Answer:
Option: lacked political unity
Explanation:
Italy and German were not united like Britain, France, Spanish, etc., during the 16th and 17th centuries. Italy and Germany divided into several city-states had its ruling king or party, which shown a lack of political unity. A sense of nationally was coming up among the people living in city-states and leaders like Bismark and Giuseppe Mazzini who wanted to unite city-states and built a nation. Italy and Germany formed their empire in the second half of the 19th century. Italy in 1861 became a sovereign state after unification and Germany Empire founded in 1871.