- irredentist
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—irredentism, n./ir'i den"tist/, n.1. (usually cap.) a member of an Italian association that became prominent in 1878, advocating the redemption, or the incorporation into Italy, of certain neighboring regions (Italia irredenta) having a primarily Italian population.2. a member of a party in any country advocating the acquisition of some region included in another country by reason of cultural, historical, ethnic, racial, or other ties.adj.3. pertaining to or supporting such a party or its doctrine.[1880-85; < It irredentista, equiv. to (Italia) irredent(a) (Italy) unredeemed (fem. of irredento, equiv. to ir- IR-2 + redento < L redemptus; see REDEMPTION) + -ista -IST]
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▪ Italian patriotsItalian Irredentista, plural Irredentisti,any of the Italian patriots prominent in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early 20th century who sought to deliver Italian lands from foreign rule. Their name was derived from the words Italia irredenta (“unredeemed Italy”), and their object was to emancipate the lands of Trentino (south Tirol), Gorizia, Istria, Trieste, Ticino, Nice, Corsica, and Malta from Austrian, Swiss, French, and British rule.The Irredentists aimed especially at gaining several Italian-inhabited areas still controlled by Austria after the process of Italian unification (1860–70). In the last two decades of the 19th century, they opposed Italy's adherence to the Triple Alliance, which included Austria. The Irredentists contributed to the pressure that caused the Italian government to enter World War I on the side of the Allies (May 1915). Italy's acquisition of the Istrian (Istria) peninsula on the north Adriatic and of south Tirol from Austria after the war fulfilled the hopes of many of the Irredentists.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
