| Monarchy ofItaly | |
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| Monarchia d'Italia | |
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| Details | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| First monarch | Victor Emmanuel II |
| Last monarch | Umberto II |
| Formation | 17 March 1861 (1861-3-17) |
| Abolition | 12 June 1946 (1946-6-12) |
| Residence | Royal Palace,Turin Royal Palace,Milan Quirinal Palace,Rome |
| Appointer | Hereditary |
| Pretender(s) | Disputed: |
Themonarchy of Italy (Italian:Monarchia d'Italia) was the system of government in which ahereditaryconstitutional monarch was the sovereign of theKingdom of Italy from 1861 to 1946.
After thedeposition of the last Western Emperor in 476,Heruli leaderOdoacer was appointedDux Italiae ("Duke of Italy") by the reigningByzantine EmperorZeno. Later, the Germanicfoederati, theScirians and the Heruli, as well as a large segment of the Italic Roman army, proclaimed OdoacerRex Italiae ("King of Italy").[1] In 493, theOstrogothic kingTheoderic the Great killed Odoacer, and set upa new dynasty of kings of Italy. Ostrogothic rule ended whenItaly was reconquered by theByzantine Empire in 552.
In 568, theLombards entered the peninsula and ventured to recreate a barbarian kingdom in opposition to the Empire, establishing their authority over much of Italy, except theExarchate of Ravenna and the duchies ofRome,Venetia,Naples and the southernmost portions. In the 8th century, estrangement between the Italians and the Byzantines allowed the Lombards to capture the remaining Roman enclaves in northern Italy. However, in 774, they were defeated by theFranks underCharlemagne, who deposed their king and took up the title "king of the Lombards". After the death ofCharles III the Fat in 887, Italy fell into instability and a number of kings attempted to establish themselves as independent Italian monarchs. During this period, known as the Feudal Anarchy (888–962), the titleRex Italicorum ("King of the Italians" or "King of the Italics") was introduced. After the breakup of the Frankish empire,Otto I added Italy to theHoly Roman Empire and continued the use of the titleRex Italicorum. The last to use this title wasHenry II (1004–1024). Subsequent emperors used the title "king of Italy" untilCharles V. At first they were crowned inPavia, laterMilan, and Charles was crowned inBologna.
In 1805,Napoleon I was crowned with theIron Crown of Lombardy at theMilan Cathedral. The next year,Holy Roman Emperor Francis II abdicated his imperial title. From the deposition of Napoleon I (1814) until theItalian Unification (1861), there was no Italian monarch claiming the overarching title. TheRisorgimento successfully established a dynasty, theHouse of Savoy, over the whole peninsula, uniting the kingdoms ofSardinia and theTwo Sicilies to form the modernKingdom of Italy. The monarchy was superseded by theItalian Republic, after aconstitutional referendum was held on 2 June 1946 afterWorld War II.[2] The Italian monarchy formally ended on 12 June of that year, andUmberto II left the country.
Up until the dissolution of the monarchy in 1946, the full title of the Kings of Italy (1861–1946) was:
[Name],by the Grace of God and the will of the Nation, King of Italy,King of Sardinia,Cyprus,Jerusalem,Armenia, Duke of Savoy,count of Maurienne, Marquis (of theHoly Roman Empire) in Italy; Prince ofPiedmont,Carignano,Oneglia,Poirino,Trino; Prince and Perpetual Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire; Prince ofCarmagnola, Montmellian with Arbin and Francin, Princebailiff of the Duchy ofAosta,Prince ofChieri,Dronero,Crescentino,Riva di Chieri and Banna,Busca,Bene,Bra,Duke of Genoa,Monferrat,Aosta, Duke ofChablais,Genevois, Duke ofPiacenza,Marquis ofSaluzzo (Saluces),Ivrea,Susa, of Maro,Oristano,Cesana,Savona,Tarantasia,Borgomanero andCureggio,Caselle,Rivoli,Pianezza,Govone,Salussola,Racconigi over Tegerone, Migliabruna and Motturone,Cavallermaggiore,Marene,Modane andLanslebourg,Livorno Ferraris,Santhià,Agliè,Centallo andDemonte,Desana,Ghemme,Vigone, Count ofBarge,Villafranca,Ginevra,Nizza,Tenda,Romont,Asti,Alessandria,of Goceano,Novara,Tortona,Bobbio,Soissons,Sant'Antioco,Pollenzo,Roccabruna,Tricerro,Bairo,Ozegna, delle Apertole,Baron ofVaud and ofFaucigni,Lord ofVercelli,Pinerolo, ofLomellina, ofValle Sesia, of the Marquisate ofCeva, Overlord ofMonaco,Roccabruna and eleven-twelfths ofMenton,Noble Patrician ofVenice, Patrician ofFerrara.
| Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) | .svg)  | |
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| Italian Republic (1946–present) | ||
Acting heads of state are denoted by italics. | ||