ITALY! The dream is achieved! For almost 2k years, “Italy” was nothing more than a collection of different city state, a couple kingdoms, a republic, etc. There was NO Italy. The ideas FOR an Italy really begin to start again during the Renaissance. Guys like Bocaccio(the Decameron) Dante Alghieri (divine comedy---which’ll be written in Tuscan “italian” and serve as basis for n. Italian Italian!) and Machiavelli in the Prince called for a dude to emerge to unite “Italy” into one strong state. As you all know, the spread of nationalism from the Napoleonic wars will reawaken this feeling BUT it had been around since the Renaissance. 1848? It ultimately fails. 

1870-1 Franco Prussian War (DO YOUR READING!) also...what you have here is Napoleon III who was a protector of the Pope in Rome forced to move his troops protecting the Pope in Rome from Italy MOVE his troops to fight the Prussian. Nap III soldiers GONE, Italy swoops in. Rome now part of Italy! The Pope, no longer is charge is NOW only the boss(besides being the leader of the worlds' catholics) in charge of St. Peter's basilica and some of the land around it; the Vatican! Pope Pius IX is furious. This will lead to real friction between the Pope and the Kingdom of Italy(constitutional monarchy!!!) for decades. You'll have liberal reforms including separation of church and state FOR decades until the 1920;s. More later. 

“Germany” COULD have happened in 1848. The Frankfurt assembly, which called for LIBERAL reforms at the expense of the conservative class/junkers was all set to allow the King of Prussia to lead a “Germany” as a constitutional Monarchy. Remember, in the 19^th century, the idea of a constitutional monarchy was quite liberal. You’d have a parliament, which’d give the PEOPLE a voice and an executive to ensure the people’s voice in parliament was respected (the king). Fredrick Wilhelm IV said “NO WAY.” I won’t take my crown from the gutter! He WOULD, however, accept the crown if elected by the various German Princes…basically, this guy wanted to reinstate the HRE w Prussia at the head. “Thanks but no thanks.” That’d be in like 1849. Ultimately, there WILL be a Parliament in Prussia. Only a small handful of men could vote. Those who paid the most in taxes; the King could also appoint peope to positions(doesn’t matter but I just wanted to let you know.) The PEOPLE don’t make kings Kings…God (divine right) and OTHER kings do(being elected by fellow “german” princes.) A german nation will not be made by the people, or by parliaments, or constitutions” it’ll be made from Blood and IRON! War will unite Germany. Wilhelm I(he was king of PRUSSIA!!) will be the first Emperor, “Kaiser” of the German Empire or “2^nd Reich.” (1871)He is NOT crowned by the people, but by the ARMY, the Junkers, the Nobility. There is a great painting of this coronation which takes place at the Palace of Versailles(think who lived there and had it built!!! This was a message, a symbol)

The Kaiser will rely on the Chancellor to run day to day stuff. The Chancellor answers to one dude, the KAISER!  You do have a parliament created but it really has little power. Germany is created based on Prussian values, military and the Junker class. The Junkers are the nobility, Bismarck was a Junker. Remember, the noblitly are from the countryside. They rule the land and are more than happy w the ideas of tradition, privilege, and conservativism!!) The urban centers will have a really small voice. The German Empire has lots of catching up to do and will have England, the most powerful country in the world on their radar