Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, officially established in 1816 from the merger of the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily, was one of the most significant pre-unification states on the Italian peninsula. Governed by the Bourbon dynasty, it stretched from the modern region of Campania to the southernmost tip of Sicily. This kingdom was marked by considerable economic development, especially in agriculture and the emerging industry, despite profound social inequalities. Its capital, Naples, became one of Europe's most important cultural and scientific centers. However, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was also the scene of fervent revolutionary movements that sought reforms and Italian unification. Its existence ended in 1860 with the expedition of the Thousand led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, which resulted in the kingdom's annexation to the nascent Kingdom of Italy. The history of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies remains a fundamental chapter in understanding the complexities and challenges of Italian unification.