Old NCERT World History Ch8 - Unification of Germany & Italy
Old NCERT World History Ch8 - Unification of Germany & Italy
Old NCERT World History Ch8 - Unification of Germany & Italy
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The South American revolutionaries OHiggins, Simon Bolivar and San Martin fought for the
independence of many countries in South America.
Mazzini, one of the foremost leaders of the struggle for Italian unification and
independence, formed a number of organizations such as Young Poland, Young Germany
and Young Italy for the liberation of these countries.
Garibaldi, another great leader of the Italian revolutionaries, fought for the freedom of the
peoples of South America.
The great English poet Lord Byron was also one of these revolutionaries. He fought for the
freedom of Greece and died there. He declared that he would war with every despotism in
every nation. These words of Byron best sum up the attitude of a large number of
revolutionaries of the time.
However, as the revolutionaries were united in their common aim of overthrowing
despotism everywhere, the autocratic governments also were united to suppress every
revolt and movement against any despotism.
Holy Alliance
In 1815, the rulers of Austria, Britain, Russia and Prussia formed an alliance. One of the
major declared aims of this alliance was to suppress any attempt by the people to overthrow
a ruler whom these countries considered the legitimate ruler of the country.
The new ruler of France also soon joined this alliance. Austria, Russia and Prussia had
formed another alliance which they called the Holy Alliance.
This alliance which many other rulers also joined was even more openly opposed to
democratic ideas and movements than the first. After 1815 the rulers of Europe tried to
suppress all movements for freedom and democracy in their own as well as in other
countries.
In 1821, for example, Austria sent her armies into Naples and Piedmont in Italy to suppress
the uprisings that had taken place there. In many countries of Europe, the freedom of the
press was abolished and a large number of spies were recruited to keep watch on the
activities of the revolutionaries.
The oppressive measures introduced by the rulers failed to curb the revolutionary
movements in Europe. In 1830 revolutions broke out in a number of countries. The French
monarch fled away to England and was succeeded by Louis Philippe who promised to rule
according to the wishes of the people.
There was a revolt in Belgium for freedom from Holland. Insurrections broke out in various
states of Italy and Germany and in Poland. Although most of these revolts were suppressed,
the independence of two new nations was recognized of Greece in 1830 and of Belgium in
1839.
Revolutions of 1848
Within a few years after the revolts of 1830 had been suppressed, the revolutionary
movements in Europe again gained momentum.
In 1848, revolutions broke out in almost every country of Europe, which dealt a mortal blow
to the countries of the Holy Alliance.
Early in 1848, there was a revolt in Italy.
In February, revolution broke out in France and Louis Philippe who had been installed as
king after the 1830 revolution fled away.
France again became a republic for some time but power was usurped by Louis Napoleon
Bonaparte, popularly known as Napoleon III, a nephew of Napoleon, in 1852.
France finally became a republic in 1871 when the empire of Louis Bonaparte collapsed.
The revolution in France was soon followed by uprisings in many towns of Germany. The
rulers of many German states, including Prussia which was a member of the Holy Alliance,
agreed to introduce many reforms.
Simultaneously, there were uprisings in Vienna, the capital, and in other towns of the
Austrian empire, another member of the Holy Alliance. Metternich, the Chancellor of the
empire, who was the most hated man in Europe, had to flee.
The Austrian empire in those days was a large empire ruling over many nations of Europe. It
ruled over Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Poland, Yugoslavia and many other
areas.
Revolts had broken out in all the subject nations of the empire as well as in Austria. Even
though these revolts did not succeed, the empire was badly shaken.
The revolutions of 1848 failed to overthrow the established oppressive regimes of Europe
though they considerably weakened them. The most significant aspect of the 1848
revolutions was the emergence of a new political force in Europe.
