List of former national capitals
Europe -- Southern Europe
Table:
Old capital city

Country

Today a part of

From

Until

Change, reason

Corte

Corsica, Republic of

France

1755

1769

Corsican Republic annexed by France

Corte

Anglo-Corsican Kingdom

France

1794

1795

moved to Bastia

Bastia

Anglo-Corsican Kingdom

France

1795

1796

Corsican Kingdom annexed by France

Tharros

Arborea, Giudicato of

Italy

9th century

1070

moved to Oristano

Oristano

Arborea, Giudicato of

Italy

1070

1410

moved to Sassari

Sassari

Arborea, Giudicato of

Italy

1410

1420

remaining territories sold to the Kingdom of Sardinia

Santa Igia

Cagliari, Giudicato of

Italy

9th century

1258

country dissolved, territories annexed by Arborea, Gallura, Pisa and Gherardesca

Milan

Cisalpine Republic

Italy

1797

1802

became the Italian Republic

Florence

Etruria, Kingdom of

Italy

1801

1807

Kingdom of Etruria annexed by France

Ferrara

Ferrara, Duchy of

Italy

1471

1597

annexed by the Papacy

Florence

Florence, Duchy of

Italy

1532

1569

became Grand Duchy of Tuscany

Florence

Florence, Republic of

Italy

1115

1532

became Duchy of Florence

Olbia

Gallura, Giudicato of

Italy

9th century

1296

country dissolved, territories annexed by Pisa and Arborea

Genoa

Genoa, Republic of

Italy

11th century

1805

annexed by France

Milan

Italian Republic

Italy

1802

1805

Became the Kingdom of Italy

Salò

Italian Social Republic

Italy

1943

1945

Republic ceased to exist

Milan

Italy, Kingdom of (Napoleonic)

Italy

1805

1814

Kingdom ceased to exist

Turin

Italy, Kingdom of (Sardinian)

Italy

1861

1865

moved to Florence

Florence

Italy, Kingdom of (Sardinian)

Italy

1865

1871

moved to Rome

Rome

Italy, Kingdom of (Sardinian)

Italy

1871

1946

Kingdom became Republic

Looking at the given table plus the article excerpts provided.

