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King of Italy | |
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Re d'Italia | |
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Details | |
Style | His Majesty |
First monarch | Odoacer |
Last monarch | Umberto II of Italy |
Formation | 4 September 476 |
Abolition | 12 June 1946 |
Residence | Quirinal Palace |
Pretender(s) | Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples |
King of Italy (Latin: Rex Italiae; Italian: Re d'Italia) was the title given to the ruler of the Kingdom of Italy after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The first to take the title was Odoacer, a barbarian military leader, in the late 5th century, followed by the Ostrogothic kings up to the mid-6th century. With the Frankish conquest of Italy in the 8th century, the Carolingians assumed the title, which was maintained by subsequent Holy Roman Emperors throughout the Middle Ages. The last Emperor to claim the title was Charles V in the 16th century. During this period, the holders of the title were crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy.
A Kingdom of Italy was restored from 1805 to 1814 with Napoleon as its only king, centered in Northern Italy. It was not until the Italian unification in the 1860s that a Kingdom of Italy covering the entire Italian Peninsula was restored. From 1861 the House of Savoy held the title of King of Italy until the last king, Umberto II, was exiled in 1946 when Italy became a republic.
After the deposition of the last Western Emperor in 476, Heruli leader Odoacer was appointed Dux Italiae ("Duke of Italy") by the reigning Byzantine Emperor Zeno. Later, the Germanic foederati, the Scirians and the Heruli, as well as a large segment of the Italic Roman army, proclaimed Odoacer Rex Italiae ('King of Italy). [1] In 493, the Ostrogothic king Theoderic the Great killed Odoacer, and set up a new dynasty of kings of Italy. Ostrogothic rule ended when Italy was reconquered by the Byzantine Empire in 552.
In 568, the Lombards entered the peninsula and ventured to recreate a barbarian kingdom in opposition to the Empire, establishing their authority over much of Italy, except the Exarchate of Ravenna and the duchies of Rome, Venetia, Naples and the southernmost portions. In the 8th century, estrangement between the Italians and the Byzantines allowed the Lombards to capture the remaining Roman enclaves in northern Italy. However, in 774, they were defeated by the Franks under Charlemagne, who deposed their king and took up the title "king of the Lombards". After the death of Charles the Fat in 887, Italy fell into instability and a number of kings attempted to establish themselves as independent Italian monarchs. During this period, known as the Feudal Anarchy (888–962), the title Rex Italicorum ("King of the Italians" or "King of the Italics") was introduced. After the breakup of the Frankish empire, Otto I added Italy to the Holy Roman Empire and continued the use of the title Rex Italicorum. The last to use this title was Henry II (1004-1024). Subsequent emperors used the title "King of Italy" until Charles V. At first they were crowned in Pavia, later Milan, and Charles was crowned in Bologna.
In 1805, Napoleon I was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy at the Milan Cathedral. The next year, Holy Roman Emperor Francis II abdicated his imperial title. From the deposition of Napoleon I (1814) until the Italian Unification (1861), there was no Italian monarch claiming the overarching title. The Risorgimento successfully established a dynasty, the House of Savoy, over the whole peninsula, uniting the kingdoms of Sardinia and the Two Sicilies to form the modern Kingdom of Italy. The monarchy was superseded by the Italian Republic, after a constitutional referendum was held on 2 June 1946, after World War II. [2] The Italian monarchy formally ended on 12 June of that year, and Umberto II left the country.
After 887, Italy fell into instability, with many rulers claiming the kingship simultaneously:
In 896, Arnulf and Ratold lost control of Italy, which was divided between Berengar and Lambert:
In 951 Otto I of Germany invaded Italy and was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy. In 952, Berengar and Adalbert became his vassals but remained kings until being deposed by Otto.
Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Otto I | 23 November 912 - 7 May 973 | 962 [4] | 7 May 973 |
Otto II | 955 - 7 December 983 | c. October 980 [5] | 7 December 983 | |
![]() | Otto III | 980 - 23 January 1002 | c. February 996 [6] | 23 January 1002 |
![]() | Arduin | 955 - 1015 | 1002 [4] | 1014 |
![]() | Henry II [7] | 6 May 973 - 13 July 1024 | 1004 [4] | 13 July 1024 |
Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Conrad I [8] | 990 - 4 June 1039 | 1026 [4] | 4 June 1039 |
![]() | Henry III | 29 October 1017 - 5 October 1056 | 1039 [4] | 5 October 1056 |
![]() | Henry IV | 11 November 1050 - 7 August 1106 | 1056 [4] | December 1105 |
![]() | Conrad II of Italy | 1074 - 1101 | 1093 [4] | 1101 |
![]() | Henry V [9] | 8 November 1086 - 23 May 1125 | 1106 [4] | 23 May 1125 |
Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Lothair III | 9 June 1075 - 4 December 1137 | 1125 [4] | 4 December 1137 |
Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Conrad III | 1093 - 15 February 1152 | 1138 [4] (Also crowned in 1128 in opposition to Lothair [10] ) | 1152 |
![]() | Frederick I | 1122 - 10 June 1190 | 1154 | 1186 |
![]() | Henry VI | November 1165 - 28 September 1197 | 1186 [4] | 28 September 1197 |
Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Otto IV | 1175 or 1176 - 19 May 1218 | 1209 [4] | 1212 |
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Frederick II (Friedrich II) | 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250 | 5 December 1212 | 13 December 1250 |
![]() | ![]() | Henry (Heinrich (VII)) | 1211 – 12 February 1242 | 23 April 1220 | 12 February 1242 |
![]() | ![]() | Conrad IV (Konrad IV) | 25 April 1228 – 21 May 1254 | May 1237 | 21 May 1254 |
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Henry VII | 1275 [11] - 24 August 1313 | 6 January 1311 [12] | 24 August 1313 |
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Louis IV | 1 April 1282 - 11 October 1347 | 1327 | 11 October 1347 |
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Charles IV | 14 May 1316 - 29 November 1378 | 1355 [4] | 29 November 1378 |
![]() | ![]() | Sigismund | 14 February 1368 - 9 December 1437 | 1431 [4] | 9 December 1437 |
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Frederick III | 21 September 1415 - 19 August 1493 | 16 March 1452 | 19 August 1493 |
![]() | ![]() | Charles V | 24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558 | 24 February 1530 [13] | 16 January 1556 |
Charles V was the last emperor to be crowned king of Italy, or to officially use the title. [4] The Habsburg emperors claimed the Italian crown until 1801. The empire continued to include Italian territories until its dissolution in 1806.
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Napoleon I | 15 August 1769 - 5 May 1821 | 17 March 1805 | 11 April 1814 |
This title is present on Italian laws proclaimed by Napoleon I:
[Name], by the Grace of God and the Constitutions, Emperor of the French and King of Italy.
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Became King | Ceased to be King |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Victor Emmanuel II | 14 March 1820 - 9 January 1878 | 17 March 1861 | 9 January 1878 |
![]() | ![]() | Umberto I | 14 March 1844 - 29 July 1900 | 9 January 1878 | 29 July 1900 |
![]() | ![]() | Victor Emmanuel III | 11 November 1869 - 28 December 1947 | 29 July 1900 | 9 May 1946 |
![]() | ![]() | Umberto II | 15 September 1904 - 18 March 1983 | 9 May 1946 | 12 June 1946 |
Italy voted to abolish its monarchy on 2 June 1946, after which Umberto II became king in pretense. On his death in 1983, he was succeeded by his son Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples. However, due to Vittorio Emanuele marrying Marina, Princess of Naples without his father's permission, his cousin Amedeo, Duke of Aosta argues that Vittorio Emanuele's claim to the throne is invalid and that he is the rightful head of the House of Savoy. (See House of Savoy#House of Savoy today for details). [14] [15]
Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Became King in pretense | Ceased to be King in pretense |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | Umberto II | 15 September 1904 - 18 March 1983 | 12 June 1946 | 18 March 1983 |
![]() | ![]() | Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples | Born 12 February 1937 | 18 March 1983 |
Up until the dissolution of the monarchy in 1946, the full titles of the Kings of the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) were:
