King of Italy

King of Italy
Tanner (Capt), War Office official photographer · Public domain · source
Monarchy	Kingdom of Italy
Start year	1861
End year	1946

King of Italy was a title held by the rulers of the Kingdom of Italy from the Unification of Italy in 1861 until the Italian constitutional referendum, 1946. The title was established by Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia, who became the first King of Italy after the Battle of Castelfidardo and the Expedition of the Thousand led by Giuseppe Garibaldi. The House of Savoy ruled the Kingdom of Italy for over 85 years, with notable monarchs including Umberto I of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, and Umberto II of Italy, who interacted with prominent figures like Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, and Winston Churchill during World War II.

History of the Title

The title of King of Italy has its roots in the Middle Ages, with the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne being crowned King of the Lombards in 774. The title was later held by the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor and other European monarchs, including the King of France and the King of Spain. The modern title of King of Italy was established in 1861, after the Unification of Italy led by Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia, with the support of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the French Second Empire under Napoleon III. The Kingdom of Italy was a key player in the Triple Alliance with the German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and later in the Allies of World War I with the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.

Kingdom of Italy

The Kingdom of Italy was a state that existed from 1861 to 1946, with its capital in Rome and its government based on the Statuto Albertino constitution. The Kingdom of Italy was a major power in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with colonies in Africa and Asia, including Eritrea, Somalia, and Libya. The Kingdom of Italy was also a member of the League of Nations and played a key role in the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919). The Kingdom of Italy was involved in several conflicts, including the Italo-Turkish War, the World War I, and World War II, with notable battles like the Battle of Caporetto and the Battle of El Alamein, and interactions with other countries like the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin and the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt.

List of Kings of Italy

The list of Kings of Italy includes: * Victor Emmanuel II of Italy (1861-1878) * Umberto I of Italy (1878-1900) * Victor Emmanuel III of Italy (1900-1946) * Umberto II of Italy (1946) Other notable members of the House of Savoy include Prince Umberto, Count of Salemi, Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta (1845-1890), and Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma, who were related to other European royal families like the House of Habsburg and the House of Bourbon.

Powers and Responsibilities

The King of Italy had significant powers and responsibilities, including the ability to appoint the Prime Minister of Italy and to dissolve the Italian Parliament. The King of Italy was also the commander-in-chief of the Royal Italian Army and the Regia Marina, and played a key role in the country's foreign policy, interacting with other leaders like Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Franz Joseph I of Austria. The King of Italy was also the head of the Order of the Annunciation and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, and was involved in various charitable and cultural organizations, including the Italian Red Cross and the Accademia dei Lincei.

Abolition of the Monarchy

The Kingdom of Italy was abolished in 1946, after the Italian constitutional referendum, 1946, in which the Italian people voted to become a republic. The last King of Italy, Umberto II of Italy, left the country and the House of Savoy was exiled. The Italian Republic was established, with Enrico De Nicola as its first President of Italy, and the country became a key player in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), interacting with other countries like the United Kingdom under Clement Attlee and the United States under Harry S. Truman. The legacy of the Kingdom of Italy continues to be felt in modern-day Italy, with many of its institutions and traditions still in place, including the Italian Armed Forces and the Polizia di Stato. Category:Italian monarchy