King of Italy
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| King of Italy | |
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| Former Monarchy | |
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| Royal Coat of arms | |
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| Umberto II | |
| First monarch | Odoacer |
| Last monarch | Umberto II |
| Style | His Majesty |
| Official residence | Quirinal Palace |
| Appointer | Hereditary |
| Monarchy started | 4 September 476 |
| Monarchy ended | 12 June 1946 |
| Current pretender(s) | Disputed: Victor Emmanuel, Amedeo Umberto |
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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").[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.
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.[2] The Italian monarchy formally ended on 12 June of that year, and Umberto II left the country.
Dux (Italiae) [edit]
- Odoacer (476-493)
Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy (493–553) [edit]
- 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) [edit]
- 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) [edit]
- 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)[3]
- 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) [edit]
Ottonian dynasty [edit]
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
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Otto I | 23 November 912 - 7 May 973 |
2 February 962 | 7 May 973 |
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Otto II | 955 - 7 December 983 |
c. October 980[4] | 7 December 983 |
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Otto III | 980 - 23 January 1002 |
c. February 996[5] | 23 January 1002 |
| Arduin I of Ivrea | 955 - 1015 |
1002 | 1014 | |
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Henry II [6] |
6 May 973 - 13 July 1024 |
14 February 1004 | 13 July 1024 |
Salian dynasty [edit]
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Conrad II [7] |
990 - 4 June 1039 |
26 March 1027 | 4 June 1039 |
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Henry III | 29 October 1017 - 5 October 1056 |
25 December 1046 | 5 October 1056 |
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Henry IV | 11 November 1050 - 7 August 1106 |
31 March 1084 | December 1105 |
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Henry V [8] |
8 November 1086 - 23 May 1125 |
13 April 1111 | 23 May 1125 |
House of Hohenstaufen [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Conrad III[9][10] | 1093 - 15 February 1152 |
June 1128 | 1135 |
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Frederick I | 1122 - 10 June 1190 |
1154 | 10 June 1190 |
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Henry VI | November 1165 - 28 September 1197 |
14 April 1191 | 28 September 1197 |
House of Welf [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
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Otto IV | 1175 or 1176 - 19 May 1218 |
1208 | 1212 |
House of Luxembourg [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Henry VII | 1275[11] - 24 August 1313 |
6 January 1311[12] | 24 August 1313 |
House of Wittelsbach [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Louis IV | 1 April 1282 - 11 October 1347 |
1327 | 11 October 1347 |
House of Luxembourg (Restored) [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Charles IV | 14 May 1316 - 29 November 1378 |
5 April 1355 | 29 November 1378 |
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Wenceslaus I | 26 February 1361 - 16 August 1419 |
1378 | - |
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Sigismund | 14 February 1368 - 9 December 1437 |
1410 | 9 December 1437 |
House of Habsburg [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Albert II | 10 August 1397 - 27 August 1439 |
1437 | 27 October 1439 |
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Frederick III | 21 September 1415 - 19 August 1493 |
19 March 1452 | 19 August 1493 |
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Maximilian I | 22 March 1459 - 12 January 1519 |
- [13] |
12 January 1519 |
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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 |
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Ferdinand I | 10 March 1503 - 25 July 1564 |
- [13] |
25 July 1564 |
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Maximilian II | 31 July 1527 - 12 October 1576 |
- [13] |
12 October 1576 |
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Rudolph II [14] |
18 July 1552 - 20 January 1612 |
30 June 1575 | 20 August 1612 |
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Matthias | 24 February 1557 - 20 March 1619 |
23 January 1612 | 20 March 1619 |
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Ferdinand II | 9 July 1578 - 15 February 1637 |
10 March 1619 | 15 February 1637 |
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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 [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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,_round_shield_version.svg) |
Napoleon I | 15 August 1769 - 5 May 1821 |
17 March 1805 | 11 April 1814 |
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946), House of Savoy [edit]
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Became King | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Victor Emmanuel II | 14 March 1820 - 9 January 1878 |
17 March 1861 | 9 January 1878 |
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Umberto I | 14 March 1844 - 29 July 1900 |
9 January 1878 | 29 July 1900 |
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Victor Emmanuel III | 11 November 1869 - 28 December 1947 |
29 July 1900 | 9 May 1946 |
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Umberto II | 15 September 1904 - 18 March 1983 |
9 May 1946 | 12 June 1946 |
Full title [edit]
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.
Notes [edit]
- ^ Bury, History, vol. 1 p. 406
- ^ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1047 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
- ^ Bryce, James The Holy Roman Empire (1913), pg. xxxv
- ^ According to Sismondi, History of the Italian Republics in the Middle Ages (pg. 29), although Otto II was crowned King of the Romans in 961 and Holy Roman Emperor in 967, he only obtained the Iron Crown at Pavia in late 980, during his descent into Italy, and prior to his celebrating Christmas at Ravenna.
- ^ Although Otto III was crowned Holy Roman Emperor at Rome on 21 May 996, he was crowned King of Italy at Milan prior to the death of Pope John XV in early March 996 - see Comyn, History of the Western Empire, Vol. 1, pg. 123
- ^ enumerated as successor of Henry I who was German King 919–936 but not Emperor.
- ^ enumerated as successor of Conrad I who was German King 911–918 but not Emperor
- ^ Barraclough, Geoffrey (1984). The Origins of Modern Germany. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-30153-2.
- ^ Bryce, History of the Holy Roman Empire pg. xxxix
- ^ Comyn, History of the Western Empire, from its Restoration by Charlemagne to the Accession of Charles V, Vol. I pg. 191
- ^ Kleinhenz, Christopher, Medieval Italy: an encyclopedia, Volume 1, Routledge, 2004, pg. 494
- ^ Jones, Michael, The New Cambridge Medieval History, Vol. VI: c. 1300-c. 1415, Cambridge University Press, 2000, pg. 533
- ^ a b c Emperor-Elect.
- ^ enumerated as successor of Rudolph I who was German King 1273–1291.
See also [edit]
- 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
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