Give the answer to the question: The first city to cease being a capital in the nineteenth century served as the capital of which empire ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Corte ( French : [ kɔʁ.te ] ; Italian pronunciation : [ ˈkorte ] , Corsican : Corti ) is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica . It is the fourth-largest commune in Corsica after Ajaccio , Bastia , and Porto-Vecchio .
In November 1755 , Pasquale Paoli proclaimed Corsica a sovereign nation , the Corsican Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Corsa ) , independent from the Republic of Genoa . He created the Corsican Constitution , which was the first constitution written in Italian under Enlightenment principles , including the first implementation of female suffrage , later revoked by the French when they took over the island in 1769 . The republic created an administration and justice system , and founded an army .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was a client state of the Kingdom of Great Britain that existed on the island of Corsica between 1794 and 1796 , during the French Revolutionary Wars .
Bastia ( UK : /ˈbæstjə , ˈbɑːs-/ , US : /ˈbɑːstiə , ˈbæs- , bɑːˈstiːə/ , French : [ bastja ] ( listen ) , Italian : [ baˈstiːa ] ; Corsican : Bastìa [ baˈsti.a ] ) is a French commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the north-east of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse . It also has the second-highest population of any commune on the island after Ajaccio and is the capital of the Bagnaja region and of the department . Bastia is the principal port of the island and its principal commercial town and is especially famous for its wines . Approximately 10% of the population are immigrants . The unemployment rate in the commune has persistently been one of the highest in France , standing at over 20% in 2004 . The inhabitants of the commune are known as Bastiais or Bastiaises . The commune has been awarded three flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom .
Tharros ( also spelled Tharras , Archaic Greek : Θάρρας , Hellenistic Greek , Tarras or Tarrae , Τάρραι ) was an ancient city and former bishopric on the west coast of Sardinia , Italy . It is currently a Latin Catholic titular see and an archaeological site near the village of San Giovanni di Sinis , municipality of Cabras , in the Province of Oristano . It is located on the southern shore of the Sinis peninsula , which forms the northern cape of the Bay of Oristano , by the cape of San Marco . Tharros , mentioned by Ptolemy and in the Itineraries , seems to have been one of the most important places on the island .
The Judicate of Arborea ( Sardinian : Judicadu de Arbaree or Rennu de Arbaree , Italian : Giudicato di Arborea ) was one of the four independent judicates into which the island of Sardinia was divided in the Middle Ages . It occupied the central-west portion of the island , wedged between Logudoro to the north and east , Cagliari to the south and east , and the Mediterranean Sea to the west . To the north east and beyond Logudoro was located Gallura , with which Arborea had far less interaction . Arborea outlasted her neighbours , surviving well into the 15th century . The earliest known judicial seat was Tharros . Kingdom of Arborea at the times of its maximum expansion occupied the whole island 's territory , except the cities of Alghero and Cagliari .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
Oristano ( Italian : [ oriˈstaːno ] ( listen ) ; Sardinian : Aristanis ) is an Italian city and comune , and capital of the Province of Oristano in the central-western part of the island of Sardinia . It is located on the northern part of the Campidano plain . It was established as the provincial capital on 16 July 1974 . As of December 2017 [ update ] , the city had 31,671 inhabitants . The economy of Oristano is based mainly on services , agriculture , tourism and small industries .
Sassari ( US : /ˈsɑːsəri , ˈsɑːsɑːri/ , Italian : [ ˈsassari ] ( listen ) ; Sassarese : Sàssari ; Sardinian : Tàtari ) is an Italian city and the second-largest of Sardinia in terms of population with 127,525 inhabitants , and a Functional Urban Area of about 222,000 inhabitants . One of the oldest cities on the island , it contains a considerable collection of art . Since its origins at the turn of the 12th century , Sassari has been ruled by the Giudicato of Torres , the Pisans , the Sassaresi themselves in alliance with Genoa , the Aragonese and the Spanish , all of whom have contributed to Sassari 's historical and artistic heritage . Sassari is a city rich in art , culture and history , and is well known for its palazzi , the Fountain of the Rosello , and its elegant neoclassical architecture , such as Piazza d'Italia ( Italy Square ) and the Teatro Civico ( Civic Theatre ) . As Sardinia 's second most populated city , and the fifth largest municipality in Italy ( 547 km2 ) , it has a considerable amount of cultural , touristic , commercial and political importance in the island . The city 's economy mainly relies on tourism and services , however also partially on research , construction , pharmaceuticals and the petroleum industry .
