List_of_heads_of_state_of_Italy
This is a list of the heads of state of Italy. The first to take the title was Odoacer, a barbarian military leader, in the late 5th century, followed by the Ostrogothic kings up to the mid-6th century. With the Frankish conquest of Italy in the 8th century, the Carolingians assumed the title, which was maintained by subsequent Holy Roman Emperors throughout the Middle Ages. The last Emperor to claim the title was Charles V in the 16th century. During this period, the holders of the title were crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy.
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From the unification of Italy in 1861 to 1946 the head of state was the King of Italy, who was the same person as the King of Sardinia according to the Constitution. Italy became a republic under the Constitution of 1948 and the monarch was replaced by a President.
As "Rex Italiae"
- Odoacer (476–493)
- vassal of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Ostrogothic Kingdom (493 – 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 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)
Kingdom of Italy (781 – 962)
Carolingian dynasty (781 – 888)
- 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)
Instability (888 – 962)
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)[1]
- 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 of Arles (945 – 950)
- Berengar II of Ivrea (950 – 961)
- jointly with his son:
- Adalbert of Ivrea (950 – 961)
In 951 Otto I of Germany invaded Italy and was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy. In 952, Berengar and Adalbert became his vassals but remained kings until being deposed by Otto.
Holy Roman Empire (962 – 1556)
Ottonian dynasty (962 – 1024)
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Otto I | 23 November 912 - 7 May 973 |
962[2] | 7 May 973 |
 |
Otto II | 955 - 7 December 983 |
c. October 980[3] | 7 December 983 |
 |
Otto III | 980 - 23 January 1002 |
c. February 996[4] | 23 January 1002 |
.jpg) |
Arduin | 955 - 1015 |
1002[2] | 1014 |
 |
Henry II [5] |
6 May 973 - 13 July 1024 |
1004[2] | 13 July 1024 |
Salian dynasty (1027 – 1125)
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Conrad I [6] |
990 - 4 June 1039 |
1026[2] | 4 June 1039 |
_Miniatur.jpg) |
Henry III | 29 October 1017 - 5 October 1056 |
1039[2] | 5 October 1056 |
 |
Henry IV | 11 November 1050 - 7 August 1106 |
1056[2] | December 1105 |
 |
Conrad II of Italy | 1074 - 1101 |
1093[2] | 1101 |
 |
Henry V [7] |
8 November 1086 - 23 May 1125 |
1106[2] | 23 May 1125 |
Süpplingenburg dynasty (1125 – 1137)
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Lothair III | 9 June 1075 - 4 December 1137 |
1125[2] | 4 December 1137 |
Hauteville dynasty (1130 – 1154)
Roger II used the title King of Sicily and Italy until at least 1135; later he used only the title King of Sicily, Apulia and Calabria. Although his realm included the southern Italian mainland, he never exerted any control over the official Kingdom of Italy, and none of his successors claimed the title King of Italy.
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) |
Roger II | 22 December 1095 - 26 February 1154 |
25 December 1130 | 26 February 1154 |
House of Hohenstaufen (1128 – 1197)
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Conrad III | 1093 - 15 February 1152 |
1138[2] (Also crowned in 1128 in opposition to Lothair[8]) |
1152 |
 |
Frederick I | 1122 - 10 June 1190 |
1154 | 1186 |
 |
Henry VI | November 1165 - 28 September 1197 |
1186[2] | 28 September 1197 |
House of Welf (1208 – 1212)
House of Hohenstaufen (1212 – 1254)
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
.svg) |
Frederick II (Friedrich II) |
26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250 | 5 December 1212 | 13 December 1250 |
 |
|
Henry (Heinrich (VII)) |
1211 – 12 February 1242 | 23 April 1220 | 12 February 1242 |
 |
|
Conrad IV (Konrad IV) |
25 April 1228 – 21 May 1254 | May 1237 | 21 May 1254 |
House of Luxembourg (1311 – 1313)
House of Wittelsbach (1327 – 1347)
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
Louis IV | 1 April 1282 - 11 October 1347 |
1327 | 11 October 1347 |
House of Luxembourg (1355 – 1437)
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
Charles IV | 14 May 1316 - 29 November 1378 |
1355[2] | 29 November 1378 |
 |
 |
Sigismund | 14 February 1368 - 9 December 1437 |
1431[2] | 9 December 1437 |
House of Habsburg (1437 – 1556)
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
Frederick III | 21 September 1415 - 19 August 1493 |
16 March 1452 | 19 August 1493 |
 |
|
Charles V | 24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558 |
24 February 1530[11] | 16 January 1556 |
Charles V was the last emperor to be crowned king of Italy, or to officially use the title.[2] The Habsburg emperors claimed the Italian crown until 1801. The empire continued to include Italian territories until its dissolution in 1806.
