Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Kingdom of Sardinia

Regnum Sardiniae  (Latin)
Rennu de Sardigna  (Sardinian)
Regno di Sardegna  (Italian)
Regn ëd Sardëgna  (Piedmontese)

1720–1861

Flag
(1816–1848)

Coat of arms
(1833–1848)

Motto: FERT
(Motto for the House of Savoy)

Anthem:

S'hymnu sardu nationale
"The Sardinian national anthem"

Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia in 1859; client state in light green

Status

Sovereign State under Savoy (1720–1861)

Capital

Turin
(1720–1798, 1814–1861)

Cagliari
(1798–1814)

Common languages

Since the Iberian period in Sardinia:
Sardinian, Corsican, Catalan and Spanish;
During the Savoyard period as a composite State:
Also Italian (already official in the peninsula since the 16th century via the Rivoli Edict; introduced to Sardinia in 1760), French (official in the peninsula since the 16th century via the Rivoli Edict), Piedmontese, Ligurian, Occitan and Arpitan

Religion

Catholicism (official)

Demonym(s)

Sardinian

Government

Absolute monarchy
(1720–1849)
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
(1849–1861)

King

• 1720 (first)

Victor Amadeus II

• 1849–1861 (last)

Victor Emmanuel II

Prime Minister

• 1848 (first)

Cesare Balbo

• 1860–1861 (last)

Camillo Benso

Legislature

Parliament

• Upper house

Subalpine Senate

• Lower house

Chamber of Deputies

Historical era

Late modern

• Established

1720

• Became part of the Savoy state

1720

• Perfect fusion

1848

• Loss of Savoy and Nice

1860

• Became the new Kingdom of Italy

1861

Population

• 1821

3,974,500

Currency

Cagliarese (to 1813)
Sardinian scudo (to 1816)
Piedmontese scudo (to 1816)
French franc (1800–14)
Sardinian lira (1816–61)

Preceded by

Succeeded by

	Kingdom of Sardinia (1700-1720)
	Duchy of Savoy
	United Provinces of Central Italy
	Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Kingdom of Italy
Second French Empire

Today part of

Italy
France
Monaco

The Kingdom of Sardinia was a powerful state in Europe from 1720 to 1861. It brought together the island of Sardinia with other lands owned by the House of Savoy. These lands were mainly in what is now Italy and France.

At first, the Kingdom of Sardinia was like a collection of different states. The island of Sardinia was one part, but the main power and government were in areas like Piedmont and Savoy. Because Piedmont was so important, people often called the state Sardinia-Piedmont or Piedmont-Sardinia.

In 1847, a big change happened called the Perfect Fusion. This made all the different parts of the kingdom into one single, unified country. The Kingdom of Sardinia eventually became the starting point for the modern country of Italy.

A Look Back: The History of the Kingdom
How the Kingdom Was Run
- Government Structure
- Military Power
Money and Economy
- Currency Used
Flags, Royal Standards, and Coats of Arms
Maps
- How the Kingdom of Sardinia Grew (1796 to 1860)
See also

A Look Back: The History of the Kingdom

How the Kingdom Began

The island of Sardinia was once part of the Spanish Empire. But in the early 1700s, after a big war, Spain's lands were divided. In 1720, the island of Sardinia was given to the Duke of Savoy, Victor Amadeus II. He already ruled many lands on the Italian peninsula.

So, the Duke of Savoy became the King of Sardinia. This allowed him to keep the title of "King." His family, the House of Savoy, then ruled the island of Sardinia along with their other lands. These lands included Piedmont, Savoy, and Nice.

The main city and center of power for the kingdom was Turin, in Piedmont. The island of Sardinia itself was important, but the rulers mostly stayed on the mainland.

Changes During the Napoleonic Wars

When Napoleon Bonaparte and France became very powerful, they took over many of the Savoy family's lands on the mainland. For a short time, the King of Sardinia had to live on the island of Sardinia. This was the first time a Savoyard king actually lived there!

The people of Sardinia had their own revolution during this time. They were unhappy with how the mainland rulers treated them. This event, called the Sardinian Vespers, showed their desire for more say in their government.

After Napoleon was defeated, Europe was reorganized. The Kingdom of Sardinia got its mainland lands back. It also gained new territory, including the city of Genoa. This made the kingdom stronger and helped it act as a buffer against France.

A New Constitution and Big Changes

In the 1830s, the Kingdom of Sardinia started to become more modern and industrial. In 1848, a new constitution was created called the Statuto Albertino. This document gave people more rights and set up a constitutional monarchy. This meant the king's power was limited by laws and a parliament.

Also in 1848, the "Perfect Fusion" officially united all the different parts of the kingdom. This made it a single, centralized country with its capital in Turin.

The king at this time, Charles Albert of Sardinia, went to war against Austria. He wanted to unite more Italian lands. But his army was defeated.

