Italy, up untilits unification in 1861, was a conglomeration ofcity-states, republics, and other independent entities. The following is a list of the various Italian states during that period. Following the fall of theWestern Roman Empire and the arrival of the Middle Ages (in particular from the11th century), the Italian Peninsula was divided into numerous states. Many of these states consolidated into major political units that balanced the power on the Italian Peninsula: thePapal States, theVenetian Republic, theRepublic of Florence, theDuchy of Milan, theKingdom of Naples and theKingdom of Sicily. Unlike all the other Italian states of the medieval and early modern period, the republics of Venice andGenoa, thanks to their maritime power, went beyond territorial conquests within the Italian Peninsula, conquering various regions across theMediterranean andBlack Seas.[1][2]


The ancient peoples of Italy are broadly referred to in historiography asItalic peoples, although in modern linguistics this term is used to define only the speakers of theItalic languages, namely the Latino-Faliscans and the Osco-Umbrians. They include:






ThePeace of Cateau Cambrésis ended theItalian Wars in 1559. The kingdoms ofSicily,Sardinia,Naples (inclusive of theState of Presidi) and theDuchy of Milan were left under the control of Spanish Habsburgs. France was in control of several fortresses and in particular of theMarquisate of Saluzzo. All the other Italian states remained independent, with the most powerful being theVenetian Republic, the Medici'sDuchy of Tuscany, theSavoyard state, theRepublic of Genoa, and thePapal States. TheGonzaga in Mantua, theEste in Modena and Ferrara and theFarnese in Parma and Piacenza continued to be important dynasties. Parts of the north of Italy remained a part of theHoly Roman Empire.[4][5][6]

During theWar of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), Savoy acquired Sicily, while the remaining Spanish dominions in Italy (Naples, Sardinia, and Milan) were taken over by the Austrian Habsburgs. In 1720, Savoy exchanged Sicily for Sardinia. Following the extinction of theHouse of Medici, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was ruled by theHabsburg-Lorraine. Later on, Southern Italy passed to a cadet branch of theHouse of Bourbon, known asHouse of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Other states such as Genoa, Venice, Modena, the Papal States and Lucca remained with their governments unchanged.

Their populations and other vital statistics stood as follows in the late 18th century:[7]
Total: 18.3 million


Following the defeat of Napoleon's France, theCongress of Vienna (1815) was convened to redraw the European continent. In Italy, the Congress restored the pre-Napoleonic patchwork of independent governments, either directly ruled or strongly influenced by the prevailing European powers, particularly Austria. The Congress also determined the end of two millenary republics: Genoa was annexed by the then Savoyard Kingdom of Sardinia, and Venice was incorporated with Milan into a new kingdom of the Austrian Empire.
At the time, the struggle for Italian unification was perceived to be waged primarily against theHabsburgs, since they directly controlled the predominantly Italian-speaking northeastern part of present-day Italy and were the most powerful force against the Italian unification. The Austrian Empire vigorously repressed nationalist sentiment growing in its domains on the Italian Peninsula, as well as in the other parts of Habsburg domains.

