Expedition of the Thousand
Also called: Redshirts · Topic: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 1 "The Rise of Nationalism in Europe"
Meaning
The Expedition of the Thousand was Giuseppe Garibaldi's armed campaign of 1860 in southern Italy. It began with about a thousand volunteers. Their force grew to about 30,000 Red Shirts, who were named after their red shirts. Local peasants supported them. Together they drove the Bourbon rulers, a branch of the Spanish royal family, out of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It was one of the main steps in the unification of Italy.
Example
In 1860 Garibaldi landed in Sicily and then marched into the south of Italy. He handed the land he had won to Victor Emmanuel II. In 1861 Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of united Italy.
Don't confuse with
- Red Shirts: the Red Shirts were the volunteers who fought under Garibaldi. The Expedition of the Thousand was the 1860 campaign they fought in.
Related concepts
- Otto von Bismarck
- Blood and iron
- Franco-Prussian War
- Unification of Germany
- Kulturkampf
- Paris Commune 1871
- Count Cavour
- Napoleon III
- Giuseppe Garibaldi
- Unification of Italy