Kingdom of Italy (1805–1814), House of Bonaparte
| Image | Coat of Arms | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be King |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
,_round_shield_version.svg) |
Napoleon I | 15 August 1769 - 5 May 1821 |
17 March 1805 | 11 April 1814 |
Full title
This title is present on Italian laws proclaimed by Napoleon I:
[Name], by the Grace of God and the Constitutions, Emperor of the French and King of Italy.
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946), House of Savoy
The succession to the throne of Italy was the same as the succession to the throne of the Sardinia.
| Monarch | Reign | Position | Royal House | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Portrait | Name | Reign start | Reign end | Duration | ||
| 1 |  |
Victor Emmanuel II (1820–1878) |
17 March 1861 | 9 January 1878 | 16 years, 298 days | King of Italy | House of Savoy |
| 2 | _-_VE_-_Umberto_I_di_Savoia_1.jpg) |
Umberto I (1844–1900) |
9 January 1878 | 29 July 1900 | 22 years, 201 days | King of Italy | House of Savoy |
| 3 |  |
Victor Emmanuel III (1869–1947) |
29 July 1900 | 9 May 1946 (Abdicated) |
45 years, 284 days | King of Italy Emperor of Ethiopia (1936–1941) King of Albania (1939–1943) |
House of Savoy |
| 4 |  |
Umberto II (1904–1983) |
9 May 1946 | 12 June 1946 (Deposed) |
40 days | King of Italy | House of Savoy |
After the constitutional referendum which took place at the same time as the general election 54.3% voted for a republic. The Constituent Assembly which had the power to rule Italy until a new constitution for the republic was drawn up. The provisional Head of State after Alcide De Gasperi who exercised the powers after the King of Italy left was Enrico De Nicola who was proclaimed in 1946 but he was called Temporary Chief of State because he did not want to be called President of the Republic until the constitution was law.
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term | Tenure | Election Year Voter Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — |  |
Alcide De Gasperi (1881–1954) |
— | 12 June 1946 |
1 July 1946 |
— |
| He exercised the powers of Provisional Head of State as Prime Minister between the departure of King Umberto II on 12 June 1946, and the proclamation of Enrico De Nicola as Head of State by the Constituent Assembly | ||||||
| 1 |  |
Enrico De Nicola (1877–1959) |
1 | 1 July 1946 |
25 June 1947 |
1946 — 78.57% 396 |
| 2 | 26 June 1947 |
1 January 1948 |
1947 — 93.96% 405 | |||
Under the Constitution, the first constitution of the Republic of Italy, the President replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state. The President was elected by Parliament and Regional governments for a seven-year term. In the event of a vacancy the President of the Senate served as Acting President.
- Parties
Traditionally, Presidents have not been members of any political party during their tenure, in order to be considered above partisan interests. The parties shown are those to which the President belonged at the time they took office.