The Kingdom of Sardinia [ nb 1 ] was a state in Southern Europe from the early 14th until the mid-19th century . The Kingdom was a member of the Council of Aragon and initially consisted of the islands of Corsica and Sardinia , sovereignty over both of which was claimed by the Papacy , which granted them as a fief , the regnum Sardiniae et Corsicae ( kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica ) , to King James II of Aragon in 1297 . Beginning in 1324 , James and his successors conquered the island of Sardinia and established de facto their de jure authority . In 1420 , after the Sardinian-Catalan War , the last competing claim to the island was bought out . After the union of the crowns of Aragon and Castile , Sardinia became a part of the burgeoning Spanish Empire . In 1720 , the island was ceded by the Habsburg and Bourbon claimants to the Spanish throne to the Duke of Savoy Victor Amadeus II . The Savoyards united it with their historical possessions on the Italian mainland , and the Kingdom came to be progressively identified with the Mainland states , which included , besides Savoy and Aosta , dynastic possessions like the Principality of Piedmont and the County of Nice ( over both of which the Savoyards had been exercising their control since the 13th century and 1388 , respectively ) . The formal name of such composite state was the States of His Majesty the King of Sardinia and is referenced to as either Savoy-Sardinia , Piedmont-Sardinia , or even the Kingdom of Piedmont to emphasise that the island of Sardinia had always been of secondary importance to the monarchy . While in theory the traditional capital of the island of Sardinia and the seat of its viceroys had always been Cagliari , it was the Piedmontese city of Turin , the capital of Savoy since the mid 16th century , the de facto chosen seat of power under Savoyard rule . When the Mainland domains of the House of Savoy were occupied and eventually annexed by Napoleonic France , the king of Sardinia temporarily resided on the island for the first time in Sardinia 's history under Savoyard rule . The Congress of Vienna ( 1814-15 ) , which restructured Europe after Napoleon 's defeat , returned to Savoy its Mainland possessions and augmented them with Liguria , taken from the Republic of Genoa . In 1847-48 , through an act of Union analogous to the Irish-British one , the various Savoyard states were unified under one legal system with their capital in Turin , and granted a constitution , the Statuto Albertino .
Santa Igia or Santa Ilia , modern Santa Gilla lagoon , was a city in Sardinia , in what is now Italy , which existed from the 9th century AD to 1258 , when it was destroyed by the Pisane troops . It was the capital of the Giudicato of Cagliari , one of the kingdoms in which the islands was divided in medieval times . Parts of its remains are now found in Cagliari , as well as in the island of Sa Illetta .
The Judicate of Cagliari ( Sardinian : Judicadu de Càralis / Càlaris , Italian : Giudicato di Cagliari ) was one of the four Sardinian judicates of the Middle Ages , kingdoms of Byzantine origins . The Judicate of Cagliari covered the entire south and central east portion of the island and was composed of thirteen subdivisions called curatoriae . To its north and west lay Arborea and north and on the east lay Gallura and Logudoro .
The Judicate of Gallura ( Latin : Iudicatus Gallurae , Sardinian : Judicadu de Gallura , Italian : Giudicato di Gallura ) was one of four Sardinian judicates in the Middle Ages . These were independent states whose rulers bore the title iudex , judge . Gallura , a name which comes from gallus , meaning rooster ( cock ) , was subdivided into ten curatoriae governed by curatores under the judge . In the 13th century , the arms of Gallura contained a rooster . Gallura is the northeast region of the island , with its main city at Olbia . The first iudices of Gallura only appear in the historical record late in the eleventh century , though certain rulers of earlier periods are known . Gallura , like all the other Sardinian kingdoms , initially owed allegiance to the Archdiocese of Pisa , but Gallura , unlike most of the others , remained relatively steadfast in its support of Pisa , probably due its proximity to the city of Pisa itself . For this reason , it was often in alliance with the Kingdom of Cagliari in the south .
