Omar Bennett
Italy was a constitutional monarchy from 1861 to 1946, with the Kingdom of Italy maintaining the Statuto Albertino as its constitution. The monarch held executive power and governed through appointed ministers, while legislative power was vested in a bicameral Parliament. However, the monarchy was perceived to have performed poorly, and with the rise of Fascism, the crown's power diminished. After World War II, on June 2, 1946, Italians voted in a referendum to replace the monarchy with a democratic republic, ending the monarchy and establishing the Italian Republic.
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What You'll Learn
Italy's monarchy ended in 1946
Italy's monarchy, the Kingdom of Italy, was a constitutional monarchy that existed from 1861 to 1946. During this period, Italy was a unitary state with a hereditary constitutional monarch as its sovereign. The full title of the Kings of Italy was extensive, including "King of Italy, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Armenia, Duke of Savoy, [and] count of Maurienne", among others.
The monarchy was established through the unification of several states, known as the Risorgimento, which was influenced by the Savoy-led Kingdom of Sardinia. This process united the kingdoms of Sardinia and the Two Sicilies to form the modern Kingdom of Italy, with Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia proclaimed as King of Italy.
However, Italy's participation in World War I and World War II negatively impacted the monarchy. The country's involvement in these wars and its association with Mussolini's dictatorship and the Fascist regime led to civil discontent and a revival of the Italian republican movement. The monarchy was seen as endorsing the Fascist regime and performing poorly, with society extremely divided between the wealthy North and the poor South.
On June 2, 1946, Italians voted in a historic referendum to choose between maintaining the monarchy or establishing a republic. This referendum was held after World War II, during a time of economic ruin and political instability in Italy. The results were close but decisive, with a majority of Italians voting in favour of a republic. This referendum marked the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the Italian Republic, with the monarchy formally abolished and the royal family exiled.
The transition to a republic had significant implications for Italy's political and social landscape, promoting democratic values and contributing to the country's post-war recovery and economic redevelopment. The referendum also marked the end of the House of Savoy's nearly 85-year reign and the exile of King Umberto II, who left the country on June 12, 1946, to avoid clashes between monarchists and republicans.
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The Italian Republic
Italy was a monarchy from 1861 to 1946, with the full title of the Kings being: [Name], by the Grace of God and the will of the Nation, King of Italy, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Armenia, Duke of Savoy, and so on. The Kingdom of Italy was a constitutional monarchy, with executive power belonging to the monarch, who would govern through appointed ministers. The legislative branch was a bicameral Parliament with an appointed Senate and an elected Chamber of Deputies.
However, after World War II, on June 2, 1946, the Italians voted in a referendum to replace the monarchy with a republic. This referendum was held due to the poor performance of the monarchy, the rise of fascism, and the previous support of King Victor Emmanuel for Mussolini. The Italian monarchy formally ended on June 12, 1946, and Umberto II, who had ascended the throne just days before, left the country. The Republican Constitution, approved on January 1, 1948, established Italy as a democratic republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people.
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The House of Savoy
Italy was a constitutional monarchy from 1861 to 1946, with the House of Savoy as its ruling house. The House of Savoy (Italian: Casa Savoia) is an Italian royal house that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region in the Alps between France and Italy. The founder of the House of Savoy was Humbert I the Whitehanded (also known as Humbert I "Biancamano"), who ruled from 1003 to 1047 or 1048. Humbert's successors during the Middle Ages gradually expanded their territory through judicious marriages and international diplomacy. By acquiring strategic mountain passes in the Alps, the House of Savoy grew in power, first ruling the County of Savoy, a small Alpine county northwest of Italy.
In the 15th century, the House of Savoy was raised to ducal status within the Holy Roman Empire. During the 16th century, the importance of the house declined under a series of weak rulers, culminating in a French occupation of Savoy from 1536 to 1559. However, Emmanuel Philibert (reigned 1553-1580) was able to recover most of Savoy under the terms of the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis. In the 17th century, the House of Savoy took part in and benefited from the economic development of the Turin area.
