How come Vittorio Emanuele II has played such an important role in Italian Risorgimento, given it was a republican movement?

by yemo43210

Having read some but still not much material about Italian Risorgimento, I don't quite understand how come King Vittorio Emanuele II has played such an important role in the Risorgimento, when it was essentially a republican movement, at least according to some Mazzini I've read. I'd very much appreciate correcting me or explaining how it was more complicated. Thank you

quiaudetvincet

While Mazzini, and Garibaldi himself for that matter, were staunch supporters of Republicanism in Italy, political realities made the formation of a united Italian republic nearly impossible, as the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont had the political connections necessary to garner international support for Italian unification, where Italian republican factions had little to no political support abroad.

I actually tackled the question of a united Italian Kingdom vs. a Republic in this answer over here, detailing the many influences the Italian and Roman republics of old shaped the formation of modern Italy.