Editing Unification of Italy (section)

===Defeat of the Kingdom of Naples===
[[File:Napoli Castel Nuovo museo civico - ingresso di Garibaldi a Napoli - Wenzel bis.jpg|thumb|People cheering as Garibaldi enters Naples]]
Although Garibaldi had easily taken the capital, the Neapolitan army had not joined the rebellion ''en masse'', holding firm along the River Volturno. Garibaldi's irregular bands of about 25,000 men could not drive away the king or take the fortresses of [[Capua]] and [[Gaeta]] without the help of the [[Royal Sardinian Army]]. The Sardinian army, however, could only arrive by traversing the Papal States, which extended across the entire center of the peninsula. Ignoring the political will of the [[Holy See]], Garibaldi announced his intent to proclaim a "Kingdom of Italy" from [[Rome]], the capital city of [[Pope Pius IX]]. Seeing this as a threat to the domain of the Catholic Church, Pius threatened [[excommunication]] for those who supported such an effort. Afraid that Garibaldi would attack Rome, Catholics worldwide sent money and volunteers for the Papal Army, which was commanded by General [[Christophe Léon Louis Juchault de Lamoricière|Louis Lamoricière]], a French exile.

The settling of the peninsular standoff now rested with Napoleon III. If he let Garibaldi have his way, Garibaldi would probably end the temporal sovereignty of the pope and make Rome the capital of Italy. Napoleon, however, may have arranged with Cavour to let the King of Sardinia free to take possession of Naples, [[Umbria]] and the other provinces, provided that Rome and the "[[Patrimony of Saint Peter]]" were left intact.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his102/notes/garibaldi.html|title=Garibaldi and the Risorgimento|first=Charles T. |last=Evans|publisher=Novaonline.nvcc.edu|access-date=30 September 2014}}</ref>

It was in this situation that a Sardinian force of two army corps, under generals [[Manfredo Fanti]] and [[Enrico Cialdini]], marched to the frontier of the Papal States, its objective being not Rome but Naples. The Papal troops under Lamoricière advanced against Cialdini, but were quickly defeated at the [[Battle of Castelfidardo]] and besieged in the fortress of [[Ancona]], finally surrendering on 29 September. On 9 October, Victor Emmanuel arrived and took command. There was no longer a Papal army to oppose him, and the march southward proceeded unopposed.

[[File:With Victor Emmanuel.jpg|thumb|[[Victor Emmanuel II of Italy|Victor Emmanuel]] meets Garibaldi near [[Teano]].]]
Garibaldi distrusted the pragmatic Cavour since Cavour was the man ultimately responsible for orchestrating the French annexation of the city of Nice, which was his birthplace. Nevertheless, he accepted the command of Victor Emmanuel. When the king entered [[Sessa Aurunca]] at the head of his army, Garibaldi willingly handed over his dictatorial power. After greeting Victor Emmanuel in [[Teano]] with the title of [[King of Italy]], Garibaldi entered Naples riding beside the king. Garibaldi then retired to the island of [[Caprera]], while the remaining work of unifying the peninsula was left to Victor Emmanuel.

The progress of the Sardinian army compelled Francis II to give up his line along the river, and he eventually took refuge with his best troops in the fortress of Gaeta. His courage boosted by his resolute young wife, Queen [[Marie Sophie of Bavaria|Marie Sophie]], Francis mounted a stubborn defence that lasted three months. But European allies refused to provide him with aid, food and munitions became scarce, and disease set in, so the garrison was forced to surrender. Nonetheless, ragtag groups of Neapolitans loyal to Francis fought on against the Italian government for years to come.

[[File:Corteo Reale all' Apertura del Parlamento del Regno d' Italia.jpg|thumb|[[Carlo Bossoli]]: the royal procession at the opening of the [[Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy]]]]
The fall of Gaeta brought the unification movement to the brink of fruition—only [[Lazio]] and [[Venetia (region)|Venetia]] remained to be added. On 18 February 1861, Victor Emmanuel assembled the deputies of the first [[Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy|Italian Parliament]] in Turin. On 17 March 1861, the [[Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy|Parliament proclaimed Victor Emmanuel King of Italy]], and on 27 March 1861 Rome was declared capital of Italy, although it was not yet in the new kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/regno-delle-due-sicilie/ |title=Regno Delle Due Sicilie nell'Enciclopedia Treccani |publisher=Treccani.it |access-date=28 January 2015}}</ref>

Borrowing from the old [[Latin]] title ''[[Pater Patriae]]'' of the [[Roman emperor]]s, the [[Italians]] gave to King Victor Emmanuel II the epithet of ''[[Father of the Fatherland]]'' ({{langx|it|Padre della Patria}}).<ref name="raicultura">{{cite web|url=https://www.raicultura.it/storia/articoli/2019/04/Vittorio-Emanuele-II-bb3018d0-6851-47f8-bedd-9211db07e064.html|title=Vittorio Emanuele II|language=it|access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref> Three months later Cavour died, having seen his life's work nearly completed. When he was given the last rites, Cavour purportedly said: "Italy is made. All is safe."{{sfn|Holt|1971|p=258}}