You have read in Chapter 7 (http://mrunal.org/2013/07/old-ncert-world-history-ch7industrial-revolution-capitalism-their-effect-on-society-rise-of-trade-unions-socialism.html)
about the rise of a new social class in Europe following the Industrial Revolution the
working class. The workers were a major force in the revolutions of 1848. Their aim was not
merely the overthrow of autocracies but also the destruction of the economic system that
had grown with the Industrial Revolution capitalism. Other participants in the revolutions
the capitalists, the merchants and other people belonging to the middle classwanted
constitutional reforms.
They looked upon the demands of the workers for social revolution with horror. When the
revolutionary movements were at their peak, they decided to compromise with the rulers.
Unication of Germany
One of the major features of the 19th century history of Europe was the struggles for
national unification and independence. The achievement of independence by Greece and
Belgium has been mentioned before. Germany and Italy were the other two important
nations which emerged as united, independent states in the 19th century.
In the 18th century, Germany was divided into a number of states. Some of these states
were very small and did not extend beyond the limits of a city. During the Napoleonic wars,
many of these states ceased to exist. At the end of the wars there were still thirty-eight
independent states in Germany. Among them Prussia, Wurttemberg, Bavaria, and Saxony
were fairly large.
Map Unification of Germany
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/97816112@N02/9289825309/)
Prussia
was the most powerful in Militarily and in extent. It was also the most reactionary. The big
landlords of Prussia known as Junkers formed the dominant section in Prussian society.
Prussia was also one of the leaders of the Holy Alliance.
the hope of maintaining his empire through a military victory. The war was partly provoked
by Bismarck. It proved disastrous for the empire of Louis Bonaparte.
The French armies were defeated and the French emperor was captured. After her defeat,
France finally became a republic. Germanys unification was completed as a result of the war
which enabled Bismarck to absorb the remaining German states into a united Germany.
The formal ceremony at which King William I of Prussia took the title of German Emperor
was not held on German soil. It took place at Versailles in France, in the palace of the French
kings.
After her unification, Germany emerged as a very strong power in Europe. It underwent
heavy industrialization in a very short period and soon joined the scramble for colonies.
However, the militarism which made Germany into a great power was to prove disastrous to
the people of Germany in the years to come. (For more on that, refer to Chapter 12
(http://mrunal.org/2013/07/old-ncert-world-history-ch12-part-1-of-2-between-two-worldwars-nazism-fascism-the-great-depression.html))
Unication of Italy
Like Germany, Italy was also divided into a number of states.
The major states in the early 19th century Italy were Sardinia, Lombardy, Venetia, Kingdom
of the Two Sicilies (Sicily and Naples), Papal States, Tuscany, Parma and Modena.
Of these the most powerful was the kingdom of Sardinia.
Venetia and Lombardy were under Austrian occupation.
Thus the Italian people were faced with the task of expelling the Austrians and forcing the
rulers of independent states to unite.
map Unification of Italy
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/97816112@N02/9292601500/)
Uprising in Sicilies
Meanwhile an uprising had broken out in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Garibaldi marched
into the island of Sicily with his revolutionary fighters and liberated it from the rule of the
king within three months. Then he marched to Naples in support of the revolt that had
already broken out there.
By the end Of November 1860 the entire Kingdom of the Two Sicilies had been liberated.
The Italian revolutionaries were not perhaps strong enough to push the victory of the people
in the Sicilies further with a view to establishing a united republic of Italy.
They surrendered the former kingdom to the King of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel II, who then
took the title of King of Italy in 1861.
Garibaldi, the revolutionary who had played such a vital role in the liberation and unification
of Italy, now retired to lead a life of obscurity.
1. 1857 in India
2. Taiping rebellion in China.
Later, nationalist movements in the modem sense began to be organized in all countries of Asia
and Africa. We already saw seen about them in chapter 13 (http://mrunal.org/2013/07/oldncert-world-history-ch13-after-ww2-asian-independence-korean-war-vietnam-war-khmer-rougepart-3-of-4.html).
In the Next part (4 of 4) of Ch8, well seeThe Rise of Socialism.
For archive of all World history related articles visit Mrunal.org/history
(http://www.Mrunal.org/history)
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