Monthly Archives: April 2016

King Umberto II of Italy

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Umberto II of Italy; Credit – Wikipedia

King Umberto II was the last monarch of Italy, reigning for just 34 days. He was born Prince Umberto Nicola Tommaso Giovanni Maria of Savoy just before midnight on September 15, 1904, at the Castle of Racconigi in Piedmont, Italy. Umberto was the third child, and the only son, of King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy and Princess Elena of Montenegro. He had four siblings:

Two weeks after his birth, Umberto was created Prince of Piedmont by Royal Decree. He was christened in the Pauline Chapel of the Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy on November 4, 1904. Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King Edward VII of the United Kingdom were his godparents.

Umberto with his grandmother, Queen Mother Margherita, c1919. source: Wikipedia

Umberto was educated privately at home by several tutors and also received rigorous military training. He attended the Military Academy in Rome from 1918-1921, becoming a General in the Italian Army.

The engagement of Umberto and Princess Marie-José of Belgium was announced in Brussels, Belgium on October 24, 1929. She was the daughter of King Albert I of the Belgians and Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria. On the day of the engagement, Umberto was the target of an assassination attempt while placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Fortunately, the assailant missed and Umberto was not harmed.

Umberto and Marie-José during the marriage ceremony; Credit – Wikipedia

Umberto and Marie-José married on January 8, 1930, in the Pauline Chapel at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy. Following the service, they were received by Pope Pius XI, a sign of improved relations between Italy and the Holy See. After a honeymoon, they settled initially at the Royal Palace of Turin before moving to Naples the following year. The couple had four children:

Umberto continued with his career in the army while also representing the monarchy. He and his wife were often the official representatives at foreign royal events, the first being the marriage of his sister, Giovanna, to Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria in October 1930.

At the beginning of World War II, Umberto successfully led the Army Group West in the Italian invasion of France. Following France’s defeat, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini barred Umberto from active service, however, he did create him Marshal of Italy.

Umberto visiting troops during World War II in May 1944; Credit –  Wikipedia

In June 1944, King Vittorio Emanuele III transferred most of his powers to Umberto. That June, after Rome was liberated, he transferred his remaining powers to Umberto who was named Lieutenant General of the Realm. His father, however, remained King. Just two years later, with an upcoming referendum to decide on the continuation of the monarchy, King Vittorio Emanuele formally abdicated on May 9, 1946, hoping to help ensure a positive result in the vote. Umberto took the throne as King Umberto II. However, it was too late to do much good. The referendum was held on June 2, 1946, with the majority voting to become a Republic. Umberto had promised to accept and support the result and encouraged the Italian people to support the new government. On June 12, 1946, King Umberto II of Italy was formally deposed and left Italy. He settled in Cascais, Portugal, where he would live for the remainder of his life. However, his wife, Queen Marie-José, soon left and settled near Geneva. The couple led separate lives but remained married.

In exile for nearly 37 years, Umberto remained involved with the Italian people despite being banned from ever setting foot on Italian soil. He supported numerous causes and charities and was known for welcoming all who made the trip to Portugal hoping to speak with their former sovereign. An avid collector of military medals and memorabilia related to the House of Savoy, Umberto wrote a book on the medals of Savoy. He also traveled often and made many visits to his daughter Princess Maria Beatrice and her family in Mexico.

 

On March 18, 1983, King Umberto II died in a hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. Despite the nearly 37 years since he sat on the Italian throne, his funeral was attended by members of most of the reigning and non-reigning royal houses of Europe. Per his wishes, he was buried at the Hautecombe Abbey in Savoy, France, the traditional burial site of the House of Savoy. In his will, King Umberto bequeathed the famed Shroud of Turin, up until then owned by the House of Savoy, to the Holy See. Queen Marie-José was buried at his side following her death in 2001.

