List of historical states of Italy

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Italy, up until its unification in 1861, was a conglomeration of city-states, republics, and other independent entities. The following is a list of the various Italian states during that period. Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the arrival of the Middle Ages (in particular from the 11th century), the Italian Peninsula was divided into numerous states. Many of these states consolidated into major political units that balanced the power on the Italian Peninsula: the Papal States, the Venetian Republic, the Republic of Florence, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily. Unlike all the other Italian states of the medieval and early modern period, the republics of Venice and Genoa, thanks to their maritime power, went beyond territorial conquests within the Italian Peninsula, conquering various regions across the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Ancient Italy

The ancient peoples of Italy are broadly referred to in historiography as Italic peoples, although in modern linguistics this term is used to define only the speakers of the Italic languages, namely the Latino-Faliscans and the Osco-Umbrians. They include:

  • Etruscans
  • Italic peoples in the strict sense:
    • Latino-Faliscans:
    • Osco-Umbrians, also called Sabellians:
      • Umbrians
        • Marsi
        • Umbri
        • Volsci
      • Oscans
        • Marrucini
        • Osci
          • Aurunci
          • Ausones
          • Campanians
        • Paeligni
        • Sabines
      • Samnitics
        • Bruttii
        • Frentani
        • Lucani
        • Samnites
          • Pentri
          • Caraceni
          • Caudini
          • Hirpini
      • Others:
        • Aequi
        • Fidenates
        • Hernici
        • Picentes
        • Vestini
        • Sicels
        • Venetics
  • Ligures
  • Sardinians
  • Greek colonies in Magna Graecia
  • Phoenician settlements in insular Italy
  • Carthaginian settlements in insular Italy
  • Cisalpine Gauls

Early Middle Ages

High Middle Ages

States in Central and Northern Italy

States in Southern Italy

States of the Holy Roman Empire

  • Kingdom of Italy
  • March of Tuscany
  • March of Verona
  • March of Treviso
  • March of Ivrea (Before turning into the Commune of Ivrea)
  • March of Turin
  • March of Montferrat
  • March of Genoa
  • Patriarchate of Aquileia (including March of Friuli and March of Istria)
  • Duchy of Spoleto
  • Bishopric of Brixen
  • Bishopric of Trent
  • Bishopric of Acqui
  • Commune of Acqui
  • Commune of Alba
  • Commune of Alessandria
  • Commune of Arezzo
  • Commune of Bergamo
  • Commune of Bologna
  • Commune of Brescia
  • Commune of Camerino
  • Commune of Chieri
  • Commune of Como
  • Commune of Crema
  • Commune of Cremona
  • Commune of Faenza
  • Commune of Ferrara
  • Commune of Lodi
  • Commune of Mantua
  • Commune of Milan
  • Commune of Modena
  • Commune of Novara
  • Commune of Orvieto
  • Commune of Padau
  • Commune of Pavia
  • Commune of Parma
  • Commune of Perugia
  • Commune of Piacenza
  • Commune of Reggio
  • Commune of San Gimignano
  • Commune of Savona
  • Commune of Terdona
  • Commune of Treviso
  • Commune of Vercelli
  • Commune of Vicenza
  • Municipality of Ascoli
  • County of Desana
  • County of Savoy
  • County of Gorizia
  • Marquisate of Saluzzo
  • Marquisate of Ceva
  • Marquisate of Incisa
  • Marquisate of Finale
  • Republic of Sassari

