In 1848, the Italian peninsula was politically fragmented, with much of the north controlled by the Austrian Empire.

The Italian revolutionaries had two main goals: liberal reforms and national unification, a movement known as the 'Risorgimento.'

Uprisings broke out across the peninsula, including in Sicily, Milan, and Venice, against their Bourbon and Austrian rulers.

King Charles Albert of Piedmont-Sardinia declared war on Austria in an attempt to lead the unification effort.

Short-lived republics were established, most notably the Roman Republic, led by nationalist figures like Giuseppe Mazzini.

The Piedmontese army was decisively defeated by the Austrians, crippling the military side of the revolution.

French forces intervened to crush the Roman Republic and restore Pope Pius IX to power.

The revolutions ultimately failed due to a lack of coordination between revolutionary groups, military weakness, and foreign intervention.

The failure demonstrated that popular uprisings alone were insufficient to unify Italy.

The experience of 1848 established Piedmont-Sardinia as the most plausible state to lead future unification efforts.