European Kingdoms

Kingdom of Sardinia
AD 1720 - 1861

A possible source of origin of the Shardana mercenaries of the fourteenth century BC, the island was successively a possession of Carthage, the Romans, the Vandali, the Eastern Roman empire based at Ravenna, the Islamic empire, and then Spain. The War of the Spanish Succession saw Spain lose control of Sardinia to Austria in 1713. Unhappy with this, the Bourbon king of Spain invaded Sardinia in 1717, only to be defeated by the British and Austrians the following year. In 1720, Austria and the duchy of Savoy traded territories, so that Savoy gave up Sicily and gained the poorer neighbouring territory of Sardinia. In compensation, the Savoyards found themselves raised in rank.

1720

The duchy of Savoy trades the important Sicily for the far less important Sardinia, which is closer to its own territory. So as not to lose out on the trade, the former dukes are promoted, and Savoy is merged with Sardinia to form a single kingdom.

1720 - 1730

Victor Amadeus II

Duke of Savoy (1675-1730). King of Sicily (1713-1720).

1730 - 1773

Charles Emanuel III

1773 - 1796

Victor Amadeus III

1796 - 1802

Charles Emanuel IV

Jacobite Stuart heir to Scotland (1807-1819). Died 1819.

1807 - 1819

Upon the death of Henry Benedict Cardinal Stuart, Charles Emanuel becomes the senior heir of the Jacobite claim to the English and Scottish thrones, although he never pursues the claim. He is a descendant of Charles I of England and Scotland through Henrietta Anne, the king's youngest daughter. Henrietta Anne's daughter was Anne Marie of Orleans, and she had married King Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia.

1802 - 1821

Victor Emanuel I

Brother. Jacobite Stuart heir to Scotland (1819-1824). Abdicated.

1821 - 1831

Charles Felix

Brother.

1824 - 1840

Maria Beatrice of Savoy

Daughter of Victor. Jacobite Stuart heir.

1840

With the death of Maria Beatrice, the title of Jacobite Stuart claimant to the English and Scottish thrones passes to her son, Francis, duke of Modena, and then to her daughter, Maria Theresia of Austria-Este, queen consort of Ludwig III of Bavaria.

1831 - 1849

Charles Albert

1849 - 1861

Victor Emanuel II

1861

Thanks to Garibaldi's unification of Italy, the kings of Sardinia are raised to become kings of all Italy.