The Republic of Pisa ( Italian : Repubblica di Pisa ) was a de facto independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa during the late 10th and 11th centuries . It rose to become an economic powerhouse , a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade for a century before being surpassed and superseded by the Republic of Genoa . The power of Pisa as a mighty maritime nation began to grow and reached its apex in the 11th century when it acquired traditional fame as one of the four main historical Maritime Republics of Italy .
The Gherardeschi or della Gherardesca were a family of Longobard origin , dating back as early as the 11th century . They were an important one of the most prominent initially in Pistoia and Mugello , then of Volterra and eventually of Pisa and Firenze . They were of Ghibelline sympathies and held the county of Donoratico .
Milan ( /mɪˈlæn/ , US also /mɪˈlɑːn/ , Italian : Milano [ miˈlaːno ] ( listen ) , Milanese : [ miˈlãː ] ( listen ) ) is a city in northern Italy , capital of Lombardy , and the second-most populous city in Italy after Rome . Milan served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire , the Duchy of Milan and the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia . The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million while its metropolitan city has 3.23 million inhabitants . Its continuously built-up urban area , that stretches well beyond the boundaries of its administrative metropolitan city , is the fourth largest in the EU with 5.27 million inhabitants . The population within the wider Milan metropolitan area , also known as Greater Milan , is estimated at 8.2 million , making it by far the largest metropolitan area in Italy and the 4th largest in the EU . Milan is considered a leading alpha global city , with strengths in the field of the art , commerce , design , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , services , research and tourism . Its business district hosts Italy 's stock exchange ( Italian : Borsa Italiana ) , and the headquarters of national and international banks and companies . In terms of GDP , it has the second-largest economy among EU cities after Paris , and is the wealthiest among EU non-capital cities . Milan is considered part of the Blue Banana and one of the Four Motors for Europe . The city has been recognized as one of the world 's four fashion capitals thanks to several international events and fairs , including Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair , which are currently among the world 's biggest in terms of revenue , visitors and growth . It hosted the Universal Exposition in 1906 and 2015 . The city hosts numerous cultural institutions , academies and universities , with 11% of the national total enrolled students .
The Cisalpine Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Cisalpina ) was a sister republic of France in Northern Italy that lasted from 1797 to 1802 .
The Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana ) was a short-lived ( 1802-1805 ) republic located in Northern Italy . Napoleon served as President and its capital was Milan .
Florence ( /ˈflɒrəns/ FLORR-ənss ; Italian : Firenze [ fiˈrɛntse ] ( listen ) ) [ a ] is a city in central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region . It is the most populated city in Tuscany , with 383,084 inhabitants in 2013 , and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area . Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era . It is considered by many academics the birthplace of the Renaissance , and has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages . Its turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family and numerous religious and republican revolutions . From 1865 to 1871 the city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy ( established in 1861 ) . The Florentine dialect forms the base of Standard Italian and it became the language of culture throughout Italy due to the prestige of the masterpieces by Dante Alighieri , Petrarch , Giovanni Boccaccio , Niccolò Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini . The city attracts millions of tourists each year , and UNESCO declared the Historic Centre of Florence a World Heritage Site in 1982 . The city is noted for its culture , Renaissance art and architecture and monuments . The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries , such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti , and still exerts an influence in the fields of art , culture and politics . Due to Florence 's artistic and architectural heritage , Forbes has ranked it as one of the most beautiful cities in the world . Florence plays an important role in Italian fashion , and is ranked in the top 15 fashion capitals of the world by Global Language Monitor ; furthermore , it is a major national economic centre , as well as a tourist and industrial hub .
