Kingdom of Tavolara
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Tavolara was a small independent state existing in the 19th and 20th centuries in Tavolara Island
, off the northeast coast of Sardinia
. Ruled by the Bertoleoni
family, it was one of the smallest kingdoms in the world. It is now de facto part of Italy
, although it was never formally annexed.
In 1836, King Charles Albert of Sardinia
visited the island and acknowledged Giuseppe Bertoleoni
as an independent sovereign
monarch
. When he died in the 1840s, his eldest son became King Paolo I
. Documents dating to 1767 affirm that Tavolara had never been a part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Reportedly, British
Queen Victoria
also recognized the sovereignty of Tavolara.
Tavolara was not included in the Italian unification
, and King Paolo actively sought and obtained recognition from Italy. During his reign, in 1861 the Italian government paid 12,000 lire for land at the northeast end of the island to build a lighthouse, which began operating in 1868. Tavolara's sovereignty was reconfirmed in 1903, when Victor Emmanuel III of Italy signed a treaty of friendship with the nation.
After Paolo's death in 1886, a number of newspapers published the report that according to his will, the island had become a republic. The New York Times described a government with president and council of six elected every six years by a vote of the people, male and female. Others reported on Tavolara's alleged third presidential election in 1896. These reports, however, were erroneous, based on mere rumors.
The third king of Tavolara was Carlo I
, who was succeeded upon his death in 1928 by his son King Paolo II
. Paolo went abroad, however, and left Carlo's sister Mariangela
as regent in his absence. Queen Mariangela died in 1934, leaving the kingdom to Italy.
Her nephew Paolo II still claimed the kingdom, however, and ruled it until his death in 1962. That year marked the installation of a NATO station and the effective end of Tavolaran sovereignty.
The present King Tonino
of Tavolara is an Italian citizen named Tonino Bertoleoni, who runs "Da Tonino", a restaurant on the island. Politically, the interests of the island are represented in its external dealings by Prince Ernesto Geremia di Tavolara, of La Spezia
, Italy, who has written a history of the island.
The royal tomb of King Paolo I is in the graveyard on the island, surmounted by a crown.
Tavolara Island
Tavolara is a small island off the northeast coast of Sardinia, Italy. The island is a limestone massif 5 kilometres long and 1 kilometre wide, with steep cliffs except at its ends. Its highest point, Monte Cannone, is 565 metres above sea level. A cove and beach can be found at each end of the...
, off the northeast coast of Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. Ruled by the Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled "Kingdom of Tavolara" , which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world"...
family, it was one of the smallest kingdoms in the world. It is now de facto part of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, although it was never formally annexed.
In 1836, King Charles Albert of Sardinia
Charles Albert of Sardinia
Charles Albert was the King of Piedmont-Sardinia from 1831 to 1849. He succeeded his distant cousin Charles Felix, and his name is bound with the first Italian statute and the First War of Independence...
visited the island and acknowledged Giuseppe Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled "Kingdom of Tavolara" , which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world"...
as an independent sovereign
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
. When he died in the 1840s, his eldest son became King Paolo I
Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled "Kingdom of Tavolara" , which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world"...
. Documents dating to 1767 affirm that Tavolara had never been a part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Reportedly, British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
also recognized the sovereignty of Tavolara.
Italian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
, and King Paolo actively sought and obtained recognition from Italy. During his reign, in 1861 the Italian government paid 12,000 lire for land at the northeast end of the island to build a lighthouse, which began operating in 1868. Tavolara's sovereignty was reconfirmed in 1903, when Victor Emmanuel III of Italy signed a treaty of friendship with the nation.
After Paolo's death in 1886, a number of newspapers published the report that according to his will, the island had become a republic. The New York Times described a government with president and council of six elected every six years by a vote of the people, male and female. Others reported on Tavolara's alleged third presidential election in 1896. These reports, however, were erroneous, based on mere rumors.
The third king of Tavolara was Carlo I
Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled "Kingdom of Tavolara" , which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world"...
, who was succeeded upon his death in 1928 by his son King Paolo II
Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled "Kingdom of Tavolara" , which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world"...
. Paolo went abroad, however, and left Carlo's sister Mariangela
Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled "Kingdom of Tavolara" , which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world"...
as regent in his absence. Queen Mariangela died in 1934, leaving the kingdom to Italy.
Her nephew Paolo II still claimed the kingdom, however, and ruled it until his death in 1962. That year marked the installation of a NATO station and the effective end of Tavolaran sovereignty.
The present King Tonino
Bertoleoni
Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled "Kingdom of Tavolara" , which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world"...
of Tavolara is an Italian citizen named Tonino Bertoleoni, who runs "Da Tonino", a restaurant on the island. Politically, the interests of the island are represented in its external dealings by Prince Ernesto Geremia di Tavolara, of La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
, Italy, who has written a history of the island.
The royal tomb of King Paolo I is in the graveyard on the island, surmounted by a crown.