Tomislav II of Croatia, 4th Duke of Aosta
Encyclopedia
Prince Aimone of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta (given names: Aimone Roberto Margherita Maria Giuseppe Torino; 9 March 1900 – 29 January 1948) was an Italian prince from the House of Savoy
and an officer of the Royal Italian Navy. The second son of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta he was granted the title Duke of Spoleto on 22 September 1904. He inherited the title Duke of Aosta
on 3 March 1942 following the death of his brother Prince Amedeo, in a British prisoner of war camp in Nairobi
.
On 18 May 1941, he was nominated by his cousin King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
to assume the kingship of the Independent State of Croatia
(NDH), a German
puppet state in occupied Yugoslavia
. He formally accepted, but refused to assume the kingship in opposition to the Italian annexation of the Dalmatia
region, and is therefore referred to in some sources as king designate. Regardless, many sources refer to him as Tomislav II, King of Croatia (named after the medieval Croatian King Tomislav) and the nominal head of the NDH during its first two years (1941–1943). He resigned the throne on 31 July 1943, formally renouncing all rights to his Croatian title on 12 October 1943 a month after the Italian capitulation.
the second son of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta (eldest son of Amadeus I of Spain and Princess Maria Vittoria) and Princess Hélène of Orléans (daughter of Philippe, comte de Paris
and Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans
). His great grandfather was King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
, making him a member of the House of Savoy
.
On 22 September 1904, he was given the title Duke of Spoleto for life. On 1 April 1921, Prince Aimone became a member of the Italian Senate
. Princes from the House of Savoy became members of Senate on reaching the age of 21, while they earned the right to vote at the age of 25.
In 1929, twenty years after his uncle the Duke of the Abruzzi
had attempted to climb K2
in Karakorum
, Prince Aimone led an expedition to Karakorum. A member of the expedition was Ardito Desio
. Due to the failure to climb K2 twenty years earlier, Prince Aimone's expedition concentrated solely on scientific work.
After being romantically linked with Infanta Beatriz of Spain
the daughter of King Alfonso XIII
, he married on 1 July 1939 in Florence
, Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark
the daughter of King Constantine I of Greece
and Princess Sophie of Prussia.
where Ante Pavelić
, the leader of the fascist Ustaše
movement that had assumed power in Croatia in April 1941 after the invasion of Yugoslavia
, led a delegation of Croats requesting that Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III
name a member of the House of Savoy
King of Croatia. The Independent State of Croatia
was a fascist puppet state that was partly under Italian and German control, covering most of present-day states of Croatia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
, but its leaders tried to assert their legitimacy by instating a monarchy that would resemble the medieval Croatian state
.
Aimone was then officially named King by his cousin Victor Emmanuel III. On assuming the Crown of Zvonimir
he took the regnal name
Tomislav II in memory of Tomislav, the first Croatian king. Originally on learning that he had been named King of Croatia he told close colleagues that he thought his nomination was a bad joke by his cousin King Victor Emmanuel III though he accepted the crown out of a sense of duty. The Italian Foreign Minister and Benito Mussolini
's son in law Count Ciano's informants said of Aimone "The Duke doesn't give a damn about Croatia and wants only money, money and more money." Ciano's diary noted a conversation between Aimone and himself, where Aimone was "proud of having been chosen King of Croatia, but has no exact idea of what he is supposed to do and is vaguely uneasy about it". His full title as King was "King of Croatia, Prince of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Voivode of Dalmatia, Tuzla and Knin".
He was due to be crowned in Duvno (Tomislavgrad), in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, but he refused to go to Croatia due to the "Dalmatia
n question" which arose due to Italy taking some of Dalmatia's coastal territory. Aimone felt that Dalmatia "was a land that could never be Italianized" and was an obstacle to Italian-Croatian reconciliation. Other reasons why he never went to Croatia were because of an ongoing insurgency
, and that his safety could not be guaranteed. Because of this he exercised what little power he had from Italy
and Hungary
, however he never held any real authority throughout his reign as the Ustaše government had deprived the monarchy of most powers and reduced the status of the king to that of a figurehead. In spite of this he did have some symbolic powers such as the ability to grant noble titles. Count Gyula István Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was the counselor to the King for Croatian affairs. Prince Aimone also established a Croatian office in Rome where he received confidential reports, official documents, and military, political and economic information from Croatia. He reportedly made only one short visit to Croatia arriving in Zadar
by a submarine and witnessing first hand the turmoil in the country.
Prince Aimone succeeded to the title Duke of Aosta
on 3 March 1942, following the death of his elder brother Prince Amedeo
, in a British Prisoner of War
camp in Tanganyika
.
(born 27 September 1943) who received Zvonimir as one of his given name
s.
In the late months of World War II
, he became the commander of the Italian Naval Base of Taranto
but he was dismissed from his post for his criticism of the judges that had found General Mario Roatta
guilty. During his naval career he reached the rank of Squadron Admiral.
the previous year, Prince Aimone left Italy for South America
. He died early the next year on 29 January 1948 in his hotel room in Buenos Aires
. His son Prince Amedeo succeeded him as Duke of Aosta.
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
and an officer of the Royal Italian Navy. The second son of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta he was granted the title Duke of Spoleto on 22 September 1904. He inherited the title Duke of Aosta
Duke of Aosta
In the mid-13th century the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta a duchy; its arms were carried in the Savoyard coat-of-arms until the unification of Italy in 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exception of a French occupation, 1539—1563...
on 3 March 1942 following the death of his brother Prince Amedeo, in a British prisoner of war camp in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
.
On 18 May 1941, he was nominated by his cousin King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...
to assume the kingship of the Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
(NDH), a German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
puppet state in occupied Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. He formally accepted, but refused to assume the kingship in opposition to the Italian annexation of the Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
region, and is therefore referred to in some sources as king designate. Regardless, many sources refer to him as Tomislav II, King of Croatia (named after the medieval Croatian King Tomislav) and the nominal head of the NDH during its first two years (1941–1943). He resigned the throne on 31 July 1943, formally renouncing all rights to his Croatian title on 12 October 1943 a month after the Italian capitulation.
Early life
Prince Aimone Roberto Margherita Maria Giuseppe Torino of Savoy-Aosta was born in TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
the second son of Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta (eldest son of Amadeus I of Spain and Princess Maria Vittoria) and Princess Hélène of Orléans (daughter of Philippe, comte de Paris
Philippe, Comte de Paris
Philippe d'Orléans, Count of Paris was the grandson of Louis Philippe I, King of the French. He was a claimant to the French throne from 1848 until his death.-Early life:...
and Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans
Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans
Marie Isabelle of Orléans was born an infanta of Spain and Princess of Orléans and was a Princess of Orléans and Countess of Paris by marriage.-Biography:She was born in Seville to Antoine d'Orléans and Infanta...
). His great grandfather was King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
Victor Emanuel II was king of Sardinia from 1849 and, on 17 March 1861, he assumed the title King of Italy to become the first king of a united Italy since the 6th century, a title he held until his death in 1878...
, making him a member of the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
.
On 22 September 1904, he was given the title Duke of Spoleto for life. On 1 April 1921, Prince Aimone became a member of the Italian Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
. Princes from the House of Savoy became members of Senate on reaching the age of 21, while they earned the right to vote at the age of 25.
In 1929, twenty years after his uncle the Duke of the Abruzzi
Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi
Prince Luigi Amedeo Giuseppe Maria Ferdinando Francesco di Savoia-Aosta , Duke of the Abruzzi , was an Italian nobleman, mountaineer and explorer of the royal House of Savoy...
had attempted to climb K2
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
in Karakorum
Karakorum
Karakorum was the capital of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, and of the Northern Yuan in the 14-15th century. Its ruins lie in the northwestern corner of the Övörkhangai Province of Mongolia, near today's town of Kharkhorin, and adjacent to the Erdene Zuu monastery...
, Prince Aimone led an expedition to Karakorum. A member of the expedition was Ardito Desio
Ardito Desio
Count Ardito Desio was an Italian explorer, mountain climber, geologist, and cartographer.-Early life:Desio was born in Palmanova, Friuli, Italy...
. Due to the failure to climb K2 twenty years earlier, Prince Aimone's expedition concentrated solely on scientific work.
After being romantically linked with Infanta Beatriz of Spain
Infanta Beatriz of Spain
The Infanta Beatriz of Spain was a daughter of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg and paternal aunt of the current King Juan Carlos I.-Early life:Infanta Beatriz was born at La Granja, San Ildefonso near...
the daughter of King Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
, he married on 1 July 1939 in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark
Irene of Greece, Duchess of Aosta
Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark was the fifth child and second daughter of Constantine I of Greece and his wife, the former Princess Sophie of Prussia.-Family and early life:...
the daughter of King Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I of Greece
Constantine I was King of Greece from 1913 to 1917 and from 1920 to 1922. He was commander-in-chief of the Hellenic Army during the unsuccessful Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and led the Greek forces during the successful Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, in which Greece won Thessaloniki and doubled in...
and Princess Sophie of Prussia.
