Colonies of Italy: history. What colonies did Italy own?

European countries after the Great geographical discoveries sought to subjugate countries and turn them into colonies. Italy, which for a long time remained fragmented, after consolidation to maintain the image of a great power, tried to keep up. The colonies of Italy, although they were incomparably smaller in area than the English, but contributed to the development of the metropolis.

Italy after the unification

The complete unification of Italy was completed in 1870. But the single state was first announced by the all-Italian parliament for 10 years earlier. In 1860, Lombardy, Modena, Romagna, Tuscany and Parma merged around the Sardinian kingdom. In these states, there were plebiscites, and the population voted for an alliance with Sardinia. After the arrival of Giuseppe Garibaldi in Sicily, the Kingdom of both Sicilies joined the consolidation of the Italian states. King of the Kingdom of Italy in March 1861 became Victor Emmanuel II.

The final completion of the unification of Italy is connected with the campaign of Garibaldi to Rome. At that time the Papal region turned into a stronghold of reaction, the pope resisted the entry of Rome into the united kingdom and its transformation into the capital of the state. Another piece of Italian land left outside the union is Venice. In September 1870 the troops of the Italian kingdom entered Rome. In July next year, Victor Emmanuel II proclaimed the Eternal City the capital of a fully reunited Italy.

The struggle for colonies

The young state almost immediately joined the struggle for a place in the sun. It began to fight for the colony. Italy needed to strengthen its position in the international sphere.

In the colonial activity of this country, it is conventionally accepted to distinguish three stages.

– от начала 80-х годов XIX века до 20-х годов XX века. The first stage - from the early 80-ies of the XIX century to the 20-ies of the XX century. Only an educated centralized state begins expansion. The ruling circles of the kingdom in the seizure of the colonies saw the root of the solution of many problems: the interests of the domestic economy, the achievement of prestige among European countries, and the reduction of social tensions in the country. The slogan of "Mediterranean identity" was taken as the basis for the fulfillment by Italy of a civilizing mission in the colonies. It was assumed that the Italian colonists will reap Africans, and they will become carriers of a common identity.

– 1922-1943 годы (режим власти Бенито Муссолини). The second stage - 1922-1943 years (the regime of power of Benito Mussolini). During the years of his premiership, Italy's colonial aggression has intensified. The seizure of territories is becoming the basis for the ideology of the fascist regime, becoming a pervasive practical activity.

– 1943-1960 годы. The third stage was in 1943-1960. The government tried to regain the lost colonies of Italy. In the 19th century, they were a guarantee of recognition of the country as an equal partner of the European community. Now they have become an inalienable attribute of status and international recognition. But the enslaved peoples sought independence. By 1960, the process of decolonization was over.

Winning successes of Italy in the first stage

At the first stage, Italy sought to subordinate Tunisia. There already lived the Italian community. But Tunisia subdued in 1881 France. Then the Italians went to the east of Africa. Having seized two important ports - Assab and Massau, Rome united under its authority vast territories. The first colony of Italy - Eritrea - was formed in 1890 (annexation was carried out in 1885). The subordinate territory turned into a strong point of promotion of Italians to Abyssinia. In 1889, her ruler Menelik II recognized the power of Italy.

1889 brought another territorial increment - Benazir. The penetration of the colonialists into Somalia began. In 1908, a colony of Somalia was formed from three provinces (Obba, Mijurtini and Benadir). In 1925 it was joined by Jubaland.

In the years 1911-1912, the Italian-Turkish war broke out. To Rome, the lands of Tripolitania and Kerenaiks, as well as the Dodecanese Islands, departed. In 1934, the first two provinces formed Libya. Dodecanese, inhabited by the Greeks, until 1919 remained a disputed territory between Greece and Italy. According to the Treaty of Sevres, they remained behind Rome (they became known as the Italian islands). The Rapallo peace of 1922 secured for Italy the South Tyrol and Istria.

Mussolini's activities in the second stage

Activation of Mussolini's aggression takes place by the beginning of the 1930s. In 1934, he was preparing to capture Abyssinia. Justifying its invasion by combating the slavery that existed in the country, Italy in 1935 turned Ethiopia into a colony. For the abolition of slavery, the Italian king proclaims two laws (in October 1935 and April 1936). Abyssinians got rid of centuries-old slavery.

In 1936, the Italian government formed a new colony state - it became the Italian East Africa in Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia. African colonies of Italy entered one state.

In 1939, the eyes of the Italians are directed to European Albania. A small country can not resist the military contingency of Italy and submits to Rome.

Disintegration of the Italian colonial empire in the third stage

The defeat in the Second World War of the fascist bloc, of which Italy was a party, led to the destruction of the colonial power of Rome. In 1943 Mussolini was deposed from the post of the real leader of the country. The colonies of Italy are on the path of struggle against the colonialists. In 1947, Greece was transferred to the Dodecanese Islands. Ethiopia achieved independence and annexed Eritrea. Fearing the strengthening of the Communists in Italy, the Anglo-American forces agreed to leave under the rule of Rome Somalia. In 1951, they granted independence to Libya. In 1960, the period of possession of the Italians of Somalia had expired, and the country received the promised sovereignty. The Italian colonial power disappeared from the political map of the world, Italy lost the status of the Mediterranean leader.

List of Colony Countries in Italy

In the colonial subordination of Italy were the countries of Africa, territories in Europe and Asia. The European lands were conquered by the Mussolini government and recognized the power of such a country as Italy. The former colonies in Europe are the Ionian and Dodecanese islands, Dalmatia and Corfu, and Albania. In Asia, Italy was captured by the province of Tianjin, now part of the PRC.

It is much longer to list the colonies that Italy owned in Africa. The captured government of the Italian government united and created larger state associations. Italian North Africa in 1934 began to be called Libya. It included Tripolitania, Fezzan and Cyrenaica. Italian East Africa consisted of Ethiopia (in 1936 it was called Abyssinia), Eritrea and Somalia.