Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour

A liberal ministry under Count Camillo Benso di Cavour was installed in 1852, establishing him as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Cavour formed a coalition with Urbano Rattazzi, known as the Connubio, which united moderate factions and caused the fall of the d'Azeglio cabinet in November 1852.

Cavour and Napoleon III met at Plombières-les-Bains to agree on a plan to provoke Austria into war with Sardinia.

The treaty creating a formal Franco-Piedmontese alliance was signed in January 1859.

Austria issued an ultimatum to Sardinia following provocative military movements near the frontier.

Garibaldi's Thousand arrived at Marsala on 11 May 1860, aided by Royal Navy ships, marking the start of the expedition.

Garibaldi's Redshirts defeated a larger Neapolitan army at Calatafimi on 15 May 1860, securing his first victory in Sicily.

Garibaldi's forces besieged and occupied Palermo between 27 and 30 May 1860, taking the capital of Sicily.

Garibaldi's forces defeated royal Neapolitan forces near Milazzo in July 1860, bringing nearly all of Sicily under his control.

After securing Sicily, Garibaldi's forces crossed from the island to the Italian mainland in August 1860 to continue the campaign against the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Piedmontese forces defeated the Papal army at Castelfidardo on 18 September 1860, allowing them to march into Neapolitan territory.

Tuscany sided with Sardinia in 1860, leading to its annexation by Piedmont-Sardinia prior to the Kingdom of Italy's formation.

Cavour's reinstatement as Prime Minister facilitated the Treaty of Turin, granting Nice and Savoy to France in exchange for plebiscites in Central Italy.

Uprisings in Messina and Palermo in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies provided Garibaldi with an opportunity for intervention in April 1860.

Garibaldi led the Expedition of the Thousand in 1860 on behalf of Victor Emmanuel II, departing from Quarto to launch the southern campaign.