IRREDENTISTS, an Italian patriotic and political party which was prominent in the last quarter of the i9th century. The name was formed from the words Italia irredenta—unredeemed Italy—and the party had for its object the emancipation of all Italian lands still subject to foreign rule. The lands which they claimed as Italian were south Tirol (Trentino), Gorz, Istria, Trieste, Tessino, Nice, Corsica and Malta. The agitation was, however, mainly superficial, and sank into insignificance when the French occupation of Tunis in 1881 offended the Italians deeply, and their government entered into those relations with Austria and Germany which led to the Triple Alliance. The name "Irre
dentists" is also used of any other nationalist group aiming at the emancipation of any of their countrymen subject to foreign control.