Umberto II of Italy
Umberto II, full name Umberto Nicola Tommaso Giovanni Maria di Savoia (15 September 1904 – 18 March 1983), was the last King of Italy. He reigned for 34 days,[1] from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946, although he had been de facto head of state since 1944 and was nicknamed the May King (Italian: Re di Maggio).
| Umberto II | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Umberto, then the Prince of Piedmont, in 1944 | |||||
| King of Italy (more...) | |||||
| Reign | 9 May 1946 – 12 June 1946 | ||||
| Predecessor | Victor Emmanuel III | ||||
| Successor | Monarchy abolished Enrico De Nicola as President | ||||
| Prime Minister | Alcide De Gasperi | ||||
| Born | 15 September 1904 Racconigi, Piedmont, Kingdom of Italy | ||||
| Died | 18 March 1983 (aged 78) Geneva, Switzerland | ||||
| Burial | Hautecombe Abbey, France | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Princess Maria Pia Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples Princess Maria Gabriella Princess Maria Beatrice | ||||
| |||||
| House | Savoy | ||||
| Father | Victor Emmanuel III of Italy | ||||
| Mother | Princess Elena of Montenegro | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||
| Signature |  | ||||
Umberto was the only son among the five children of King Victor Emmanuel III and Queen Elena. To repair the monarchy's image after the fall of Benito Mussolini's regime, Victor Emmanuel transferred his powers to Umberto in 1944 while retaining the title of king. As a referendum on the abolition of the monarchy was in preparation, Victor Emmanuel abdicated his throne in favour of Umberto in the hope that his exit might bolster the monarchy. However, the referendum passed, Italy was declared a republic, and Umberto lived out the rest of his life in exile in Cascais, on the Portuguese Riviera.
Titles, styles and honours
change| Styles of King Umberto II | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
Titles and styles
change- 15 September 1904 – 29 September 1904: His Royal Highness Prince Umberto of Savoy
- 29 September 1904 – 9 May 1946: His Royal Highness The Prince of Piedmont
- 9 May 1946 – 12 June 1946: His Majesty The King of Italy
- 12 June 1946 – 18 March 1983: His Majesty King Umberto II of Italy
Umberto was granted the traditional title of Prince of Piedmont at birth. This was formalised by Royal Decree on 29 September 1904.[2]
Ancestry
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References
change- ↑ Ian Locke (1999). Magnificent Monarchs. MacMillan. p. 16. ISBN 978-0330-374965.
Fact Attack series
- ↑ "Leggi E Decreti". 1904. Archived from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
Other reading
change- Smith, Denis Mack (1 March 1992). Italy and Its Monarchy. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300051322.
- Katz, Robert (31 August 1972). The Fall of the House of Savoy (1st ed.). George Allen & Unwin Ltd. ISBN 978-0049450110.
Other websites
change
- Genealogy of recent members of the House of Savoy
- a portrait of his
- Website with Information on Italian Royal news stories
- Newspaper clippings about Umberto II of Italy in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
Umberto II of Italy Born: 15 September 1904 Died: 19 March 1983
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| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Vittorio Emanuele III |
King of Italy 9 May 1946 – 12 June 1946 |
Monarchy abolished |
| Titles in pretence | ||
| Monarchy abolished | — TITULAR — King of Italy 12 June 1946 – 18 March 1983 Reason for succession failure: monarchy abolished |
Succeeded by Vittorio Emanuele |
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