[Name], by the Grace of God and the will of the Nation, King of Italy, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Armenia, Duke of Savoy, count of Maurienne, Marquis (of the Holy Roman Empire) in Italy; Prince of Piedmont, Carignano, Oneglia, Poirino, Trino; Prince and Perpetual Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire; Prince of Carmagnola, Montmélian with Arbin and Francin, Prince bailiff of the Duchy of Aosta, Prince of Chieri, Dronero, Crescentino, Riva di Chieri and Banna, Busca, Bene, Bra, Duke of Genoa, Monferrat, Aosta, Duke of Chablais, Genevois, Duke of Piacenza, Marquis of Saluzzo (Saluces), Ivrea, Susa, of Maro, Oristano, Cesana, Savona, Tarantasia, Borgomanero and Cureggio, Caselle, Rivoli, Pianezza, Govone, Salussola, Racconigi over Tegerone, Migliabruna and Motturone, Cavallermaggiore, Marene, Modane and Lanslebourg, Livorno Ferraris, Santhià, Agliè, Centallo and Demonte, Desana, Ghemme, Vigone, Count of Barge, Villafranca, Ginevra, Nizza, Tenda, Romont, Asti, Alessandria, of Goceano, Novara, Tortona, Bobbio, Soissons, Sant'Antioco, Pollenzo, Roccabruna, Tricerro, Bairo, Ozegna, delle Apertole, Baron of Vaud and of Faucigni, Lord of Vercelli, Pinerolo, of Lomellina, of Valle Sesia, of the Marquisate of Ceva, Overlord of Monaco, Roccabruna and eleven-twelfths of Menton, Noble Patrician of Venice, Patrician of Ferrara.[ citation needed ]
The king of Italy was the monarch with the largest number of titles.[ citation needed ]
Arnulf of Carinthia was the duke of Carinthia who overthrew his uncle, Emperor Charles the Fat, became the Carolingian king of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death at Regensburg, Bavaria.
The 890s decade ran from January 1, 890, to December 31, 899.
Year 894 (DCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.
Louis the Blind was the king of Provence from 11 January 887, King of Italy from 12 October 900, and briefly Holy Roman Emperor, as Louis III, between 901 and 905. He was the son of Boso, the usurper king of Provence, and Ermengard, a daughter of Emperor Louis II. Through his father, he was a Bosonid, but through his mother, a Carolingian. He was blinded after a failed invasion of Italy in 905.
The history of the Italian peninsula during the medieval period can be roughly defined as the time between the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the Italian Renaissance.
The Duchy of Spoleto was a Lombard territory founded about 570 in central Italy by the Lombard dux Faroald. Its capital was the city of Spoleto.
Berengar I was the king of Italy from 887. He was Holy Roman Emperor between 915 and his death in 924. He is usually known as Berengar of Friuli, since he ruled the March of Friuli from 874 until at least 890, but he had lost control of the region by 896.
Lambert was the King of Italy from 891, Holy Roman Emperor, co-ruling with his father from 892, and Duke of Spoleto and Camerino from his father's death in 894. He was the son of Guy III of Spoleto and Ageltrude, born in San Rufino. He was the last ruler to issue a capitulary in the Carolingian tradition.
Guy III of Spoleto was the margrave of Camerino from 880 and then duke of Spoleto and Camerino from 883. He was crowned king of Italy in 889 and emperor in 891. He died in 894 while fighting for control of the Italian Peninsula.
Arduin was an Italian nobleman who was King of Italy from 1002 until 1014.
Alberic I was the Lombard Duke of Spoleto from between 896 and 900 until 920, 922, or thereabouts. He was also Margrave of Camerino, and the son-in-law of Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum, the most powerful man in Rome.
The Kingdom of Italy, also called Imperial Italy, was one of the constituent kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire, along with the kingdoms of Germany, Bohemia, and Burgundy. It comprised northern and central Italy, but excluded the Republic of Venice and the Papal States. Its original capital was Pavia until the 11th century.
The March of Ivrea was a large frontier county in the northwest of the medieval Italian kingdom from the late 9th to the early 11th century. Its capital was Ivrea in present-day Piedmont, and it was held by a Burgundian family of margraves called the Anscarids. The march was the primary frontier between Italy and France and served as a defense against any interference from that state.
Bertila of Spoleto was the wife of Berengar I of Italy, and by marriage Queen consort of Italy and Holy Roman Empress.
The March of Friuli was a Carolingian frontier march, established in 776 as the continuation of the Lombard Duchy of Friuli, established against the Slavs and Avars. It was ceded to the Duchy of Bavaria as the March of Verona in 952. Its territory comprised parts of modern-day Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.
Otto I, traditionally known as Otto the Great, was German king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the oldest son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda.
The monarchy of Italy was the system of government in which a hereditary monarch was the sovereign of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 to 1946.