- List of Italian monarchs
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 theRoman Empire . Until1870 , however, no “King of Italy” ruled the whole peninsula, though some pretended to such authority.After the deposition of
Western Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus in476 ,Heruli leaderOdoacer was appointed "dux Italiae" (Duke of Italy) by the reigningEastern 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. In483 , Ostrogothic kingTheodoric the Great defeated Odoacer, and set up a new dynasty of kings of Italy. Ostrogothic rule ended whenItaly was reconquered by theByzantine Empire in552 .This state of affairs did not last long. In
568 , theLombards entered the peninsula and ventured to recreate a barbarian kingdom "in opposition to" the Empire, establishing their authority over the whole of Italy (especiallyLombardy ) except theExarchate 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 theFranks underCharlemagne , who deposed their king and took up the title "rex Langobardorum" ("King of the Lombards"). Within theFrankish Empire , Italy was ruled by a "rex Italiae". This Kingdom of Italy was integrated into theHoly Roman Empire byOtto I . All subsequent emperors used the title and most were crowned at some time in the ancient Lombard capital ofPavia before their imperial coronation in Rome.By the
Peace of Westphalia most of the Italian territories of theHoly Roman Empire were lost to it and the Italian Crown held no significance thereafter, either "de facto" or "de jure". In1805 ,Napoleon Bonaparte endeavoured to attach the Lombard heritage toFrance again and was crowned with theIron Crown of Lombardy in Pavia. The next year, theEmperor Francis II abdicated his Imperial title. From the deposition of Napoleon (1814 ) until theItalian Unification (1861 ), there was no Italian monarch claiming the overarching title. The "Risorgimento " successfully established a dynasty, theHouse of Savoy , over the whole peninsula, uniting the kingdoms ofSardinia and theTwo Sicilies . The monarchy was superseded by the Italian Republic ( _it. Repubblica Italiana) after a referendum was held in1946 ."Dux Italiae"
*
Odoacer (476 -493 )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 )Kingdom of the Lombards (568–814)*
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 andGodepert (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 )
*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 KingArnulf of Carinthia , reduced to Fruili 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 (896 –899 )
**Ratold (sub-king896 )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 "King of the Lombards". In952 , Berengar and Adalbert became in vassals but remained Kings until being deposed by Otto.
=Kingdom of Italy within the Holy Roman Empire (962–1648)=*Otto IThe numeral refers to his position both as King of Germany and as
Holy Roman Emperor .] (951 –973 )
*Otto II (962 –983 )
*Otto III (983 –1002 )
*Arduin (1002 –1014 )
*Henry IIThe numeral refers to his position as King of Germany.] (1004 –1024 )
*Conrad II (1026 –1039 )
*Henry III (1039 –1056 )
*Henry IV (1080 –1093 )
*Conrad (1093 –1098 )
*Henry V (1099 –1125 )
*Lothair III [The numeral refers to his position as the third Frankish ruler of that name, following Emperor Lothair I and Lothair II, King of Lotharingia.] (1128 –1137 )
*Frederick I (1154 –1190 )
*Henry VI (1191 –1197 )
*Otto IV (1208 –1212 )
*Frederick II (1212 –1250 )
*Henry VII (1308 –1313 )
*Louis IVThe numeral refers to his position asHoly Roman Emperor .] (1327 –1347 )
*Charles IV (1355 –1378 )
*Wenceslaus (1378 –1410 )
*Sigismund (1410 –1437 )
*Albert II (1437 –1439 )
*Frederick III (1452 –1493 )
*Maximilian I (1508 –1519 )
*Charles V (1530 –1556 )Ferdinand I and his successor used the title of a "King of Italy", though they were never crowned as such:
*Ferdinand I (
1556 –1564 )
*Maximilian II (1564 –1576 )
*Rudolf II (1576 –1608 )
*Matthias (1612 –1619 )
*Ferdinand II (1619 –1637 )
*Ferdinand III (1637 –1648 )The
Peace of Westphalia effectively terminated any imperial claims to an Italian kingdom.
=Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (1805–1814)=Napoleon
1805 –1814 ||
aged 51Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
Victor Emmanuel II
1861 –1878 ||
aged 57
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Umberto I1878 –1900 ||
aged 56
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Victor Emmanuel III1900 –1946 ||
aged 78
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Umberto II1946 –1946 ||
aged 78
-Full title
Full title of the Kings of Kingdom of Italy was:
[Name] , "
by the Grace of God ,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 andPerpetual vicar of the Holy Roman Empire; prince of Carmagnola, Montmellian with Arbin and Francin, Prince bailliff of the Duchy ofAosta ,Prince ofChieri ,Dronero , Crescentino, Riva di Chieri e Banna, Busca, Bene, Brà,Duke of Genoa ,Montferrat , Aosta,Duke of Chablais , Genevois,Duke of Piacenza ,Marquis ofSaluzzo (Saluces), Ivrea, Susa, del Maro, Oristano, Cesana, Savona, Tarantasia, Borgomanero e Cureggio, Caselle, Rivoli, Pianezza, Govone, Salussola, Racconigi con Tegerone, Migliabruna e Motturone, Cavallermaggiore, Marene, Modane e Lanslebourg, Livorno Ferraris, Santhià Agliè, Centallo e Demonte, Desana, Ghemme, Vigone, Count of Barge, Villafranca, Ginevra, Nizza, Tenda, Romont, Asti, Alessandria, del Goceano, Novara, Tortona, Bobbio, Soissons, Sant'Antioco, Pollenzo, Roccabruna, Tricerro, Bairo, Ozegna, delle Apertole,Baron of Vaud e del Faucigni,Lord of Vercelli, Pinerolo, della Lomellina, della Valle Sesia, del marchesato di Ceva, Overlord ofMonaco , Roccabruna and 11/12th of Menton, Noblepatrician ofVenice , patrician of Ferrara."Notes
ee also
*
List of monarchs of Sicily
*List of viceroys of Sicily
*List of Counts of Apulia and Calabria
*List of monarchs of Naples
*List of viceroys of Naples
*List of monarchs of the Two Sicilies
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