Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, crossed the Alps in 773 at the request of the Pope, who sought protection against the Lombards. Before this, the peninsula was a collection of city-states, kingdoms, and papal states.
Otto I: The First King of Italy and His Path to the Throne
His assumption of the Italian throne marked the end of the fragmentation and the realization of the dream of a unified Italian monarchy, a position held until the abolition of the monarchy in 1946. 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.
After a series of conflicts with the rebellious Italian nobility and the Byzantine remnants in southern Italy, Otto I was crowned King of Italy in 961 AD. The title "King of Italy" (rex Italiae) was historically used by rulers who controlled significant portions of the peninsula, often in opposition to the Holy Roman Emperor.
Otto I: The First King of Italy and His Imperial Coronation
The answer is not a single name, but rather a distinction between the title "King of the Lombards" and the later, more definitive title "King of Italy. He solidified his rule by intervening in Rome and was subsequently crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962.
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