The capture of Rome in 1870 ended the Papal States and completed Italian unification, establishing Rome as the capital of a unified Italy.
Key Facts
- Date of capture
- 20 September 1870
- Plebiscite held
- 2 October 1870
- Rome made capital
- 3 February 1871
- Papal States dissolved
- Ended existence dating to 756 AD
- Commemorative street name
- Via XX Settembre
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Kingdom of Italy sought to complete national unification by incorporating Rome, which remained under papal temporal authority and had been protected by French forces. With France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War removing that protection, Italian troops moved to seize the city and the remaining Papal States.
On 20 September 1870, the Royal Italian Army breached the Aurelian Walls at Porta Pia and took control of Rome and the surrounding Papal States. A plebiscite conducted on 2 October confirmed popular support for annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.
The capture ended the Papal States, which had existed since the Donation of Pepin in 756, and terminated the Holy See's temporal power. Rome was officially declared the capital of unified Italy on 3 February 1871, completing the Risorgimento. The date is widely commemorated across Italy through streets named Via XX Settembre.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent