Lombardy, Veneto, Istria and Dalmatia ended to Austria, the duchies of Parma and Modena reconstituted, the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples came to the Bourbons. After the Restoration Italy witnessed the development of ideals of independence and patriotism that were organized in movements and secret meetings known as the Carbonari.

In 1848 in the domains subjected to the Austro-Hungarians various insurgencies started: particularly in Venice and Milan, the famous five days of Milan, which ended March 22 with the victory of the local population.

That same year, given the results in favor of the five days of Milan, Carlo Alberto of Savoy, decided to go into action starting the first war of independence against the Austrian regime. After many clashes favorable to the Italians, the conflict ended, however, with the prevalence of Habsburgic power.

In 1852 Count Camillo Benso di Cavour became prime minister of the Sabuado state, who in 1859, allying with the French led by Napoleon III, began the second victorious war of independence against the Austrians. While being betrayed by the Allies that left the Veneto in hand of the Hasburgic power, at the end of the conflict the Kingdom of Sardinia (Savoy State) could count Piedmont, Sardinia, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria and Tuscany. The excluded are Umbria, Marche and Lazio, submitted to papal rule, the south and, specifically, the North East

In 1860 was organized the expedition of the Thousands led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, who landed at Marsala to the head of a thousand men, up the southern Italy to Naples freeing it from Bourbon rule. The so-called Kingdom of Two Sicilies was annexed at this point to the House of Savoy, and in 1861 was proclaimed the Kingdom of Italy, whose crown was handed over to Vittorio Emanuele II.

To win Veneto and Friuli in 1866 the Kingdom of Italy declared war on Austria in alliance with Prussia and thus starting a third war of independence. Many failures characterized this effort even though the Prussian victory was of help to Italy, which could require the annexation of Veneto and Friuli.

The beginning of the kingdom and the entire second half of the nineteenth century saw Italy engaged in a series of wars of colonial expansion, which began in 1869 and who saw Africa as the main theater among the African states that were declared colonies Italian in these years to be reported especially Somalia, Libya and Eritrea.