Count Camillo di Cavour is credited with uniting Italy in the 19th century. As the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia, he played a pivotal role in the Italian unification movement known as the Risorgimento. Cavour utilized a combination of diplomacy, strategic alliances, and military action to achieve his goal of uniting the various Italian states under a single government. His collaboration with figures like Giuseppe Garibaldi helped in rallying popular support and facilitating military campaigns against foreign powers, notably Austria. By 1871, Italy was officially unified, significantly transforming the political landscape of Europe.