In continuation of your deep dive into understanding Nationalism and its spread in Europe, this CBSE Class 10 Rise of Nationalism in Europe Notes Part 3 highlights the role of revolutionaries and explains how Greece gained independence from the Muslim empire.
Rise of Nationalism in Europe – Class 10 History Notes (Part 3)
Conservative Regimes
- Autocratic, imposed censorship.
- Set up in 1815.
The Liberal Nationalists
- Inspired by the memory of the French Revolution.
- They were against censorship.
- They demanded freedom of the press.
The Revolutionaries
- The fear of repression drove many liberal-nationalists underground.
- They formed secret societies to spread the ideas of nationalism and oppose conservatism.
Giuseppe Mazzini
- Italian revolutionary, born in Genoa in 1807.
- Became a member of the secret society of the Carbonari.
- Sent into exile in 1831 at the age of 24 for attempting a revolution in Liguria.
- Founded two secret societies – Young Italy in Marseilles and Young Europe in Berne.
- Opposed monarchy; believed nations were necessary for humanity.
- Secret societies were set up in Germany, France, Switzerland and Poland following his model.
- Conservatives feared his opposition to monarchy and his vision of democratic republics.
- Metternich described him as “the most dangerous enemy of our social order.”
📌 Must Read: Rise of Nationalism in Europe – Part 2
The Age of Revolution (1830 – 1848)
- Liberalism and nationalism became strongly associated with revolution after 1830.
First Upheaval
- Took place in France in July 1830.
- Bourbon king was overthrown by liberal revolutionaries.
- Constitutional monarchy established with Louis Philippe as its head.
Metternich once remarked: “When France sneezes, the rest of Europe catches cold.”
Greek War of Independence
- After the July Revolution in France, an uprising in Brussels led to Belgium breaking away from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- Greece under the Muslim Empire began its struggle for independence in 1821.
- Greek nationalists got support from Greeks in exile and many West Europeans who admired ancient Greek culture.
- Poets and artists praised Greece; English poet Lord Byron organised funds and later went to fight in the war (died of fever in 1824).
- Greece got its independence in 1832 under the Treaty of Constantinople.
Source: NCERT
Self-Assessment
Now you should be able to:
- Differentiate between conservatives and liberal revolutionaries.
- Explain who Giuseppe Mazzini was and describe his role in the unification of Italy.
Write a short note on the Greek War of Independence.
Or
How did the Greek War of Independence mobilize nationalist feeling among the educated elite across Europe? Give four points.
📘 Also Read:
Rise of Nationalism in Europe Notes Part 1
Class 10 History Chapter 1 Important Questions for CBSE 2026