The military leader responsible for the unification of Italy was Giuseppe Garibaldi. A key figure during the Italian unification movement, or Risorgimento, Garibaldi led numerous campaigns to free various regions from foreign control and unite them under a single Italian kingdom. His famous expedition, known as the Expedition of the Thousand, successfully conquered Sicily and Naples. His efforts, in collaboration with other leaders like Count Cavour and King Victor Emmanuel II, ultimately led to the establishment of a unified Italy in 1861.