It was only Rome which was outside the boundaries of new Italy. It has already been described that a French garrison had been occupying Rome since 1849. But the circumstances changed very rapidly after the defeat of Austria at Sadowa in 1866.
Bismarck created the necessity of war against France in 1870. On the other hand, the people of France also demanded that Napoleon III should declare war against Prussia in order to avenge the defeat of Sadowa.
Under such unavoidable circumstances, a war broke out between Prussia and France in 1870. Napoleon III had to withdraw his army from Rome. Now the circumstances were in favour of Italy. He made an appeal to the Pope in the following words:
“With the affection of a son, with the faith of a Catholic, with the soul of an Italian, to accept the position, at once dignified and independent, which the Italian Government was anxious to secure to him.”
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But the Pope paid no attention to the appeal. At last the troops of Victor Emmanuel attacked Rome. The troops of the Pope were defeated after a slight resistance. On September 20, 1870, the army of Italy entered Rome.
In this way, the unity of Italy was at last consummated and Rome became the capital of Italy. As regards the complete unification of Italy, F. Schevill, an eminent historian, has rightly described:
“The upshot was that the Italian government resolved to adjourn the issue; and when, in 1870, a war broke out between France and Prussia, its patience was fully rewarded.
Obliged to mobilize his full strength against the Germans, Napoleon III withdrew his garrison from Rome and shortly after, was rendered wholly impotent by his defeat and capture at Sedan.
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There was now no one to hinder the march on Rome. In September I87O, the Italian army entered the city amid the plaudits of the citizens.
Although Pope Pius IX poured renewed anathemas on his despoilers, he was not disturbed in his vast official residence, the Vatican palace, from which he continued to rule the Catholic world.
In this manner Rome, while remaining the central seat of Catholic Christianity, became also the capital of the new born Italian state.”