Tomb of King Umberto II and Queen Marie José, Hautecombe Abbey. photo: Wikipedia

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Elena of Montenegro, Queen of Italy

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2016

Elena of Montenegro, Queen of Italy – source: Wikipedia

Elena of Montenegro was the wife of King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy, who reigned from 1900 until 1946. She was born on January 8, 1873, in Cetinje, Montenegro, the sixth of twelve children of King Nikola I of Montenegro and Milena Vukotić.

Elena had 11 siblings:

A shy and reserved child, Elena was brought up in Cetinje, Montenegro, and received a well-rounded education. She became fluent in several languages, developed a love of poetry and nature, and was well-versed in politics. Elena studied at the Smolny Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia, and published several poems in a Russian literary magazine.

Elena with her husband and four oldest children in 1908; source: Wikipedia

Soon, a marriage was arranged with Vittorio Emanuele (then the Prince of Naples), the only son of King Umberto I of Italy and Princess Margherita of Savoy. The couple married on October 24, 1896, in Rome. A civil ceremony was held at the Quirinal Palace followed by a religious ceremony at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs. Elena, raised in the Eastern Orthodox faith, converted to Catholicism before the marriage. Elena’s conversion greatly distressed her mother and she refused to attend the wedding.

Elena and Vittorio Emanuele had five children:

Elena and Vittorio Emanuele arriving at the Expo for the 50th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy, 1911. source: Wikipedia

Elena quickly became a great support to her husband and a favorite of the Italian people. She focused on helping those in need in her new country. After the 1908 Messina earthquake, Elena was photographed working with the rescuers. She served as the First Inspector of the Voluntary Nurses for the Italian Red Cross from 1911-1921 and worked as a nurse during World War I. Along with her mother-in-law, she established hospitals at Quirinal Palace and Villa Margherita. Queen Elena is often credited with ‘inventing’ the signed photograph, which she had sold to raise funds for the war effort and medical care for the Italian forces.

Over the next fifty years, she would provide funding for numerous charitable institutions and hospitals to help the sick, injured soldiers, and impoverished mothers. Having studied medicine, she became a strong advocate for improved medical treatments and promoted better training for doctors and research into fighting numerous diseases.

Queen Elena, 1933. source: Wikipedia

In the midst of World War II, her husband, having initially supported the Fascist movement, found himself lacking the confidence of the Italian people. Despite having transferred much of his power to their son in 1944, it became necessary for him to step down from the throne in an attempt to save the monarchy. King Vittorio Emanuele III abdicated on May 9, 1946, hoping that a new King, his son Umberto II, would bring support for continuing the monarchy in an upcoming referendum. However, his son would only reign for several weeks before Italy became a Republic in an overwhelming vote.

After the abdication, Vittorio Emanuele and Elena went into exile, settling in Alexandria, Egypt, at the invitation of King Farouk of Egypt. Vittorio Emanuele died in Alexandria in 1947, and in 1950, Elena moved to Montpellier, France, to undergo treatment for cancer. Living at the Metropole Hotel, Queen Elena died of a pulmonary embolism on November 28, 1952. She was buried in the Montpellier Municipal Cemetery.  In December 2017, her remains were quietly moved to the San Bernardo chapel in the Sanctuary of Vicoforte in Italy.

Tombs of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Elena of Montenegro; Credit – By Fabio Daziano – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64991612

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Italy Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy; Credit – Wikipedia

King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy reigned from 1900 until his abdication in 1946. Born in Naples, Italy on November 11, 1869, Prince Vittorio Emanuele Ferdinando Maria Gennaro of Savoy, styled Prince of Naples from birth, was the only child of King Umberto I of Italy and Princess Margherita of Savoy.

Vittorio Emanuele with his mother. source: Wikipedia

Following a private education at home, in which he excelled in languages, history, and geography, Vittorio Emanuele studied at the Nunziatella Military School in Naples and the Military Academy of Modena. He then served with the Italian forces in Naples, Como, and Florence. He was also an avid numismatist.

