Nationalism in Europe: 19th Century Movements

Nationalism in Europe

• Nationalism emerged during the 19th century and led to the rise of the nation-state.
• Napoleon had a significant impact on the emergence of nationalism by implementing reforms across Europe.
• The Napoleonic Code, introduced in 1804, established equality before the law and secured the right to property.
• Napoleon's reforms were exported to regions under French control, leading to changes in administrative divisions, the abolition of feudal systems, and the freeing of peasants from serfdom.
• The July Revolution in France in 1830 sparked uprisings across Europe, including the Belgian revolt against the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
• The Greek War of Independence (1821-1832), fueled by nationalist sentiments, resulted in Greece gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire.
• Romantic cultural movements contributed to the development of nationalist sentiment, using art, poetry, stories, and music to express and shape nationalist feelings.
• The unification of Italy was led by Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, who engineered a diplomatic alliance with France.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi, a revolutionary, led armed volunteers in the fight against Austrian forces and helped to unite southern Italy.
• The unification of Italy was proclaimed in 1861, but many members of the population remained unaware of nationalist ideology.
• France used Marianne as a national symbol of unity, representing liberty and the republic.
• Germania, represented as a woman wearing an oak leaf crown, became the allegory of the German nation.

Age of Revolutions (1830-1848)

• As conservative regimes consolidated their power, liberalism and nationalism became associated with revolutions.
• Revolutions were led by liberal-nationalists from the educated middle class, including professors, teachers, clerks, and commercial middle class members.
• The first upheaval in this period occurred in France in July 1830, leading to the overthrow of the Bourbon kings and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under Louis Philippe.
• The July Revolution inspired an uprising in Brussels, resulting in Belgium's separation from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
• The Greek War of Independence (1821-1832), sparked by the growth of revolutionary nationalism in Europe, saw Greeks struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire.

The Romantic Imagination and National Feeling

• The growth of nationalism wasn't solely driven by wars and territorial expansion.
• Culture, particularly Romanticism, significantly contributed to the formation of the idea of the nation.
• Art, poetry, stories, and music helped to express and shape nationalist feelings.

Unification of Italy

• Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, a skilled diplomat, led the movement to unify Italy.
• Cavour strategically allied Sardinia-Piedmont with France, leading to victory against Austrian forces in 1859.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi, a prominent revolutionary, led armed volunteers, gaining support from peasants in southern Italy.
• In 1861, Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of a unified Italy.

National Symbols

• France utilized Marianne as a national symbol representing liberty, the republic, and unity.
• Germania, adorned with an oak leaf crown, represented the German nation, symbolizing heroism and strength.