King of Italy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 |
[edit] Dux Italiae
[edit] Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy (476–553)
- Theodoric the Great (493–526)
- Athalaric (526–534)
- Theodahad (534–536)
- Witiges (536–540)
- Ildibad (540–541)
- Eraric (541)
- Totila (541–552)
- Teia (552–553)
[edit] Kingdom of the Lombards (568–814)
- 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)
[edit] Frankish Kingdom of Italy (781–963)
- Pippin (781–810)
- Bernard (810–818)
- Lothair I (818–855)
- 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 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:
- Berengar I (896–924)
- 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.
[edit] Kingdom of Italy within the Holy Roman Empire (962–1806)
- Otto I[1] (951–973)
- Otto II[1] (962–983)
- Otto III[1] (983–1002)
- Arduin (1002–1014)
- Henry II[2] (1004–1024)
- Conrad II[2] (1026–1039)
- Henry III[2] (1039–1056)
- Henry IV[2] (1080–1093)
- Conrad (1093–1098)
- Henry V[2] (1099–1125)
- Lothair III[3] (1128–1137)
- Frederick I[1] (1154–1190)
- Henry VI[2] (1191–1197)
- Otto IV[1] (1208–1212)
- Frederick II[1] (1212–1250)
- Henry VII[2] (1308–1313)
- Louis IV[4] (1327–1347)
- Charles IV[4] (1355–1378)
- Wenceslaus (1378–1410)
- Sigismund (1410–1437)
- Albert II[2] (1437–1439)
- Frederick III[1] (1452–1493)
- Maximilian I[1] (1508–1519)
- Charles V[4] (1530–1556)
Ferdinand I and his successor used the title of a King of Italy, though they were never crowned as such:
- Ferdinand I[1] (1556–1564)
- Maximilian II[1] (1564–1576)
- Rudolf II[2] (1576–1608)
- Matthias (1612–1619)
- Ferdinand II[1] (1619–1637)
- Ferdinand III[1] (1637–1657)
- Leopold I[1] (1658–1705)
- Joseph I[1] (1705–1711)
- Charles VI[4] (1711–1740)
- Charles VII[4] (1742–1745)
- Francis I[1] (1745–1765)
- Joseph II[1] (1765–1790)
- Leopold II[1] (1790–1792)
- Francis II[1] (1792–1806), last Holy Roman Emperor.
[edit] Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (1805–1814)
| Monarch | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napoleon Bonaparte 1805–1814 |
 |
15 August 1769 Ajaccio son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino |
Joséphine de Beauharnais 1796 No children Rosa Teresa Vercellana Guerrieri 11 March 1810 1 child |
5 May 1821 Longwood aged 51 |
[edit] Savoy Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
| Monarch | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Emmanuel II 1861–1878 |
 |
14 March 1820 Turin son of Charles Albert of Sardinia and Maria Theresa of Tuscany |
Maria Adelaide of Austria 1842 8 children Rosa Teresa Vercellana Guerrieri 1869 2 children |
9 January 1878 Rome aged 57 |
| Umberto I 1878–1900 |
 |
14 March 1844 Turin son of Victor Emanuele II and Maria Adelaide of Austria |
Margherita of Savoy 22 April 1868 1 child |
29 July 1900 Monza aged 56 |
| Victor Emmanuel III 1900–1946 |
 |
11 November 1869 Naples son of Umberto I and Margherita of Savoy |
Elena of Montenegro 24 October 1896 5 children |
28 December 1947 Alexandria aged 78 |
| Umberto II 1946–1946 |
 |
15 September 1904 Racconigi son of Victor Emmanuel III and Elena of Montenegro |
Marie-José of Belgium 8 January 1930 4 children |
18 March 1983 Geneva aged 78 |
[edit] Notes
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i The numeral refers to his position as King of Germany.
- ^ The numeral refers to his position as the third Frankish ruler of that name, following Emperor Lothair I and Lothair II, King of Lotharingia.
- ^ a b c d e The numeral refers to his position as Holy Roman Emperor.
