The Carolingian Conquest and the Imperial Claim The political landscape shifted dramatically with the invasion of Italy by the Franks. Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, crossed the Alps in 773 at the request of the Pope, who sought protection against the Lombards.
Otto I and the Byzantine Nobility: The Carolingian Legacy in Italy
Unification and the End of an Era The concept of a single "King of Italy" remained fragmented for centuries, with various houses such as the Habsburgs and the Savoyards contesting the title. Summary of the Lineage.
The geographical concept of "Italy" as a unified nation is a relatively modern construct, formalized in 1861. This act was a direct challenge to the authority of the Byzantine Emperor in Constantinople, effectively merging the Gothic, Lombard, and Roman traditions of Italian rule under a new Frankish-Germanic dynasty.
Otto I and the Byzantine Nobility Behind Italy's First King
The first king of this newly unified nation was Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy, who had already been the King of Sardinia. While he did not use the specific title "King of Italy," his court in Ravenna effectively made him the de facto ruler of the entire peninsula.
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