Historical states of Italy

Italy until the present era was a conglomeration of city-states and small independent nations. The following is a list of the various states that made up what we now know as Italy during the past. (rounded up to a year significant to Italian history in each case).

Antiquity

*Etruscan civilization
*Rome
*Greek city-states
*Western Roman Empire

Middle Ages

tates of the Holy Roman Empire

*County of Asti
*Duchy of Benevento
*Bishopric of Bressanone
*Principality of Capua
*March of Genoa (Marca Januensis or Eastern Liguria)
*County of Gorizia
*Kingdom of Italy
*March of Ivrea
*Marche includes Marches of Camerino, Fermo and Ancona
*Duchy of Milan
*Marquisate of Montferrat (created Marca Aleramica)
*Principality of Salerno
*Marquisate of Saluzzo
*Duchy of Savoy
*County of Sorano (Aldobrandeschi)
*Duchy of Spoleto
*Bishopric of Trent
*March of Turin (created Marca Arduinica; also known as the March of Susa)
*Duchy of Tuscany
*Marquisate of Verona and Aquileia

Independent states

*Papal States
*Lombard Kingdom
*Emirate of Sicily
*Kingdom of Sicily
*Terra Sancti Benedicti
*Patriarchate of Aquileia ("Patrie dal Friûl")

Main independent communes

*Arezzo
*Brescia
*Cremona
*Florence
*Genoa
*Lodi
*Milan
*Perugia
*Piacenza
*Pisa
*Siena
*Viterbo

Duchies and other entities of former Byzantine Empire appartenance

*Duchy of Amalfi
*Duchy of Gaeta
*Duchy of Naples
*Duchy of Sorrento
*Republic of Venice
*Republic of Pisa
*Exarchate of Ravenna
*Trani

Italy in the year 1494

Before the beginning of the Italian Wars

*Papal States
*Kingdom of Naples (independent Aragonese dynasty)
*Kingdom of Sicily (to Aragon)
*Kingdom of Sardinia (to Aragon)
*Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
*Prince-Bishopric of Trent
*Duchy of Savoy (Savoia)
*Duchy of Milan (Sforza, to France 1499-1522, to Spain from 1535)
*Duchy of Ferrara (Este)
*Duchy of Modena and Reggio (in personal union with Ferrara)
*Duchy of Urbino (Montefeltro)
*Marquisate of Massa (Malaspina)
*Marquisate of Saluzzo (Aleramici, to France 1548)
*Marquisate of Montferrat (Paleologi, in personal union with Mantua 1533)
*Marquisate of Mantua (Gonzaga)
*Marquisate of Finale (Del Carretto)
*County of Gorizia (annexed to Austria in 1500)
*County of Guastalla (Torelli, sold to a junior branch of the Gonzaga 1539)
*County of Montechiarugolo (Torelli of Montechiarugolo)
*County of Novellara (Gonzaga of Novellara)
*County of Correggio (da Correggio)
*County of Pitigliano (Orsini)
*County of Santa Fiora (Sforza of S.Fiora)
*Stato Landi (Landi)
*Stato Pallavicino (Pallavicino)
*Castiglione (Gonzaga of Castiglione)
*Mirandola (Pico)
*Carpi (Pio di Savoia)
*Sassuolo (Pio di Savoia)
*Bologna (Bentivoglio)
*Faenza (Manfredi)
*Rimini (Malatesta)
*Forlì (Riario)
*Pesaro (Sforza of Pesaro)
*Matelica (Ottoni)
*Camerino (da Varano, duchy from 1515, confiscated and incorporated to the Papal States 1539)
*Imperial Fiefdoms
*Republic of Ancona (to the Papal States in 1532)
*Republic of Genoa
*Republic of Lucca
*Republic of Florence (actually under the lordship of the Medici, duchy from 1532)
*Republic of Ragusa
*Republic of Siena (incorporated to the Duchy of Florence 1555)
*Republic of Venice
*Republic of San Marino
*Republic of Cospaia

Italy in the year 1559

After the Peace of Cateau-Cambresis:

*Papal States
*Kingdom of Naples (under Spain)
*Kingdom of Sicily (under Spain)
*Kingdom of Sardinia (under Spain)
*Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
*Prince-Bishopric of Trent
*Duchy of Savoy (Savoia)
*Duchy of Milan (under Spain)
*Duchy of Mantua (Gonzaga)
*Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (Farnese)
*Duchy of Ferrara (Este; confiscated and incorporated to the Papal States 1598)
*Duchy of Modena and Reggio (Este; in personal union with Ferrara until 1598)
*Duchy of Florence (Grand Duchy of Tuscany from 1569) (Medici)
*Duchy of Urbino (Della Rovere; incorporated to the Papal States 1631)
*Duchy of Castro (in personal union with Parma; confiscated and incorporated to the Papal States 1649)
*Marquisate of Montferrat (in personal union with Mantua; duchy from 1574)
*Marquisate of Masserano (Ferrero-Fieschi; principality from 1577)
*Marquisate of Finale (Del Carretto; to Spain 1602)
*Marquisate of Massa (Cybo-Malaspina; principality from 1568)
*County of Guastalla (Gonzaga of Guastalla)
*County of Montechiarugolo (Torelli; to Parma 1612)
*County of Correggio (da Correggio; principality from 1616, confiscated and ceded to Modena by the Emperor 1631)
*County of Novellara (Gonzaga of Novellara)
*County of Pitigliano (Orsini; acquired by Tuscany in 1604)
*County of Santa Fiora (Sforza; acquired by Tuscany in 1633)
*State Pallavicino (Pallavicino; to Parma 1636)
*Stato Landi (Landi)
*Castiglione (Gonzaga of Castiglione; marquisate from 1579, principality from 1659)
*Piombino (Appiani; principality from 1594)
*Sabbioneta (Gonzaga of Bozzolo; duchy from 1577, sold to Spain in 1629)
*Mirandola (Pico; principality from 1596, duchy from 1617)
*Sassuolo (Pio di Savoia; to Modena 1599)
*Imperial Fiefdoms (small, independent lordships generally under members of the Genoese nobility)
*Saluzzo (under France; to Savoy from 1601)
*Valtelline, Chiavenna and Bormio (under the Grisons)
*State of Presidi (to Naples)
*Republic of Venice
*Republic of Genoa
*Republic of Lucca
*Republic of San Marino
*Republic of Cospaia

Italy in the year 1659

After the treaty of the Pirenees

* Papal States
* Kingdom of Naples (to Spain until 1707; to Austria from 1707 to 1734 then under a junior branch of the Spanish Bourbons
* Kingdom of Sicily (to Spain until 1707; to Austria 1707-1714 and 1720-1734; to Savoy 1714-1720; in personal union with Naples thereafter)
* Kingdom of Sardinia (to Spain until 1714; to Austria 1714-1720; in personal union with Savoy thereafter)
* Grand Duchy of Tuscany (Medici until 1737; Habsburg-Lorraine thereafter)
* Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
* Prince-Bishopric of Trent
* Duchy of Savoy (Savoia)
* Duchy of Montferrat (to Mantua until 1707, then to Savoy)
* Duchy of Milan (to Spain until 1706, then to Austria; the union of Milan and Mantua in 1737 created the Austrian Lombardy)
* Duchy of Mantua (Gonzaga until the imperial confiscation in 1707, then to Austria; Austrian Lombardy from 1737)
* Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (Farnese until 1731; Bourbons 1731-1734; to Austria 1734-1748 then to a junior branch of the Spanish Bourbons)
* Duchy of Guastalla (Gonzaga of Guastalla until their extinction in 1746; in personal union with Parma from 1748)
* Duchy of Mirandola (Pico until the imperial confiscation in 1707; to Austria 1707-1711; to Modena from 1711)
* Duchy of Modena and Reggio (Este)
* Principality of Masserano (Ferrero-Fieschi; sold to Savoy in 1767)
* Principality of Castiglione (Gonzaga of Castiglione; confiscated by the Emperor 1691)
* Principality of Massa (Cybo-Malaspina; duchy from 1664; in personal union with Modena from 1731)
* Principality of Piombino (Ludovisi until 1733, Boncompagni-Ludovisi thereafter)
* County of Novellara (Gonzaga of Novellara until their extinction in 1728; to Modena from 1737)
* Stato Landi (Landi until 1679, Doria 1679-1682, then to Parma)
* Imperial Fiefdoms
* Valtelline, Chiavenna and Bormio (under the Grisons)
* State of Presidi (to Naples)
* Republic of Venice
* Republic of Genoa
* Republic of Lucca
* Republic of San Marino
* Republic of Cospaia