Leading the Way to Italian Unity

Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour

After Charles Albert, his son Victor Emmanuel II became king. In 1852, a very important leader named Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour became Prime Minister. Cavour was a smart politician who wanted to make the Kingdom of Sardinia strong and unite all of Italy.

The Kingdom of Sardinia even joined the Crimean War alongside countries like Britain and France. This helped them gain respect from other European powers.

In 1859, France helped the Kingdom of Sardinia fight another war against Austria. This war helped Sardinia gain Lombardy, a rich region in northern Italy.

Garibaldi and the Unification of Italy

King Victor Emmanuel II meets Garibaldi in Teano (26 October 1860)

In 1860, a famous Italian hero named Giuseppe Garibaldi led an army of volunteers, known as "The Thousand." They sailed south and quickly took over the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which was a large state in southern Italy.

Garibaldi then handed these lands over to King Victor Emmanuel II. This was a huge step towards uniting all of Italy. However, Garibaldi was a bit disappointed because he wanted Italy to be a republic, not a kingdom. He also wanted to conquer Rome, but Cavour and the king stopped him.

The Birth of the Kingdom of Italy

On March 17, 1861, something truly historic happened. The Parliament of Sardinia officially declared the Kingdom of Italy. The Kingdom of Sardinia had grown so much that it became the new country of Italy!

The laws and government of the Kingdom of Sardinia were then used for all of Italy. Turin remained the capital for a few years, then it moved to Florence, and finally to Rome. The House of Savoy continued to rule Italy until 1946, when Italy became a republic.

How the Kingdom Was Run

Government Structure

Before 1847, the Kingdom of Sardinia was a "composite monarchy." This means the king ruled many different lands, each with its own laws and traditions. The island of Sardinia was just one part, while Piedmont and Savoy were other distinct areas.

The "Perfect Fusion" in 1847 changed this. It made all these different lands into one single country with the same laws. This made the government much more organized and centralized.

The Statuto Albertino, the constitution from 1848, was very important. It set up a system where the king shared power with a parliament. This constitution was so strong that it became the basis for the laws of the new Kingdom of Italy. It lasted until Italy became a republic in 1948.

The main leader of the country was the King of Sardinia. The day-to-day government was run by the Prime Minister.

Military Power

The Kingdom of Sardinia had its own army, called the Royal Sardinian Army, and a navy, the Royal Sardinian Navy. These forces were very important in the wars that led to the unification of Italy. When Italy was formed, these military forces became the new Royal Italian Army and Regia Marina.

Money and Economy

The economy of the Kingdom of Sardinia grew a lot, especially under the leadership of Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour. Cavour believed that a strong economy was needed before big political changes could happen. He was a big fan of building railroads and canals to improve trade and transportation. He also encouraged new farming methods and the use of modern tools.

Currency Used

Before the Napoleonic Wars, the main money used was the Piedmontese scudo. During Napoleon's time, the French franc was used. After the wars, the Sardinian lira became the official currency. This money was used until Italy was unified.

Flags, Royal Standards, and Coats of Arms

When the House of Savoy gained the Kingdom of Sardinia, they needed a flag for their navy. Their old flag was too similar to the Knights of Malta's flag. So, they added things like the letters FERT or a blue border to make it different.

Later, King Charles Albert adopted a new flag. It was the "revolutionary" Italian tricolor (green, white, and red) with the Savoy family's shield on it. This flag later became the flag of the Kingdom of Italy. The tricolor flag without the shield is still the flag of Italy today.

Coats of arms
1720–1815
1815–1831
1831–1848
1848–1861

State Flags
Royal Standard of the Savoyard kings of Sardinia of Savoy dynasty (1720-1848) and State Flag of the Savoyard States (late 16th - late 18th century)
State Flag and War Ensign (1816–1848): Civil Flag "crowned"
State and war flag (1848–1851)
State flag and war ensign (1851–1861)

Other Flags
Merchant Flag
(c.1799–1802)
War Ensign of the Royal Sardinian Navy (1785–1802)
Merchant Flag
(1802–1814)
War Ensign
(1802–1814)
Merchant Flag and War Ensign (1814–1816)
Civil Flag and Civil Ensign (1816–1848)
War Ensign of the Kingdom of Sardinia (1816–1848) aspect ratio 31:76
Civil and merchant flag (1851–1861), the Italian tricolore with the coat of arms of Savoy as an inescutcheon

Royal Standards
1848–1861 and Kingdom of Italy (1861–1880)
Crown Prince (1848–1861) and Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1880)

Maps

How the Kingdom of Sardinia Grew (1796 to 1860)

1796
1859: Kingdom of Sardinia Kingdom Lombardy–Venetia Duchies Parma–Modena-Tuscany Papal States Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
1860: Kingdom of Sardinia Kingdom Lombardy–Venetia Papal States Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
After the annexation of Lombardy, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Emilian Duchies and Pope's Romagna.
1861: Kingdom of Sardinia Kingdom Lombardy–Venetia Papal States
After the Expedition of the Thousand.
maximum expansion of the Kingdom of Sardinia, in 1860