The Kingdom of Etruria ( /ɪˈtrʊəriə/ ; Italian : Regno di Etruria ) was a kingdom between 1801 and 1807 which made up a large part of modern Tuscany . It took its name from Etruria , the old Roman name for the land of the Etruscans . The kingdom was created by the Treaty of Aranjuez , signed at Aranjuez , Spain on 21 March 1801 . In the context of a larger agreement between Napoleonic France and Spain , the Bourbons of Parma were compensated for the loss of their territory in northern Italy ( which had been occupied by French troops since 1796 ) . Ferdinand , Duke of Parma ceded his duchy to France , and in return his son Louis I was granted the Kingdom of Etruria ( which was created from the Grand Duchy of Tuscany ) . To make way for the Bourbons , the Habsburg Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinand III was ousted and compensated with the Electorate of Salzburg . Originally the Grand Duchy of Tuscany , Etruria had been ceded to the Bourbons in 1801 in the person of Charles IV 's eldest daughter and her Italian consort . Outside the Treaty of Aranjuez , Spain also secretly agreed to retrocede the Louisiana territory ( over 2 million square kilometers ) back to France in order to secure the Kingdom of Etruria as a client state for Spain ; Louisiana was first ceded by France to Spain in 1763 at the end of the Seven Years ' War . Louisiana was duly transferred to France on 15 October 1802 , after the signing of the Treaty of Aranjuez . Napoleon subsequently sold Louisiana in the Louisiana Purchase on December 20 , 1803 , in order to pay for his French armies during the War of the Third Coalition . The first king ( Louis I ) died young in 1803 , and his underage son Charles Louis succeeded him . His mother , Maria Luisa of Spain , was appointed regent .
The First French Empire , officially the French Empire ( French : Empire Français ; Latin : Imperium Francicum ) , Note 1 was the empire of Napoleon Bonaparte of France and the dominant power in much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century . Although France had already established an overseas colonial empire beginning in the 17th century , the French state had remained a kingdom under the Bourbons and a republic after the Revolution . Historians refer to Napoleon 's regime as the First Empire to distinguish it from the restorationist Second Empire ( 1852-1870 ) ruled by his nephew as Napoleon III . On 18 May 1804 , Napoleon was granted the title Emperor of the French ( L'Empereur des Français , pronounced [ lɑ̃.pʁœʁ de fʁɑ̃.sɛ ] ) by the French Sénat ( Senate ) and was crowned on 2 December 1804 , signifying the end of the French Consulate and of the French First Republic . The French Empire achieved military supremacy in mainland Europe through notable victories in the War of the Third Coalition against Austria , Prussia , Russia , and allied nations , notably at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 . French dominance was reaffirmed during the War of the Fourth Coalition , at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806 and the Battle of Friedland in 1807 . He was defeated during the 1815 battle of Waterloo . A series of wars , known collectively as the Napoleonic Wars , extended French influence to much of Western Europe and into Poland . At its height in 1812 , the French Empire had 130 departments , ruled over 70 million subjects , maintained an extensive military presence in Germany , Italy , Spain , and the Duchy of Warsaw , and counted Prussia and Austria as nominal allies . Early French victories exported many ideological features of the French Revolution throughout Europe : the introduction of the Napoleonic Code throughout the continent increased legal equality , established jury systems and legalised divorce , and seigneurial dues and seigneurial justice were abolished , as were aristocratic privileges in all places except Poland . France 's defeat in 1814 ( and then again in 1815 ) , marked the end of the Empire .
Ferrara ( /fəˈrɑːrə/ , Italian : [ ferˈraːra ] ( listen ) ; Emilian : Fràra [ ˈfraːra ] ) is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna , northern Italy , capital of the Province of Ferrara . As of 2016 [ update ] it had 132,009 inhabitants . It is situated 44 kilometres ( 27 miles ) northeast of Bologna , on the Po di Volano , a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River , located 5 km ( 3 miles ) north . The town has broad streets and numerous palaces dating from the Renaissance , when it hosted the court of the House of Este . For its beauty and cultural importance , it has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site .
The Duchy of Ferrara ( Latin : Ducatus Ferrariensis Emilian : Ducàt ad Frara Italian : Ducato di Ferrara ) was a state in what is now northern Italy . It consisted of about 1,100 km2 south of the lower Po River , stretching to the valley of the lower Reno River , including the city of Ferrara . The territory was ruled by the House of Este from 1146 as vassals of the Holy Roman Empire . In 1471 , the territory was transferred from the Empire to the Papal States . Borso d'Este , already Duke of Modena and Reggio , was created Duke of Ferrara by Pope Paul II . Borso and his successors ruled Ferrara as a quasi-sovereign state until 1597 , when it came under direct papal rule .
