Giuseppe Garibaldi is credited with the unification of Italy in the 19th century. A nationalist and military leader, he played a crucial role in the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification. Garibaldi led several military campaigns, most notably the Expedition of the Thousand in 1860, which resulted in the annexation of Sicily and mainland Italy to the Kingdom of Sardinia. His efforts significantly contributed to the eventual establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, unifying various independent states on the Italian peninsula.