned and then released when he promises to leave. | |
| Moves to England, together with other revolutionary refugees. | |
| Published first essay; Dell'amor patrio di Dante (On Dante's Patriotic Love). | |
| Reforms the Giovine Italia in London, begins issuing the Apostolato popolare (Apostleship of the People). | |
| Creates Italian school for poor people, at 5 Greville Street, London. | |
| Attilio and Emilio Bandiera, two young officers of the Austrian Navy, attempt to assist with uprising in Naples, but are arrested and killed. British government admitts to reading Mazzini's private correspondence and passing on the contents to the Austrian and Neapolitan governments. | |
| Founds People's International League. | |
| Goes to Paris, launches new political association; Associazione Nazionale Italiana. | |
| Reaches Milan, which rebelled against the Austrian garrison and established a provisional government. First War of Italian Unification fails. Mazzini joins Garibaldi's irregular force at Bergamo, moves to Switzerland. | |
| February 9th. Republic declared in Rome. Mazzini reaches Rome that same day. | |
| March 29th. Appointed member of triumvirate, becomes foremost leader of new government. | |
| July 12th. French troops defeat troop under Garibaldi. Mazzini leaves Rome for Marseille and then Switzerland. | |
| Hides from Swiss police. In July, founds association Amici di Italia (Friends of Italy) in London to further cause of Italian liberation. | |
| Failed uprisings in Mantua and Milan. Mazzinian organization never recovers prestige. | |
| Felice Orsini fails to assasinate Emperor Napoleon III of France. | |
| Returns to Genoa to organize more uprisings, which fail. Mazzini escapes police but is condemned to death. | |
| Founds journal Pensiero e azione (Thought and Action) in London. | |
| While in London, signs a manifesto together with 151 republicans against the alliance between Piedmont-Sardinia and Napoleon III of France. | |
| Attempts to reach Garibaldi before the Expedition of the Thousand. Also publishes Doveri dell'uomo (Duties of Man). Asked to leave Naples by Garibaldi's vice-dictator Giorgio Pallavicino. | |
| Kingdom of Italy formed under Victor Emmanuel II. | |
| Joins Garibaldi in his attempt to free Rome, which fails. | |
| Venetia ceded to Italy by France. | |
| Refuses seat on the Italian Chamber of Deputies. | |
| Arrested and imprisoned in Gaeta during an attempt to free Sicily. | |
| Freed from prison in October due to amnesty conceded after the successful capture of Rome. Returns to London in mid-December. | |
| Dies of pleurisy in Pisa. His body is embalmed by Paolo Gorini. His funeral is held in Genoa, with 100,000 people taking part in it. |
| Became first king of a United Italy after Garibaldi handed over control of Naples. Previously Savoyard King of Sardinia. | |
| Led several campaigns in the Wars of Italian Unification. Renowned as a hero patriot of Italy. | |
| Prime minister of Sardinia who used skill and diplomacy to unite Italy under the rule of the Piedmont king. | |
| Long serving pope who reigned during the unification of Italy. Famous for Vatican I, papal infallibility doctrine, and Syllabus of Errors. | |
| Nephew of Napoleon, elected emperor of France after revolution of 1848. Deposed after disastrous Franco-Prussian War. |