The Duchy of Florence ( Italian : Ducato di Firenze ) was an Italian principality that was centred on the city of Florence , in Tuscany , Italy . The duchy was founded after Emperor Charles V restored Medici rule to Florence in 1530 . Pope Clement VII , himself a Medici , appointed his relative Alessandro de ' Medici as Duke of the Florentine Republic , thereby transforming the Republic of Florence into a hereditary monarchy . The second Duke , Cosimo I , established a strong Florentine navy and expanded his territory , purchasing Elba and conquering Siena . In 1569 , the Pope declared Cosimo Grand Duke of Tuscany . The Medici ruled the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until 1737 .
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany ( Italian : Granducato di Toscana ; Latin : Magnus Ducatus Etruriae ) was a central Italian monarchy that existed , with interruptions , from 1569 to 1859 , replacing the Duchy of Florence . The grand duchy 's capital was Florence . Tuscany was nominally a state of the Holy Roman Empire until the Treaty of Campo Formio in 1797 . Initially , Tuscany was ruled by the House of Medici until the extinction of its senior branch in 1737 . While not as internationally renowned as the old republic , the grand duchy thrived under the Medici and it bore witness to unprecedented economic and military success under Cosimo I and his sons , until the reign of Ferdinando II , which saw the beginning of the state 's long economic decline . It peaked under Cosimo III . The Medicis ' only advancement in the latter days of their existence was their elevation to royalty , by the Holy Roman Emperor , in 1691 . Francis Stephen of Lorraine , a cognatic descendant of the Medici , succeeded the family and ascended the throne of his Medicean ancestors . Tuscany was governed by a viceroy , Marc de Beauvau-Craon , for his entire rule . His descendants ruled , and resided in , the grand duchy until its end in 1859 , barring one interruption , when Napoleon Bonaparte gave Tuscany to the House of Bourbon-Parma ( Kingdom of Etruria , 1801-7 ) . Following the collapse of the Napoleonic system in 1814 , the grand duchy was restored . The United Provinces of Central Italy , a client state of the Kingdom of Sardinia , annexed Tuscany in 1859 .
The Republic of Florence , also known as the Florentine Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Fiorentina , pronounced [ reˈpubblika fjorenˈtiːna ] , or Repubblica di Firenze ) , was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany . The republic originated in 1115 , when the Florentine people rebelled against the Margraviate of Tuscany upon the death of Matilda of Tuscany , who controlled vast territories that included Florence . The Florentines formed a commune in her successors ' place . The republic was ruled by a council known as the Signoria of Florence . The signoria was chosen by the gonfaloniere ( titular ruler of the city ) , who was elected every two months by Florentine guild members . The Republic , despite having a large degree of autonomy , was formally part of the Holy Roman Empire throughout its existence . The republic had a checkered history of coups and counter-coups against various factions . The Medici faction gained governance of the city in 1434 under Cosimo de ' Medici . The Medici kept control of Florence until 1494 . Giovanni de ' Medici ( later Pope Leo X ) re-conquered the republic in 1512 . Florence repudiated Medici authority for a second time in 1527 , during the War of the League of Cognac . The Medici re-assumed their rule in 1531 after an 11-month siege of the city .
Olbia ( Italian : [ ˈɔlbja ] ( listen ) , locally [ ˈolbja ] ; Sardinian : Terranoa ; Gallurese : Tarranoa ) is a city and comune of 60,346 inhabitants ( May 2018 ) in the Italian insular province of Sassari in northeastern Sardinia ( Italy ) , in the historical region of Gallura . Called Olbia in the Roman age , Civita in the Middle Ages ( Judicates period ) and Terranova Pausania before the 1940s , Olbia was again the official name of the city during the fascist period .