Sardinian Judicates

  • Agugliastra
  • Arborea
  • Cagliari
  • Gallura
  • Logudoro

Late Middle Ages

Major states

Minor states

  • Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica
  • Kingdom of Sicily
  • Duchy of Ferrara
  • Lordship of Bologna
  • Lordship of Faenza
  • Lordship of Milan (before being raised to Duchy in 1395)
  • Lordship of Padua
  • Lordship of Perugia
  • Duchy of Modena and Reggio
  • Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
  • Prince-Bishopric of Trent
  • Principality of Compiano
  • Marquisate of Bastia
  • Marquisate of Ceva
  • Marquisate of Finale
  • Marquisate of Fosdinovo
  • Marquisate of Incisa
  • Marquisate of Mantua
  • Marquisate of Massa
  • Marquisate of Saluzzo
  • Marquisate of Montferrat
  • County of Asti
  • County of Cocconato
  • County of Correggio
  • County of Desana
  • County of Gorizia
  • County of Guastalla
  • County of Masserano
  • County of Mirandola
  • County of Montechiarugolo
  • County of Novellara
  • County of Pitigliano
  • County of Santa Fiora
  • County of Savoy (raised to Duchy of Savoy in 1416)
  • County of Scandiano
  • County of Sovana
  • County of Tende
  • County of Urbino (raised to Duchy of Urbino in 1443)
  • County of Correggio
  • Commune of Savona
  • Golden Ambrosian Republic
  • Republic of Ancona
  • Republic of Cospaia
  • Republic of Lucca
  • Republic of Noli
  • Republic of Ragusa
  • Republic of San Marino
  • Republic of Senarica
  • Republic of Siena
  • Rebel city-states in Papal States

After the Italian Wars

The Peace of Cateau Cambrésis ended the Italian Wars in 1559. The kingdoms of Sicily, Sardinia, Naples (inclusive of the State of Presidi) and the Duchy of Milan were left under the control of Spanish Habsburgs. France was in control of several fortresses and in particular of the Marquisate of Saluzzo. All the other Italian states remained independent, with the most powerful being the Venetian Republic, the Medici's Duchy of Tuscany, the Savoyard state, the Republic of Genoa, and the Papal States. The Gonzaga in Mantua, the Este in Modena and Ferrara and the Farnese in Parma and Piacenza continued to be important dynasties. Parts of the north of Italy remained a part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Major states

Minor states

  • Kingdom of Sardinia (under Spanish rule)
  • Kingdom of Sicily
  • Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
  • Prince-Bishopric of Trent
  • Principality of Compiano
  • Principality of Piombino
  • Principality of Monaco
  • Principality of Bozollo
  • Duchy of Mantua
  • Duchy of Ferrara
    • Duchy of Modena and Reggio (In personal union with Ferrara)
  • Duchy of Parma and Piacenza
    • Duchy of Castro (in personal union with Parma)
  • Duchy of Urbino
  • Marquisate of Arquata
  • Marquisate of Bastia
  • Marquisate of Castiglione (raised to Principality of Castiglione in 1609)
  • Marquisate of Finale
  • Marquisate of Fosdinovo
  • Marquisate of Massa (raised to Principality of Massa in 1568)
    • Marquisate of Carrara (in personal union with Massa)
  • Marquisate of Masserano (raised to Principality of Masserano in 1598)
  • Marquisate of Montferrat (raised to Duchy of Montferrat in 1574; in personal union with Mantua)
  • Marquisate of Sabbioneta (raised to Duchy of Sabbioneta in 1577)
  • Marquisate of Torriglia
  • County of Correggio (raised to Principality of Correggio in 1616)
  • County of Guastalla
  • County of Pitigliano
  • County of Mirandola
  • County of Montechiarugolo
  • County of Novellara and Bagnolo
  • County of Santa Fiora
  • County of Tende
  • County of Correggio (raised to Duchy of Coreggio in 1630)
  • Monastic State of the Order of Malta
  • Republic of Ancona
  • Republic of Cospaia
  • Republic of Lucca
  • Republic of Noli
  • Republic of Ragusa
  • Republic of San Marino

After the Wars of Succession of the 18th century

During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), Savoy acquired Sicily, while the remaining Spanish dominions in Italy (Naples, Sardinia, and Milan) were taken over by the Austrian Habsburgs. In 1720, Savoy exchanged Sicily for Sardinia. Following the extinction of the House of Medici, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was ruled by the Habsburg-Lorraine. Later on, Southern Italy passed to a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, known as House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Other states such as Genoa, Venice, Modena, the Papal States and Lucca remained with their governments unchanged.

Major states

Minor states

Their populations and other vital statistics stood as follows in the late 18th century:

  • Kingdom of Naples (including Sicily): 6,000,000 (400,000 in Naples), army of 60,000 to 80,000, 2 ships of the lines and some frigates
  • Republic of Venice: 3,500,000 (140,000 in the city of Venice itself), standing army and navy of 30,000, 12-15 ships of at least 54 guns plus frigates and brigs
  • Kingdom of Sardinia: 2,900,000 (2,400,000 on the mainland and 500,000 on the island), 12-15 fortified cities and towns (largest being Turin at 80,000), standing army of 25,000, which could be raised to 50,000 in a time of war and 100,000 with militia
  • Papal States: 2,400,000 (140,000 in the city of Rome), standing army of 6,000 to 7,000
  • Austrian Lombardy (Duchy of Milan, Duchy of Mantua, and minor territories): 1,100,000 (40,000 in the city of Milan itself)
  • Grand Duchy of Tuscany: 1,000,000 (80,000 in Florence), standing army of 6,000, navy of 3 frigates
  • Republic of Genoa: 500,000 (100,000 in the city of Genoa itself)
  • Duchy of Parma: 500,000 (40,000 in the city of Parma itself), standing army of 2,500 to 3,000
  • Duchy of Modena: 350,000 (20,000 in the city of Modena itself), standing army of 5,000 to 6,000
  • Republic of Lucca: 100,000

Total: 18.3 million

During Napoleonic times (1792–1815)

Sister republics of Revolutionary France

  • Republic of Alba
  • Anconine Republic
  • Astese Republic
  • Republic of Bergamo
  • Bolognese Republic
  • Republic of Brescia
  • Cisalpine Republic
  • Cispadane Republic
  • Republic of Crema
  • Italian Republic
  • Ligurian Republic
  • Jacobin State of Lucca
  • Parthenopean Republic
  • Republic of Pescara
  • Piedmontese Republic
  • Roman Republic
  • Subalpine Republic
  • Tiberina Republic
  • Transpadane Republic

Client states of the First French Empire

Other states

  • Kingdom of Sardinia
  • Kingdom of Sicily
  • Principality of Elba (non-hereditary Monarchy under the exiled Emperor Napoleon)
  • Republic of Cospaia
  • Republic of San Marino

From the restoration to the unification

Following the defeat of Napoleon's France, the Congress of Vienna (1815) was convened to redraw the European continent. In Italy, the Congress restored the pre-Napoleonic patchwork of independent governments, either directly ruled or strongly influenced by the prevailing European powers, particularly Austria. The Congress also determined the end of two millenary republics: Genoa was annexed by the then Savoyard Kingdom of Sardinia, and Venice was incorporated with Milan into a new kingdom of the Austrian Empire.

At the time, the struggle for Italian unification was perceived to be waged primarily against the Habsburgs, since they directly controlled the predominantly Italian-speaking northeastern part of present-day Italy and were the most powerful force against the Italian unification. The Austrian Empire vigorously repressed nationalist sentiment growing in its domains on the Italian Peninsula, as well as in the other parts of Habsburg domains.

Post-unification

  • Kingdom of Italy
  • Republic of San Marino
  • Italian Regency of Carnaro
  • Free State of Fiume
  • Italian Social Republic
  • Kingdom of the South
  • Free Territory of Trieste

Italian Partisan Republics

The Italian Partisan Republics were the provisional state entities liberated by Italian partisans from the rule and occupation of Nazi Germany and the Italian Social Republic in 1944 during the Second World War. They were universally short-lived, with most of them being reconquered by the Wehrmacht within weeks of their formal establishments and re-incorporated into the Italian Social Republic.

  • Republic of Alba (10 October – 2 November)
  • Republic of Alto Monferrato (September – 2 December)
  • Republic of Alto Tortonese (September – December)
  • Republic of Bobbio (7 July – 27 August)
  • Republic of the Cansiglio (July – September)
  • Republic of Carnia (26 September – 10 October)
  • Republic of Carniola [it] (2 February – March)
  • Republic of Oriental Friuli (30 June – September)
  • Republic of Pigna (IM) (18 September – 8 October)
  • Republic of the Langhe (September – November)
  • Republic of Montefiorino [it] (17 June – 1 August)
  • Republic of Ossola (10 September – 23 October)
  • Republic of Torriglia [it] (26 June – 27 November)
  • Republic of the Ceno Valley (10 June – 11 July)
  • Republic of the Enza Valley and the Parma Valley (June – July)
  • Republic of the Maira Valley and the Varaita Valley (June – 21 August)
  • Republic of the Taro Valley [it] (15 June – 24 July)
  • Republic of the Lanzo Valley (25 June – September)
  • Republic of the Sesia Valley (11 June – 10 July)
  • Republic of Varzi (19/24 September – 29 November)

States since 1929

  • Italian Republic
  • Republic of San Marino
  • Vatican City State

See also

  • Italian city-states
  • Maritime republics
  • Medieval commune
  • Signoria

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