- 1946–1993:
Christian Democracy Democratic Party Democratic Socialist Party Liberal Party Socialist Party
- Since 1994:
Democrats of the Left Democratic Party Independent
- Status
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term | Tenure | Election Year Voter Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Enrico De Nicola (1877–1959) |
2 | 1 January 1948 |
12 May 1948 |
1947 — 93.96% 405 |
| 2 |  |
Luigi Einaudi (1874–1961) |
1 | 12 May 1948 |
11 May 1955 |
1948 — 59.40% 518 |
| 3 |  |
Giovanni Gronchi (1887–1978) |
1 | 11 May 1955 |
11 May 1962 |
1955 — 78.90% 658 |
| 4 |  |
Antonio Segni (1891–1972) |
1 | 11 May 1962 |
6 December 1964 |
1962 — 52.60% 443 |
| Resigned | ||||||
| — |  |
Cesare Merzagora (1898–1991) |
— | 6 December 1964 |
29 December 1964 |
— |
| As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1964 presidential election | ||||||
| 5 |  |
Giuseppe Saragat (1898–1988) |
1 | 29 December 1964 |
29 December 1971 |
1964 — 68.90% 646 |
| 6 |  |
Giovanni Leone (1908–2001) |
1 | 29 December 1971 |
15 June 1978 |
1971 — 52.00% 518 |
| Resigned | ||||||
| — |  |
Amintore Fanfani (1908–1999) |
— | 15 June 1978 |
9 July 1978 |
— |
| As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1978 presidential election | ||||||
| 7 |  |
Sandro Pertini (1896–1990) |
1 | 9 July 1978 |
29 June 1985 |
1978 — 83.61% 832 |
| Resigned | ||||||
| 8 |  |
Francesco Cossiga (1928–2010) |
— | 29 June 1985 |
3 July 1985 |
— |
| 1 | 3 July 1985 |
28 April 1992 |
1985 — 75.20% 754 | |||
| As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1985 presidential election which he won. Resigned | ||||||
| — |  |
Giovanni Spadolini (1925–1994) |
— | 28 April 1992 |
28 May 1992 |
— |
| As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1992 presidential election | ||||||
| 9 |  |
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro (1918–2012) |
1 | 28 May 1992 |
15 May 1999 |
1992 — 67.06% 672 |
| Resigned | ||||||
| — |  |
Nicola Mancino (1931–) |
— | 15 May 1999 |
18 May 1999 |
— |
| As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1999 presidential election | ||||||
| 10 |  |
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (1920–2016) |
1 | 18 May 1999 |
15 May 2006 |
1999 — 71.41% 707 |
| Resigned | ||||||
| 11 |  |
Giorgio Napolitano (1925–2023) |
1 | 15 May 2006 |
20 April 2013 |
2006 — 54.85% 543 |
| 2 | 20 April 2013 |
14 January 2015 |
2013 — 74.10% 738 | |||
| Resigned | ||||||
| — |  |
Pietro Grasso (1945–) |
— | 14 January 2015 |
3 February 2015 |
— |
| As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 2015 presidential election | ||||||
| 12 |  |
Sergio Mattarella (1941–) |
1 | 3 February 2015 |
Incumbent | 2015 — 65.91% 665 |
| Country | Years | Title of Head of State |
|---|---|---|
 Kingdom |
1861 | King of Italy Re d'Italia |
| 1861 - 1936 | By the Grace of God and by the Will of the Nation King of Italy Con la grazia di Dio e per la Volontà della Nazione Re d'Italia | |
| 1936 – 1939 | By the Grace of God and by the Will of the Nation King of Italy, Emperor of Ethiopia Con la grazia di Dio e per la Volontà della Nazione Re d'Italia, Imperatore d'Etiopia | |
| 1939 – 1943 | By the Grace of God and by the Will of the Nation King of Italy and of Albania, Emperor of Ethiopia Con la grazia di Dio e per la Volontà della Nazione Re d'Italia e di Albania, Imperatore d'Etiopia | |
| 1943 - 1946 | By the Grace of God and by the Will of the Nation King of Italy Con la grazia di Dio e per la Volontà della Nazione Re d'Italia | |
| 1946 | King of Italy Re d'Italia | |
 Republic |
1946 – 1948 | Temporary Chief of State Capo provvisorio dello Stato |
| 1948 – Present | President of the Italian Republic Presidente della Repubblica Italiana | |
- Bryce, James The Holy Roman Empire (1913), pg. xxxv
- Lodovico Antonio Muratori, Giuseppe Oggeri Vincenti, Annali d'Italia, 1788, pp. 78-81.
- 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
- Barraclough, Geoffrey (1984). The Origins of Modern Germany. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-30153-2.
- Comyn, Robert. History of the Western Empire, from its Restoration by Charlemagne to the Accession of Charles V, Vol. I. 1851, p. 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
- Philip Pandely Argenti, Chius Vincta, 1941, p. xvii.