Italy in the year 1796

Before the Napoleonic period

*Papal States (Pope Pius VI)
*Kingdom of Naples (Bourbons of Naples, King Ferdinand IV) (merged with Sicily in 1816 to form the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies)
*Kingdom of Sicily (in personal union with Naples; after 1816 Kingdom of the Two Sicilies)
*Kingdom of Sardinia (inclusive of the Duchy of Savoy, Savoia, King Vittorio Amedeo III)
*Papal States (Pope Pius VI)
*Prince-Bishopric of Brixen (secularized and incorporated into Austria in 1802)
*Prince-Bishopric of Trent (secularized and incorporated into Austria in 1802)
*Grand Duchy of Tuscany (Habsburg-Lorraine, Grand Duke Ferdinand III)
*Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla (Bourbons of Parma, Duke Ferdinando I)
*Duchy of Modena and Reggio (Este, Duke Ercole III)
*Duchy of Massa (personal union with Modena)
*Principality of Piombino (Boncompagni, Prince Antonio II) (after 1815 part of Tuscany)
*Austrian Lombardy (direct Austrian control)
*Valtelline, Chiavenna and Bormio (under the Grisons; after 1816 part of Lombardo-Veneto)
*Republic of Venice (abolished 1797; after 1815 part of Lombardo-Veneto)
*Republic of Genoa (after 1815 to Sardinia)
*Republic of Lucca (after 1815 independent duchy)
*Republic of San Marino
*Republic of Cospaia
*State of Presidi (to Naples; after 1815 to Tuscany)

Italy in Napoleonic times (1796 - 1814)

After Napoleon’s invasion of Italy:

* Republic of Alba (1796 - 1801), annexed to France
* Cispadane Republic (1796 - 1797), formed the Cisalpine Republic
* Transpadane Republic (1796 - 1797), formed the Cisalpine Republic
* Ligurian Republic (1797 - 1805), annexed to France
* Republic of Bergamo (1797)
* Republic of Brescia (1797)
* Republic of Crema (1797)
* Bolognese Republic (1798)
* Cisalpine Republic (1797 - 1802) transformed into the Italian Republic
* Republic of Ancona (1797 - 1798), joined Roman Republic
* Roman Republic (1798 - 1800) capital Rome
* Tiberina Republic (1798 - 1799) capital Perugia, joined Roman Republic
* Parthenopaean Republic (1799) capital Naples
* Subalpine Republic (1800 - 1802)
* Kingdom of Etruria (1801 - 1807) annexed to France
* Italian Republic (1802 - 1805)
* Principality of Lucca and Piombino
* Kingdom of Italy (1805 - 1814)
* Kingdom of Naples (under French rulers 1806-1815)

Italy in the year 1816

After the Congress of Vienna:
*Papal States (Pope Pius VII; lost most of its territories to Sardinia 1859-1860)
*Kingdom of Sardinia (Savoia, King Vittorio Emanuele I; ceded Savoy and Nice to France in 1860; became Kingdom of Italy 1861)
*Kingdom Lombardo-Veneto (to Austria; lost most of Lombardy to Sardinia in 1859)
*Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (Bourbon of Sicily and Naples, later Bourbon-Two-Sicilies, King Ferdinand I; incorporated into Sardinia 1860-1861)
*Grand Duchy of Tuscany (Habsburg-Lorraine, Grand Duke Ferdinand III; incorporated to Sardinia 1859)
*Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla (under Marie Louise, wife of Napoleon, for her lifetime. After her death in 1847, Parma and Piacenza devolve upon the House of Bourbon-Parma, Guastalla on the Duke of Modena; incorporated into Sardinia 1859)
*Duchy of Modena and Reggio (Austria-Este, Duke Francis IV; incorporated into Sardinia 1859)
*Duchy of Lucca (Bourbon-Parma, Duchess Marie Louise; when they return to Parma in 1847, annexed by Tuscany)
*Duchy of Massa and Carrara (annexed to the Duchy of Modena in 1829)
*Republic of San Marino
*Republic of Cospaia (to Tuscany and the Papal States in 1826)
*Trentino-Alto Adige, Gorizia and Trieste (part of the Austrian Empire)

Italy in the year 1861

After the unification

*Papal States (Pope Pius IX; last territories with Rome incorporated into Italy 1870)
*Kingdom of Italy (Savoia, King Vittorio Emanuele II)
*Kingdom Lombardo-Veneto (to Austria; incorporated into Italy 1866)
*Republic of San Marino
*Trentino-Alto Adige, Gorizia and Trieste (part of the Austrian Empire, incorporated into Italy 1918)
*Kingdom of Tavolara, private kingdom of the Bertoleoni family established in 1836, recognized first by Sardinia, then by Italy