Assess the significance of Garibaldi's contribution to Italian Unification

Giuseppe Garibaldi was born in Nice, and, although he was a born a French citizen, he regarded himself as Italian. Despite the pressure placed upon him to enter the Church, he joined the Merchant Navy where a chance meeting with Mazzini altered the entire course of his life. One of Mazzini's greatest disciples was Garibaldi, who was inspired with nationalist fervour and patriotic enthusiasm. He quickly converted to share Mazzini's aim of a united Italy, …

…their lives to the cause of unification. Although he encountered many failures such as his journey to Rome, his followers were loyal and determine to try to continue his efforts. His greatest achievement would be his success at conquering Naples and Sicily, as this made Unification inevitable however, he was distressed that Rome did not become part of the unified Italy in his lifetime as he believed Italy should be united with Rome as capital.