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King of Italy

Iron Crown of Lombardy, used in Italian coronations from the Lombard era to the 19th century

King of Italy (rex Italiae in Latin and re d'Italia in Italian) is a title adopted by many rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire. Until 1870, however, no “King of Italy” ruled the whole peninsula, though some pretended to such authority.

After the deposition of Western Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476, Heruli leader Odoacer was appointed dux Italiae (Duke of Italy) by the reigning Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno. Later, he took the title of rex (not, as is sometimes said, rex italiae), though he always presented himself as an officer of the eastern government. In 483, Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great defeated Odoacer, and set up a new dynasty of kings of Italy. Ostrogothic rule ended when Italy was reconquered by the Byzantine Empire in 552.

This state of affairs did not last long. In 568, the Lombards entered the peninsula and ventured to recreate a barbarian kingdom in opposition to the Empire, establishing their authority over the whole of Italy (especially Lombardy) except the Exarchate of Ravenna and the duchies Rome, Venetia, Naples and the southernmost portions. For the next two centuries, Lombards and Byzantines fought for dominance in the peninsula.

In the 8th century, estrangement between the Italian Romans and the Byzantine Empire 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 rex Langobardorum ("King of the Lombards"). Within the Frankish Empire, Italy was ruled by a rex Italiae. This Kingdom of Italy was integrated into the Holy Roman Empire by Otto I. All subsequent emperors used the title and most were crowned at some time in the ancient Lombard capital of Pavia before their imperial coronation in Rome.

By the Peace of Westphalia most of the Italian territories of the Holy Roman Empire were lost to it and the Italian Crown held no significance thereafter, either de facto or de jure. In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte endeavoured to attach the Lombard heritage to France again and was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Pavia. The next year, the Emperor Francis II abdicated his Imperial title. From the deposition of Napoleon (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. The monarchy was superseded by the Italian Republic (Italian: Repubblica Italiana) after a referendum was held in 1946.

Contents

Dux Italiae

Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy (476–553)

Kingdom of the Lombards (568–814)

Rule of the Dukes (ten year interregnum)

Frankish Kingdom of Italy (781–963)

After 887, Italy fell into instability, with many rulers claiming the Kingship simultaneously:

vassal of the German King Arnulf of Carinthia, reduced to Fruili 889-894, deposed by Arnulf in 896.
opponent of Berengar, ruled most of Italy but was deposed by Arnulf.
subking of his father Guy before 894, reduced to Spoleto 894-895.

In 896, Arnulf and Ratold lost control of Italy, which was divided between Berengar and Lambert:

seized Lambert's portion upon the latter's death in 898.
opposed Berengar 900-902 and 905.
defeated Berengar but fled Italy in 926.
elected by Berengar's partisans in 925, resigned to Provence after 945.
jointly with his son:

In 951 Otto I of Germany invaded Italy and was crowned "King of the Lombards". In 952, Berengar and Adalbert became in vassals but remained Kings until being deposed by Otto.

Kingdom of Italy within the Holy Roman Empire (962–1806)

Ferdinand I and his successor used the title of a King of Italy, though they were never crowned as such:

Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (1805–1814)

Monarch Portrait Birth Marriages Death Napoleon Bonaparte
1805–181415 August1769
Ajaccio
son of Carlo Buonaparteand Letizia RamolinoJoséphine de Beauharnais
1796
No children

Rosa Teresa Vercellana Guerrieri
11 March1810
1 child 5 May1821
Longwood
aged 51

Savoy Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)

Monarch Portrait Birth Marriages Death Victor Emmanuel II
1861–187814 March1820
Turin
son of Charles Albert of Sardiniaand Maria Theresa of TuscanyMaria Adelaide of Austria
1842
8 children

Rosa Teresa Vercellana Guerrieri
1869
2 children 9 January1878
Rome
aged 57 Umberto I
1878–190014 March1844
Turin
son of Victor Emanuele IIand Maria Adelaide of AustriaMargherita of Savoy
22 April1868
1 child 29 July1900
Monza
aged 56 Victor Emmanuel III
1900–194611 November1869
Naples
son of Umberto Iand Margherita of SavoyElena of Montenegro
24 October1896
5 children 28 December1947
Alexandria
aged 78 Umberto II
1946–194615 September1904
Racconigi
son of Victor Emmanuel IIIand Elena of MontenegroMarie-José of Belgium
8 January1930
4 children 18 March1983
Geneva
aged 78

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r The numeral refers to his position both as King of Germany and as Holy Roman Emperor.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i The numeral refers to his position as King of Germany.
  3. ^ The numeral refers to his position as the third Frankish ruler of that name, following Emperor Lothair I and Lothair II, King of Lotharingia.
  4. ^ a b c d e The numeral refers to his position as Holy Roman Emperor.

See also

Categories: Political history of Italy | Lists of monarchs | Lists of Italian nobility | Italy-related lists | Kings of Italy | Monarchy in Italy

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