Duke of Aosta

In the mid-13th century the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta (the "Valle d'Aosta") a duchy; its arms were carried in the Savoia coat-of-arms until the reunification of Italy, 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exception of a French occupation, 1539—1563.

The title of duke of Aosta was given to Prince Amedeo of Savoia, the second son of king Victor Emanuel II. At the death of Prince Amedeo, the second Duke of Aosta was Emanuele Filiberto of Savoia Aosta. The subsidiary titles of the Duke of Aosta are Prince della Cisterna e di Belriguardo, Marquess di Voghera, and Count di Ponderano. In 1890, it was first awarded, however, to a cousin of the king, another Prince Amadeo, who was a Prince of Sardinia.

The following men have been Dukes of Aosta
*Amedeo, 1st Duke of Aosta (1845–1890), King of Spain 1870–1873
*Emanuele Filiberto, 2nd Duke of Aosta (1869–1931)
*Amedeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta (1898–1942)
*Aimone, 4th Duke of Aosta (1900–1948), King of Croatia 1941–1943
*Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta (born 1943)

The title has been used since July 2006 by Amedeo's son Prince Aimone, Duke of Apulia (born 1967), who is married to Princess Olga Isabelle of Greece, younger daughter of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark.

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