What role were placed by garibaldi …

Giuseppe Mazzini was an Italian revolutionary in 19th century Europe. His contributions were:

• Mazzini was an Italian revolutionary who later became a member of the secret society of the Carbonari.
• At a young age of 24 in 1831, he was exiled for attempting a revolution in Liguria.
• To further spread the revolutionary ideas, he founded two more underground societies- ‘Young Italy’ in Marseilles and ‘Young Europe’ in Berne, whose members were like-minded young men from Poland, France, Italy and the German states.
• Mazzini believed that God had created nations to be the natural units of mankind. Thus, Italy cannot remain divided into various kingdoms. It has to be a single unified republic.
• Following his example, secret societies were set up in Germany, France, Switzerland and Poland. Mazzini’s opposition to monarchy and his vision of democratic republics scared the conservatives. Metternich described him as ‘the most dangerous enemy of our social order’.

Italy, before its unification, was divided into seven states. While northern states were under the Hapsburg dynasty of Austria, central states were under the control of the Pope. Southern states were ruled by the Bourbon dynasty of Spain. Giuseppe Garibaldi has been one of the most celebrated of all Italian freedom fighters. Sailor by profession, he joined the secret society, ‘Young Italy’. He supported King Victor Emmanuel II in his efforts to unify the Italian states. He organised an army to achieve the unification of Italy. People joined his army in large numbers and came to be known as ‘Red Shirts’.

By the end of 1860, he along with his army had conquered the states of Sicily and Naples which further paved the way for the unification of Italy