Genoa ( /ˈdʒɛnoʊə/ JEN-oh-ə ; Italian : Genova [ ˈdʒɛːnova ] ( listen ) ; Ligurian : Zêna [ ˈzeːna ] ; English , historically , and Latin : Genua ) is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy . In 2015 , 594,733 people lived within the city 's administrative limits . As of the 2011 Italian census , the Province of Genoa , which in 2015 became the Metropolitan City of Genoa , counted 855,834 resident persons . Over 1.5 million people live in the wider metropolitan area stretching along the Italian Riviera . Located on the Gulf of Genoa in the Ligurian Sea , Genoa has historically been one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean : it is currently the busiest in Italy and in the Mediterranean Sea and twelfth-busiest in the European Union . Genoa has been nicknamed la Superba ( the proud one ) due to its glorious past and impressive landmarks . Part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the World Heritage List ( UNESCO ) in 2006 as Genoa : Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli . The city 's rich cultural history in art , music and cuisine allowed it to become the 2004 European Capital of Culture . It is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus , Andrea Doria , Niccolò Paganini , Giuseppe Mazzini , Renzo Piano and Grimaldo Canella , founder of the House of Grimaldi , among others . Genoa , which forms the southern corner of the Milan-Turin-Genoa industrial triangle of Northwest Italy , is one of the country 's major economic centers . The city has hosted massive shipyards and steelworks since the 19th century , and its solid financial sector dates back to the Middle Ages . The Bank of Saint George , founded in 1407 , is among the oldest in the world and has played an important role in the city 's prosperity since the middle of the 15th century .
The Republic of Genoa ( Italian : Repubblica di Genova ; Ligurian : Repúbrica de Zêna [ ɾeˈpybɾika de ˈzeːna ] ; Latin : Res Publica Ianuensis ) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast , incorporating Corsica from 1347 to 1768 , and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean . Known as la Superba ( the Superb one ) , la Dominante ( The Dominant one ) , la Dominante dei mari ( the Dominant of the Seas ) , and la Repubblica dei magnifici ( the Republic of the Magnificents ) , during the late Middle Ages Genoa was one of the main commercial powers of the Mediterranean Sea , while between the 16th and 17th centuries it was one of the major financial centers in Europe . It was a celebrated maritime republic and today its coat of arms is depicted in the flag of the Italian Navy . In 1284 , Genoa fought victoriously against the Republic of Pisa in the battle of Meloria for the dominance over the Tyrrhenian Sea , and it was an eternal rival of Venice for dominance in the Mediterranean Sea . The republic began when Genoa became a self-governing commune within the imperial Kingdom of Italy , and ended when it was conquered by the French First Republic under Napoleon and replaced with the Ligurian Republic . Corsica was ceded to France in the Treaty of Versailles of 1768 . The Ligurian Republic was annexed by the First French Empire in 1805 ; its restoration was briefly proclaimed in 1814 following the defeat of Napoleon , but it was ultimately annexed by the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815 .
The Kingdom of Italy ( Italian : Regno d'Italia ; French : Royaume d'Italie ) was a kingdom in Northern Italy ( formerly the Italian Republic ) in personal union with France under Napoleon I . It was fully influenced by revolutionary France and ended with his defeat and fall . Its governance was conducted by Napoleon and his step-son and viceroy Eugène de Beauharnais . It covered the modern provinces of Lombardy , Veneto , Emilia-Romagna , Friuli Venezia Giulia , Trentino , South Tyrol , and Marche . Napoleon I also ruled the rest of northern and central Italy in the form of Aosta , Piedmont , Liguria , Tuscany , Umbria , and Lazio , but directly as part of the French Empire , rather than as part of a client state .
Salò ( Italian : [ saˈlɔ ] ; Latin : Salodium ) is a town and comune in the Province of Brescia in the region of Lombardy ( northern Italy ) on the banks of Lake Garda , on which it has the longest promenade . The city was the seat of government of the Italian Social Republic from 1943 to 1945 , with the ISR often being referred to as the Salò Republic ( Repubblica di Salò in Italian ) .
The Italian Social Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Sociale Italiana , pronounced [ reˈpubblika soˈtʃaːle itaˈljaːna ] ; RSI ) , popularly and historically known as the Republic of Salò ( Italian : Repubblica di Salò [ reˈpubblika di saˈlɔ ] ) , was a German puppet state with limited recognition that was created during the later part of World War II , existing from the beginning of German occupation of Italy in September 1943 until the surrender of German troops in Italy in May 1945 . The Italian Social Republic was the second and last incarnation of the Italian Fascist state and was led by Duce Benito Mussolini and his reformed anti-monarchist Republican Fascist Party which tried to modernise and revise fascist doctrine into a more moderate and sophisticated direction . The state declared Rome its capital , but was de facto centered on Salò ( hence its colloquial name ) , a small town on Lake