In the early 18th century, during the War of the Spanish Succession, Victor Amadeus II switched sides to assist the Habsburgs, and via the Treaty of Utrecht, they rewarded him with a crown in Sicily. Savoy rule over Sicily lasted only seven years (1713-1720), after which they were forced to exchange it for the Kingdom of Sardinia as a result of the War of the Quadruple Alliance. In 1720, Victor Amadeus II was raised from duke to the status of king as ruler of Sicily. Through its junior branch of Savoy-Carignano, the House of Savoy led the Italian unification in 1861 and ruled the Kingdom of Italy until 1946.
During the reign of the House of Savoy, the Kingdom of Italy maintained the Statuto Albertino as its constitution, which had previously governed the Kingdom of Sardinia. Executive power belonged to the monarch, who governed through appointed ministers. The legislative branch was a bicameral Parliament comprising an appointive Senate and an elective Chamber of Deputies. In theory, ministers were responsible solely to the king, but by this time, the king could not appoint a government of his choosing or keep it in office against the express will of Parliament.
The monarchy was superseded by the Italian Republic after a constitutional referendum held on June 2, 1946, following World War II. The Italian monarchy formally ended on June 12, 1946, and Umberto II left the country. From January 1, 1948, with the entry into force of the Constitution of the Italian Republic, the male descendants of Umberto II of Savoy were banned from entering Italy; this provision was repealed in 2002.
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The Fascists and the monarchy
During the fascist regime, Mussolini created the position of First Marshal of the Empire in 1938, which gave him equal legal authority to the King over the military. In the 1930s, Mussolini became aggravated by the monarchy's continued existence, as his counterpart in Germany, Adolf Hitler, was both head of state and head of government of a republic. Mussolini privately denounced the monarchy and planned to dismantle it and create a republic with himself as head of state.
The relationship between the fascists and the monarchy came to a head in 1943 when King Victor Emmanuel III overthrew and arrested Mussolini, with the Kingdom of Italy's new non-fascist government switching sides from the Axis to the Allies. In a public address, Mussolini condemned the monarchy for betraying Italian fascism and stated that the monarchy had failed in its duties and lost its reason for being.
After Mussolini was rescued from arrest by German forces, Italy descended into civil war, with the northern half of the country occupied by the Germans and the south controlled by monarchist forces fighting for the Allied cause. Mussolini ruled the northern half as a collaborationist puppet state, recruiting more than 500,000 soldiers for the Axis cause. On 28 April 1945, Mussolini was executed by Italian partisans, and hostilities ended the next day.
Following the war, there was civil discontent, and a referendum was held in 1946 on whether Italy would remain a monarchy or become a republic. The Italians decided to abandon the monarchy and form the Italian Republic, ending the monarchy's rule and leading to the exile of King Umberto II.
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The Italian Constitution
Italy ceased to be a constitutional monarchy in 1946, when a constitutional referendum voted in favour of a republic. The Italian Constitution, which came into force on 1 January 1948, outlines the country's democratic nature, in which sovereignty belongs to the people. The Constitution also establishes the separation of church and state, freedom of religion, and the right to asylum for foreigners who are denied democratic freedoms in their home country. It promotes the development of culture, science, and technical research, and safeguards the natural landscape and historical and artistic heritage of the nation.
The Constitution was shaped by a Constituent Assembly of 556 members, including politicians, philosophers, and partisans, representing a wide range of political and social views. The Assembly included Christian democrats, liberals, and leftists, all of whom shared a commitment to anti-fascism and a rejection of authoritarianism. The final text of the Constitution reflects a compromise between these different perspectives, with protections for marriage and family influenced by Roman Catholic natural law, and provisions for workers' rights reflecting socialist and communist ideas.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Italy was a constitutional monarchy from 1861 to 1946.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch or king governs with appointed ministers, while a bicameral Parliament serves as the legislative branch.
The Italian monarchy was known as the Kingdom of Italy.
Umberto II was the last monarch of Italy. He left the country on June 13, 1946, after the monarchy was superseded by the Italian Republic following a constitutional referendum.
Italy is currently a democratic republic, with sovereignty belonging to the people, as outlined in its constitution.
