King of Italy

Iron Crown of Lombardy

The King of Italy (Latin: Rex Italiae; Italian: Re d'Italia), was the ruler who ruled part or all of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476. However, from the 6th century onwards no “King of Italy” ruled the whole peninsula until Victor Emmanuel II finally conquered Rome on 20 September 1870, though some pretended to such authority.

After the deposition of the last Western Emperor in 476, Heruli leader Odoacer was appointed Dux Italiae ("Duke of Italy") by the reigning Eastern 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"). 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.

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 much of Italy, 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"). 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. However the various emperors ruled only parts of present-day Italy, and many independent states existed on the peninsula over the subsequent centuries, some of which were kingdoms, such as the Kingdom of Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples.

By the time of the Renaissance the crown of Italy had little remaining authority, although it continued to exist in attenuated form until the French Revolutionary Wars. In 1805, Napoleon I endeavoured to attach the Italian heritage to France again and was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy at the Duomo di Milano, Milan. The next year, the 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.

The monarchy was superseded by the Italian Republic (Italian: Repubblica Italiana), after a constitutional referendum was held on 2 June 1946. The Italian monarchy formally ended on 12 June of that year, and Umberto II left the country.

Dux (Italiae)

• Odoacer (476-493)

Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy (493–553)

• Theoderic the Great (493–526)
• Athalaric (526–534)
• Theodahad (534–536)
• Witiges (536–540)
• Ildibad (540–541)
• Eraric (541)
• Totila (541–552)
• Teia (552–553)

Lombard Kingdom of Italy (568–814)

Main article: List of kings of the Lombards

• Alboin (568–572)
• Cleph (572–574)

Rule of the Dukes (ten year interregnum)

• Authari (584–590)
• Agilulf (591–c. 616)
• Adaloald (c. 616–c. 626)
• Arioald (c. 626–636)
• Rothari (636–652)
• Rodoald (652–653)
• Aripert I (653–661)
• Perctarit and Godepert (661–662)
• Grimoald (662–671)
• Perctarit (671–688), restored from exile
• Alahis (688–689), rebel
• Cunincpert (688–700)
• Liutpert (700–701)
• Raginpert (701)
• Aripert II (701–712)
• Ansprand (712)
• Liutprand (712–744)
• Hildeprand (744)
• Ratchis (744–749)
• Aistulf (749–756)
• Desiderius (756–774)
• Charlemagne (774–814)

Frankish Kingdom of Italy (781–963)

• Pippin (781–810)
• Bernard (810–818)
• Louis I (818–822)
• Lothair I (822–855)
• Louis II (844–875)
• Charles II the Bald (875–877)
• Carloman (877–879)
• Charles III the Fat (879–887)

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

• Berengar I (888–896)

vassal of the German King Arnulf of Carinthia, reduced to Friuli 889-894, deposed by Arnulf in 896.

• Guy of Spoleto (889–894)

opponent of Berengar, ruled most of Italy but was deposed by Arnulf.

• Lambert of Spoleto (891–896)

subking of his father Guy before 894, reduced to Spoleto 894–895.

• Arnulf of Carinthia (894–899)
  • Ratold (sub-king 896)

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

• Berengar I (896–924)

seized Lambert's portion upon the latter's death in 898.

• Lambert of Spoleto (896–898)

• Louis III of Provence (900-905)

opposed Berengar 900-902 and 905.

• Rudolph II of Burgundy (922–933)

defeated Berengar but fled Italy in 926.

• Hugh of Arles (926–947)

elected by Berengar's partisans in 925, resigned to Provence after 945.

• Lothair II (945–950)
• Berengar II of Ivrea (950–961)

jointly with his son:

• Adalbert of Ivrea (950–963)

In 951 Otto I of Germany invaded Italy and was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy. In 952, Berengar and Adalbert became in vassals but remained Kings until being deposed by Otto.

Kingdom of Italy within the Holy Roman Empire (962–1648)

Ottonian dynasty

Image	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
	Otto I	23 November 912 - 7 May 973	2 February 962	7 May 973
	Otto II	955 - 7 December 983	c. October 980	7 December 983
	Otto III	980 - 23 January 1002	c. February 996	23 January 1002
	Arduin I of Ivrea	955 - 1015	1002	1014
	Henry II	6 May 973 - 13 July 1024	14 February 1004	13 July 1024

Salian dynasty

Image	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
	Conrad II	990 - 4 June 1039	26 March 1027	4 June 1039
	Henry III	29 October 1017 - 5 October 1056	25 December 1046	5 October 1056
	Henry IV	11 November 1050 - 7 August 1106	31 March 1084	December 1105
	Henry V	8 November 1086 - 23 May 1125	13 April 1111	23 May 1125

House of Hohenstaufen

Image	Coat of Arms	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
		Conrad III	1093 - 15 February 1152	June 1128	1135
		Frederick I	1122 - 10 June 1190	1154	10 June 1190
		Henry VI	November 1165 - 28 September 1197	14 April 1191	28 September 1197

House of Welf

Image	Coat of Arms	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
		Otto IV	1175 or 1176 - 19 May 1218	1208	1212

House of Luxembourg

Image	Coat of Arms	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
		Henry VII	1275 - 24 August 1313	6 January 1311	24 August 1313

House of Wittelsbach

Image	Coat of Arms	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
		Louis IV	1 April 1282 - 11 October 1347	1327	11 October 1347

House of Luxembourg (Restored)

Image	Coat of Arms	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
		Charles IV	14 May 1316 - 29 November 1378	5 April 1355	29 November 1378
		Wenceslaus I	26 February 1361 - 16 August 1419	1378	-
		Sigismund	14 February 1368 - 9 December 1437	1410	9 December 1437

House of Habsburg

Image	Coat of Arms	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
		Albert II	10 August 1397 - 27 August 1439	1437	27 October 1439
		Frederick III	21 September 1415 - 19 August 1493	19 March 1452	19 August 1493
		Maximilian I	22 March 1459 - 12 January 1519	-	12 January 1519
		Charles V	24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558	February 1530	16 January 1556

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

Image	Coat of Arms	Name	Life	Coronation	Ceased to be King
		Ferdinand I	10 March 1503 - 25 July 1564	-	25 July 1564
		Maximilian II	31 July 1527 - 12 October 1576	-	12 October 1576
		Rudolph II	18 July 1552 - 20 January 1612	30 June 1575	20 August 1612
		Matthias	24 February 1557 - 20 March 1619	23 January 1612	20 March 1619
		Ferdinand II	9 July 1578 - 15 February 1637	10 March 1619	15 February 1637
		Ferdinand III	13 July 1608 - 2 April 1657	18 November 1637	2 April 1657

The Peace of Westphalia effectively terminated any imperial claims to an Italian kingdom, although the Holy Roman Emperor had claim to the title up to the dissolution of the Empire.

Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (1805–1814), House of Bonaparte

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

Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946), House of Savoy

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

Full title

Up to the dissolution of the monarchy in 1946, full title of the Kings of Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) was:

[Name], by the Grace of God, 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, Montmellian 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.

See also

• Kings of Jerusalem
• List of kings of the Lombards
• List of monarchs of Naples
• List of monarchs of Sardinia
• List of monarchs of Sicily
• List of monarchs of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
• List of monarchs of the Two Sicilies
• List of rulers of Tuscany
• List of popes
• List of viceroys of Naples
• List of viceroys of Sicily
• List of Italian queens