Italy
The map above shows the political situation in Italy during the latter
half of the 18th century. At that time Italy was divided in
several petty states and had been so ever since the first Italian kingdom
disintegrated during the middle age. That kingdom did only consist of
northern Italy. Southern Italy was since the 11th century
controlled by the kingdom of Sicily, which often was divided in an island
state and a mainland state, so they were called Both Sicilies when they were
united. There was no dominating state in northern Italy but the duchy of
Savoy, after 1720 called the kingdom of Sardinia, would become the most
important state and led Italy’s unification in the 19th century. |