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Victor Emmanuel II. [Credit: Alinari-Art Resource/EB Inc.](born March 14, 1820, Turin, Piedmont, Kingdom of Sardinia—died Jan. 9, 1878, Rome, Italy) King of Sardinia (1849–61) and first king of a united Italy (1861–78).
The son of Charles Albert, he took part in the war against Austria (1848) and became king when his father abdicated in 1849. Assisted by his minister Camillo Cavour, he strengthened the kingdom and supported the Risorgimento movement for unity. In the war with Austria (1859–61), he commanded troops to victories in the Battles of Magenta and Solferino. He secretly encouraged Giuseppe de Garibaldi in the conquest of Sicily and Naples and led the invasion of the Papal States. He assumed the title of king of Italy (1861) and later acquired Venetia (1866) and Rome (1870).
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