Vittorio Emanuele and Elena. source: Wikipedia

On October 24, 1896, Vittorio Emanuele married Princess Elena of Montenegro, the daughter of King Nicholas I of Montenegro and Milena Vukotić. A civil ceremony was held at the Quirinal Palace, followed by a religious ceremony at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs in Rome. The couple had five children:

While on a cruise in the Mediterranean with his wife, Vittorio Emanuele was notified of his father’s assassination on July 29, 1900. The new King and Queen quickly returned to Italy. Somewhat unprepared to ascend the throne as he was expecting his father to reign for many more years, the rather diminutive sovereign (standing at just over 5 feet tall) quickly made strides to become an effective, and well-respected, leader.

Vittorio Emanuele with King Albert I of the Belgians during World War I. source: Wikipedia

Initially remaining neutral at the onset of World War I, Italy soon entered the war on the side of the Triple Entente in 1915. During the war, the King was revered by the majority of the Italian people, and he spent much of the time visiting areas of Northern Italy impacted by the fighting and spending time with those suffering. His wife also worked tirelessly with the nurses in helping to care for the wounded.

Benito Mussolini. source: Wikipedia

Soon, however, the tides would turn. Italy was in the depths of depression following the war, which led to political instability. This led to the rise of the Fascist movement, led by Benito Mussolini. Already established as a member of the Chamber of Deputies, Mussolini led the March on Rome in October 1922, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Luigi Facta, and the establishment of a new Fascist government. The government wanted the King to declare martial law, but perhaps doubting that the Royal Army could overtake the uprising, the King refused. Facta resigned and the King made Mussolini Prime Minister. Soon, all sense of democracy was pushed aside and Mussolini had established himself as the dictator, with the King merely his puppet.

In 1936, Vittorio Emanuele became the titular Emperor of Ethiopia after Italian forces invaded the country and overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. Three years later, he also became King of the Albanians after King Zog I was overthrown by Italian forces. He would later renounce both of these titles and support the restoration of the rightful monarchs although King Zog would never return to Albania.

King Vittorio Emanuele III, c. 1936. source: Wikipedia

In June 1940, Italy entered World War II on the side of the Nazis, despite the King’s warnings that the country was unprepared for war. Numerous losses brought more dependence on the German Reich, and the King’s dwindling public support suffered even further. However, after the Allies landed in Sicily in July 1943, the tides would begin to turn again. Mussolini’s power had begun to fall apart, and his own Grand Council of Fascism asked the King to resume his full constitutional powers. He did, and his first act was ordering the arrest of Mussolini. The King also formally renounced his claims to the thrones of Ethiopia and Albania, in favor of those countries’ rightful sovereigns. Less than two months later, he signed an armistice with the Allies. Confusion ensued and the Germans were able to quickly overtake many of the Italian forces. The King fled to southern Italy to avoid the German advance on Rome, and German troops freed Mussolini, who soon established a new Fascist state in northern Italy.

Despite his return to power, Vittorio Emanuele recognized that his earlier support of the Fascist regime had left him with questionable support from the Italian people. Over several months in 1944, he transferred all of his royal powers to his son, the future King Umberto II, who was created Lieutenant General of the Realm. Vittorio Emanuele was King in name only.

Before long, a referendum was held to decide whether to retain the monarchy or become a republic. Hoping to save the monarchy, King Vittorio Emanuele III formally abdicated on May 9, 1946, in favor of his son. However, his hopes were not realized, and the Italian monarchy was formally abolished just weeks later. The royal family was sent into exile, and Vittorio Emanuele settled in Egypt, taking the title Count of Pollenzo. He died in Alexandria, Egypt on December 28, 1947, and was buried at Saint Catherine’s Cathedral in the same city.  In December 2017, the King’s remains were moved to the San Bernardo Chapel in the Sanctuary of Vicoforte in Italy, along with those of his wife.

