Roman Republic (18th century)

Roman Republic
Repubblica Romana
Puppet state of First French Republic

1798–1799

Flag of the Roman Republic, with the black stripe instead of the blue one of the flag of France.

The Papal States took the name of Roman Republic in 1798.
Capital Rome
Language(s) Italian
Government Directorial Republic
Directory
 - 179899 Roman Directory
Legislature Legislative Council
Historical era Napoleonic Wars
 - French invasion February 15, 1798
 - Napoletan invasion September 30, 1799
Currency Roman scudo, Roman baiocco

The Roman Republic (Italian: Repubblica Romana) was proclaimed on February 15, 1798 after Louis Alexandre Berthier, a general of Napoleon, had invaded the city of Rome on February 10.

The Roman Republic was a client republic under the French Directory composed of territory conquered from the Papal States. Pope Pius VI was exiled to France and died there in 1799. It immediately took the control of the other two former-papal revolutionary administrations, the Tiberina Republic and the Republic of Ancona. The Roman Republic was short-lived, as the Papal States were restored in October 1799.

The Roman Republic flag was a vertical tricolour black-white-red, taken from the French tricolour, as granted by Napoleon. It was governed by a clique of consuls, like the ancient Roman Republic. French forces had invaded the Papal States partly in revenge for the death of French general Mathurin-Léonard Duphot in 1797.

See also