Dictatorship of Giuseppe Garibaldi

On 14 May 1860 in Salemi, Garibaldi announced that he was assuming dictatorship over Sicily, in the name of Victor Emmanuel II of Italy.

[2] The pace of Garibaldi's victories had worried Cavour, who in early July sent him a proposal of immediate annexation of Sicily to Piedmont.

Cavour's envoy, Giuseppe La Farina, was arrested and expelled from the island.

He was replaced by the more malleable Agostino Depretis, who gained Garibaldi's trust and was appointed as pro-dictator.

[3] The dictatorial government ended 2 December 1860, while November, 4, the annexation of the Kingdom of Italy was ratified by the popular plebiscite of 21 October.