Even before the Regia Marina was created in 1861, two ships were ordered in France in 1860 and laid down in June and December 1860: The Formidabile-class.
It happened during its unification, arguably a long process but solidified as a consequence of the Second Italian Independence War of 1859. This post is best seen in conjunction with WW2 italian Interwar Battleships Ships of the origins: Italian Ironclads (1860s) Cuniberti famously pioneered the idea of the monocaliber ship. Italian engineers were also the first to test the waters of fast battleships (as pre-dreadnoughts !) and V. In 1880 for example, Italy unveiled two ironclads fitted with 100-ton 450 mm calibre muzzle-loading guns, making them the most powerful warships afloat. From the lessons of Lissa, Italian engineers and the admiralty board devised new ships, some surprisingly powerful and using unique designs to gain supremacy in the Mediterranean. The process started already in the 1860s with an Ironclads race, notably to face Austria-Hungary. Italy did not lacked talented engineers and a solid industrial basis in the north to fulfill its capital ship procurements in full autonomy. Recoignised as a major naval power in the Mediterranean, the fact it choosed eventually the side of the entente was crucially important for Britain and France to secure access to their colonies. Italy started WWI with 16 battleships, several dreadnoughts in completion, construction, or planned. WW1 Italian Battleships Kingdom of Italy (1886-1916) 20 battleships Foreworld about ww1 Italian Battleships
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