Tombs of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Elena of Montenegro; Credit – By Fabio Daziano – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64991612

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Italy Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Margherita of Savoy, Queen of Italy

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Margherita of Savoy, Queen of Italy – source: Wikipedia

Queen Margherita of Italy was the wife of King Umberto I of Italy, who reigned from 1878 until his assassination in 1900. She was born Princess Margherita Maria Teresa Giovanna of Savoy just after midnight on November 20, 1851, at the Palazzo Chiablese, part of the Royal Palace of Turin. in Turin, then in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, now in Italy. Margherita was the daughter of Prince Ferdinando of Savoy, Duke of Genoa, and Princess Elisabeth of Saxony. She had one younger brother:

Margherita’s father died when she was just four years old, and soon her mother married again to her chamberlain. Margherita’s uncle, King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy, enraged by this secret marriage before the official period of mourning was over, sent Margherita’s mother into exile, and for some time she was separated from her children.

Margherita was educated by a series of governesses and tutors, studying several languages, history, and literature, as well as significant studies in the arts and music. She was also raised in a very devout Catholic manner. She took weekly dance lessons, along with her cousin (and future brother-in-law), Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, the future King of Spain, and it has been suggested by several scholars that there were the beginnings of a romantic relationship. Several years later, the idea of marriage to her other cousin, the future King Umberto I, was suggested, but King Vittorio Emanuele wanted to arrange a marriage to an Austrian archduchess to strengthen ties between the two countries. Sadly, the proposed bride, Mathilde of Austria, died tragically when her dress caught fire. Shortly after, it was again suggested that Umberto should marry Margherita, and this time, the king agreed. Having already refused an offer of marriage from the future King Carol I of Romania, Margherita happily accepted Umberto’s proposal in January 1868.

The marriage of Umberto and Margherita, 1868. source: Wikipedia

The couple married on April 21, 1868, in a civil ceremony held at the Royal Palace of Turin, with a religious ceremony held in the Turin Cathedral the following day. Settling in Naples, they had one son:

Margherita with her son, Vittorio Emanuele, c1877. Source: Wikipedia

On January 9, 1878, Margherita became the first Queen of Italy when her husband ascended to the throne following his father’s death. Immensely popular with the Italian people, Queen Margherita was very active with many cultural organizations, promoting the arts, and working extensively with the Red Cross. She is credited with introducing chamber music in Italy and often helped up-and-coming musicians with their education. These included composer Giacomo Puccini, who was able to study at the Conservatory of Milan thanks to a scholarship granted to him by The Queen.

Always possessing an adventurous spirit, in 1893 she climbed the Punta Gnifetti for a ceremony in which a mountain hut, the Capanna Regina Margherita, was named in her honor. She later became President of the Ladies’ Alpine Club.

Margherita was widowed on July 29, 1900. While visiting the city of Monza, King Umberto I was shot and killed by an anarchist who was avenging the deaths in the Bava-Beccaris massacre. The throne passed to the couple’s son, Vittorio Emanuele III, and Margherita settled into her new role as Queen Mother. She devoted herself to her charity work and the advancement of the arts in Italy. She maintained her official residence at the Palazzo Margherita in Rome and also lived in the Stupinigi Hunting Lodge.

Queen Mother Margherita, 1908. source: Wikipedia

In 1914, Margherita purchased Villa Etelinda in Bordighera, Italy. Originally built as Villa Bischoffsheim in the 1870s, she had stayed there as a guest in 1879 to recover after the first assassination attempt on her husband. In 1896, it was purchased by Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (father of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) who renamed it Villa Etelinda. The villa was situated in a large park, which is where Margherita had a new house built, named Villa Margherita. For the remainder of her life, she spent several months at Villa Margherita each year, entertaining numerous artists and writers as well as members of her family.

Queen Margherita died at Villa Margherita in Bordighera, Italy on January 4, 1926. She is buried beside her husband in the Pantheon in Rome, Italy.

Tomb of Margherita and Umberto; Credit – By Paul Hermans – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12748068

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Italy Resources at Unofficial Royalty