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.
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.
Monarchs As "Rex Italiae" Odoacer (476–493) vassal of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Ostrogothic Kingdom (493 – 553) Theoderic 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 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)Bryce, James The Holy Roman Empire (1913), pg. xxxv 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 962Lodovico Antonio Muratori, Giuseppe Oggeri Vincenti, Annali d'Italia, 1788, pp. 78-81. 7 May 973 Otto II 955-7 December 983 c. October 980According 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. 7 December 983 Otto III 980-23 January 1002 c. February 996Although 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 23 January 1002 Arduin 955-1015 1002 1014 Henry IIenumerated as successor of Henry I who was German King 919–936 but not Emperor. 6 May 973-13 July 1024 1004 13 July 1024
Salian dynasty (1027 – 1125) Image Name Life Coronation Ceased to be King Conrad Ienumerated as successor of Conrad I who was German King 911–918 but not Emperor 990-4 June 1039 1026 4 June 1039 Henry III 29 October 1017-5 October 1056 1039 5 October 1056 Henry IV 11 November 1050-7 August 1106 1056 December 1105 Conrad II of Italy 1074-1101 1093 1101 Henry V 8 November 1086-23 May 1125 1106 23 May 1125
Süpplingenburg dynasty (1125 – 1137) Image Name Life Coronation Ceased to be King Lothair III 9 June 1075-4 December 1137 1125 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 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(Also crowned in 1128 in opposition to LothairComyn, Robert. History of the Western Empire, from its Restoration by Charlemagne to the Accession of Charles V, Vol. I. 1851, p. 191.) 1152 Frederick I 1122-10 June 1190 1154 1186 Henry VI November 1165-28 September 1197 1186 28 September 1197
House of Welf (1208 – 1212) Image Name Life Coronation Ceased to be King Otto IV 1175 or 1176-19 May 1218 1209 1212
House of Hohenstaufen (1212 – 1254) Image Coat of Arms Name Life Coronation Ceased to be King 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) Image Coat of Arms Name Life Coronation Ceased to be King Henry VII 1275Kleinhenz, Christopher, Medieval Italy: an encyclopedia, Volume 1, Routledge, 2004, pg. 494-24 August 1313 6 January 1311Jones, Michael, The New Cambridge Medieval History, Vol. VI: c. 1300-c. 1415, Cambridge University Press, 2000, pg. 533 24 August 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 29 November 1378 Sigismund 14 February 1368-9 December 1437 1431 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 1530Philip Pandely Argenti, Chius Vincta, 1941, p. xvii. 16 January 1556
Charles V was the last emperor to be crowned king of Italy, or to officially use the title. 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 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.
MonarchReignPositionRoyal House # Portrait Name Reign start Reign end Duration 1 Victor Emmanuel II(1820–1878) 1861 1878 King of Italy House of Savoy 2 Umberto I(1844–1900) 1878 1900 King of Italy House of Savoy 3 Victor Emmanuel III(1869–1947) 1900 1946(Abdicated) King of ItalyEmperor of Ethiopia (1936–1941)King of Albania (1939–1943) House of Savoy 4 Umberto II(1904–1983) 1946 1946(Deposed) King of Italy House of Savoy
Provisional head of state 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. PortraitNameTermTenureElection YearVoter Percentage Alcide De Gasperi(1881–1954)12 June19461 July1946 —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 AssemblyEnrico De Nicola(1877–1959)1 July194625 June19471946 — 78.57%39626 June19471 January19481947 — 93.96%405
Presidents
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:
Since 1994:
Status
No. PortraitNameTermTenureElection YearVoter Percentage Enrico De Nicola(1877–1959)1 January194812 May19481947 — 93.96%405Luigi Einaudi(1874–1961)12 May194811 May19551948 — 59.40%518Giovanni Gronchi(1887–1978)11 May195511 May19621955 — 78.90%658Antonio Segni(1891–1972)11 May19626 December19641962 — 52.60%443ResignedCesare Merzagora(1898–1991)6 December196429 December1964 —As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1964 presidential electionGiuseppe Saragat(1898–1988)29 December196429 December19711964 — 68.90%646Giovanni Leone(1908–2001)29 December197115 June19781971 — 52.00%518ResignedAmintore Fanfani(1908–1999)15 June19789 July1978 —As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1978 presidential electionSandro Pertini(1896–1990)9 July197829 June19851978 — 83.61%832ResignedFrancesco Cossiga(1928–2010)29 June19853 July1985 —3 July198528 April19921985 — 75.20%754As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1985 presidential election which he won.ResignedGiovanni Spadolini(1925–1994)28 April199228 May1992 —As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1992 presidential electionOscar Luigi Scalfaro(1918–2012)28 May199215 May19991992 — 67.06%672ResignedNicola Mancino(1931–)15 May199918 May1999 —As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 1999 presidential electionCarlo Azeglio Ciampi(1920–2016)18 May199915 May20061999 — 71.41%707ResignedGiorgio Napolitano(1925–2023)15 May200620 April20132006 — 54.85%54320 April201314 January20152013 — 74.10%738ResignedPietro Grasso(1945–)14 January20153 February2015 —As President of the Senate he acted as President until after the 2015 presidential electionSergio Mattarella(1941–)3 February2015Incumbent2015 — 65.91%665
Styles