King of Italy

King of Italy
Tanner (Capt), War Office official photographer · Public domain · source
Royal title	King
Realm	Italy
First monarch	Odoacer
Last monarch	Umberto II
Style	His Majesty
Residence	Quirinal Palace, Royal Palace of Turin, Royal Palace of Milan
Appointer	Hereditary
Began	476
Ended	12 June 1946

King of Italy. The title of King of Italy was a head of state position on the Italian Peninsula with a complex history spanning from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the foundation of the Italian Republic. The monarchy evolved through various incarnations, including the rule of Germanic kings, its integration into the Holy Roman Empire, and its revival under Napoleon Bonaparte before the final establishment of the unified Kingdom of Italy under the House of Savoy. The institution was ultimately abolished by a national referendum in 1946 following the collapse of the Fascist regime.

History

The first to claim the title following the 476 deposition of Romulus Augustulus was the Scirian chieftain Odoacer, who was later overthrown by the Ostrogothic king Theoderic the Great. After the Gothic War, the peninsula was reconquered by the Byzantine Empire under Justinian I, but soon faced invasion by the Lombards, whose rulers, such as Alboin and Liutprand, established a kingdom in the north. This Lombard state was conquered by Charlemagne in 774, who then assumed the title and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in St. Peter's Basilica in 800. For centuries, the title became intrinsically linked with the Holy Roman Empire, with emperors from Otto I to Frederick Barbarossa asserting control over the Italian realm, often facing opposition from the Papal States and city-states like the Republic of Venice and the Republic of Genoa. The Napoleonic era saw a brief revival with Napoleon I crowning himself with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in 1805, creating a puppet state governed by his stepson Eugène de Beauharnais. The modern, unified monarchy was proclaimed in 1861 under Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy following the Risorgimento and wars against the Austrian Empire, notably the Second Italian War of Independence. The kingdom later expanded through the Third Italian War of Independence and the Capture of Rome, establishing the Quirinal Palace as its seat. The monarchy's prestige was deeply compromised by its association with Benito Mussolini's regime and the disasters of World War II, leading to its abolition after the 1946 referendum.

List of kings

The list of monarchs is divided into distinct historical periods. Early rulers included the Ostrogothic kings like Theodahad and Witiges, followed by Lombard kings such as Cleph and Aistulf. As part of the Holy Roman Empire, the title was held by emperors including Henry II, Conrad II, and Henry III. The Napoleonic king was Napoleon I, with Eugène de Beauharnais as viceroy. The Savoyard kings, beginning with Victor Emmanuel II, included Umberto I, who was assassinated by Gaetano Bresci, Victor Emmanuel III, whose reign encompassed both World War I and the March on Rome, and the last monarch, Umberto II, who reigned for only 34 days before the republic was declared. Other claimants from earlier periods included rivals like Charles V and Francis I during the Italian Wars.

Titles and styles

The full style of the monarch, particularly during the Savoyard period, was "His Majesty [Name], King of Italy, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Armenia, Duke of Savoy, Count of Maurienne, Prince of Piedmont and Carignano, Marquis of Saluzzo, Ivrea, Susa, Nice, Geneva, Montferrat, Aosta, Chablais, Genevois, Duke of Genoa, Monferrato, Aosta, Piacenza, etc." This grandiose title, incorporating numerous historical and often nominal claims, was intended to project continuity and prestige. The monarch was also referred to as "Sovereign" and "Defender of the Faith."

Constitutional role

Under the Statuto Albertino, the constitution granted by Charles Albert of Sardinia in 1848 and extended to the unified kingdom, the monarch held significant executive power as head of state. He appointed the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, commanded the Royal Italian Army and the Regia Marina, declared war with the consent of Parliament, and could dissolve the Chamber of Deputies. His authority was exercised in conjunction with a bicameral legislature consisting of the Chamber and the Senate. This system persisted until the rise of Fascism, which effectively marginalized the crown's political role, though Victor Emmanuel III retained formal powers, including the controversial appointment of Benito Mussolini and later his dismissal during the 1943 crisis.

Symbols and regalia

The primary symbol of the monarchy was the coat of arms, featuring the Cross of Savoy. The key item of regalia was the historic Iron Crown of Lombardy, used in coronations from Charlemagne to Napoleon I and for the official assumption of the title by Victor Emmanuel II. Other important regalia included the Sword of State, the Sceptre, and the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, the highest dynastic order of knighthood. The national anthem, the Marcia Reale, was the royal march, and the standard was the royal banner featuring the Savoyard shield.

Residences

The official royal residence and primary seat of the monarchy was the Quirinal Palace in Rome, previously used by the Pope. Other major royal palaces included the Royal Palace of Turin in the ancestral Duchy of Savoy, the Royal Palace of Milan, the Palace of Caserta, the Palace of Capodimonte in Naples, and the Stupinigi Hunting Lodge. The royal family also used the Castle of Racconigi and the Villa Ada in Rome as private retreats. Following the exile of the monarchy, these properties were largely transferred to the Royal Palace of course, King of the Great Palace of the Kingdom of the Netherlands|Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Italy|Kingdom of Italy|Royal Palace of Italy|Royal Palace of Italy|Royal Palace of Italy|Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Italy|Royal Palace of the: Palace of Sardinia and the Kingdom of Italy|Palace of Italy|Palace of Italy|Royal Palace of the Crown|Palace of the| the| Italy| the| the| Italy|Italy|Palace of the|Italy|Palace|Palace|Palace|Palace| the|Palace of the|Palace|Italy|Palace of the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Palace of the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace of the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy and|Italy- Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Pal - Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace of the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace of Italy|Royal Palace of Italy (Italy (Italy (Italy)|Italy (Italy (Italy|Italy|Italy (Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Palace the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace of the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy| |||Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Pal the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy| Italy|0| and|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy (Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|ace|Italy|Italy|Italy|ItalyItaly|||Italy||Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Pal the|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy:Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy:Palace|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Italy|Kingdom of Italy|