Garda , near Brescia , where Mussolini and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were headquartered . The Italian Social Republic exercised nominal sovereignty in Northern and Central Italy , but was largely dependent on German troops to maintain control . In July 1943 , after the Allies had pushed Italy out of North Africa and subsequently invaded Sicily , the Grand Fascist Council - with the support of King Victor Emmanuel III - overthrew and arrested Mussolini . The new government began secret peace negotiations with the Allied powers . When the Armistice of Cassibile was announced 8 September , Germany was prepared and quickly intervened . Germany seized control of the northern half of Italy , freed Mussolini and brought him to the German-occupied area to establish a satellite regime . The Italian Social Republic was proclaimed on 23 September 1943 . [ page needed ] Although the RSI claimed sovereignty over most of Italian territory , its de facto jurisdiction only extended to a vastly reduced portion of Italy . The RSI received diplomatic recognition from only Germany , Japan and their puppet states . Around 25 April 1945-nineteen months after the RSI 's founding-it all but collapsed .
Turin ( /tjʊəˈrɪn , ˈtjʊərɪn/ tewr-IN , TEWR-in , Piedmontese : [ tyˈriŋ ] ( listen ) ; Italian : Torino [ toˈriːno ] ( listen ) ; Latin : Augusta Taurinorum , then Taurinum ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy . It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin , and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865 . The city is located mainly on the western bank of the Po River , in front of Susa Valley , and is surrounded by the western Alpine arch and Superga Hill . The population of the city proper is 875,698 ( 31 December 2018 ) while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 1.7 million inhabitants . The Turin metropolitan area is estimated by the OECD to have a population of 2.2 million . The city used to be a major European political centre . From 1563 , it was the capital of the Duchy of Savoy , then of the Kingdom of Sardinia ruled by the House of Savoy , and the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 to 1865 . Turin is sometimes called the cradle of Italian liberty for having been the birthplace and home of notable individuals who contributed to the Risorgimento , such as Cavour . Even though much of its political significance and importance had been lost by World War II , Turin became a major European crossroad for industry , commerce and trade , and is part of the famous industrial triangle along with Milan and Genoa . Turin is ranked third in Italy , after Milan and Rome , for economic strength . With a GDP of $ 58 billion , Turin is the world 's 78th richest city by purchasing power . As of 2018 , the city has been ranked by GaWC as a Gamma World city .
The Kingdom of Italy ( Italian : Regno d'Italia ) was a state which existed from 1861 - when King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was proclaimed King of Italy - until 1946 - when civil discontent led an institutional referendum to abandon the monarchy and form the modern Italian Republic . The state was founded as a result of the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia , which can be considered its legal predecessor state . Italy declared war on Austria in alliance with Prussia in 1866 and received the region of Veneto following their victory . Italian troops entered Rome in 1870 , thereby ending more than one thousand years of Papal temporal power . Italy entered into a Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1882 , following strong disagreements with France about the respective colonial expansions . However , even if relations with Berlin became very friendly , the alliance with Vienna remained purely formal as the Italians were keen to acquire Trentino and Trieste , corners of Austria-Hungary populated by Italians . So during World War I , Italy accepted the British invitation to join the Allied Powers , as the western powers promised territorial compensation ( at the expense of Austria-Hungary ) for participation that was more generous than Vienna 's offer in exchange for Italian neutrality . Victory in the war gave Italy a permanent seat in the Council of the League of Nations . Fascist Italy is the era of National Fascist Party government from 1922 to 1943 with Benito Mussolini as head of government . The fascists imposed totalitarian rule and crushed the political and intellectual opposition , while promoting economic modernization , traditional social values and a rapprochement with the Roman Catholic Church . According to Payne ( 1996 ) , [ the ] Fascist government passed through several relatively distinct phases . The first phase ( 1923-1925 ) was nominally a continuation of the parliamentary system , albeit with a legally-organized executive dictatorship .