Croatian throne
On 18 May 1941, a ceremony took place at the Quirinal PalaceQuirinal Palace
The Quirinal Palace is a historical building in Rome, Italy, the current official residence of the President of the Italian Republic. It is located on the Quirinal Hill, the tallest of the seven hills of Rome...
where Ante Pavelić
Ante Pavelic
Ante Pavelić was a Croatian fascist leader, revolutionary, and politician. He ruled as Poglavnik or head, of the Independent State of Croatia , a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany in Axis-occupied Yugoslavia...
, the leader of the fascist Ustaše
Ustaše
The Ustaša - Croatian Revolutionary Movement was a Croatian fascist anti-Yugoslav separatist movement. The ideology of the movement was a blend of fascism, Nazism, and Croatian nationalism. The Ustaše supported the creation of a Greater Croatia that would span to the River Drina and to the border...
movement that had assumed power in Croatia in April 1941 after the invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
, led a delegation of Croats requesting that Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III
Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...
name a member of the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
King of Croatia. The Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
was a fascist puppet state that was partly under Italian and German control, covering most of present-day states of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, but its leaders tried to assert their legitimacy by instating a monarchy that would resemble the medieval Croatian state
Medieval Croatian state
Medieval Croatia can refer to:* Principality of Pannonian Croatia - medieval duchy in existence between the 7th and 10th centuries A.D.* Principality of Littoral Croatia - medieval principality in existence between the 8th century and 925 A.D....
.
Aimone was then officially named King by his cousin Victor Emmanuel III. On assuming the Crown of Zvonimir
Crown of Zvonimir
The Crown of Zvonimir was bestowed on King Dmitar Zvonimir of Croatia in 1076 by the papal legate. Zvonimir ruled Croatia until 1089 after which the crown was used in the coronation of his successor Stjepan II and presumably by the numerous Hungarian monarchs after the unification of Croatia and...
he took the regnal name
Regnal name
A regnal name, or reign name, is a formal name used by some monarchs and popes during their reigns. Since medieval times, monarchs have frequently chosen to use a name different from their own personal name when they inherit a throne....
Tomislav II in memory of Tomislav, the first Croatian king. Originally on learning that he had been named King of Croatia he told close colleagues that he thought his nomination was a bad joke by his cousin King Victor Emmanuel III though he accepted the crown out of a sense of duty. The Italian Foreign Minister and Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's son in law Count Ciano's informants said of Aimone "The Duke doesn't give a damn about Croatia and wants only money, money and more money." Ciano's diary noted a conversation between Aimone and himself, where Aimone was "proud of having been chosen King of Croatia, but has no exact idea of what he is supposed to do and is vaguely uneasy about it". His full title as King was "King of Croatia, Prince of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Voivode of Dalmatia, Tuzla and Knin".
He was due to be crowned in Duvno (Tomislavgrad), in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, but he refused to go to Croatia due to the "Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n question" which arose due to Italy taking some of Dalmatia's coastal territory. Aimone felt that Dalmatia "was a land that could never be Italianized" and was an obstacle to Italian-Croatian reconciliation. Other reasons why he never went to Croatia were because of an ongoing insurgency
Insurgency
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents...
, and that his safety could not be guaranteed. Because of this he exercised what little power he had from 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...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, however he never held any real authority throughout his reign as the Ustaše government had deprived the monarchy of most powers and reduced the status of the king to that of a figurehead. In spite of this he did have some symbolic powers such as the ability to grant noble titles. Count Gyula István Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was the counselor to the King for Croatian affairs. Prince Aimone also established a Croatian office in Rome where he received confidential reports, official documents, and military, political and economic information from Croatia. He reportedly made only one short visit to Croatia arriving in Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
by a submarine and witnessing first hand the turmoil in the country.
Prince Aimone succeeded to the title Duke of Aosta
Duke of Aosta
In the mid-13th century the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II made the County of Aosta a duchy; its arms were carried in the Savoyard coat-of-arms until the unification of Italy in 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exception of a French occupation, 1539—1563...
on 3 March 1942, following the death of his elder brother Prince Amedeo
Amedeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta
Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta was the third Duke of Aosta and a first cousin, once removed of the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III. His baptismal name was Amedeo Umberto Isabella Luigi Filippo Maria Giuseppe Giovanni di Savoia-Aosta...
, in a British Prisoner of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp in Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
.
Capitulation and aftermath
Following the dismissal of Mussolini on 25 July 1943, the Prince abdicated on 31 July on the orders of Victor Emmanuel III. With the Italian capitulation on 8 September, he formally renounced on October 12 his rights to the title. This happened shortly after the birth of his son AmedeoAmedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta
Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta, is a claimant to the headship of the House of Savoy, the family which ruled Italy from 1861 to 1946, as well as the heir to the short-lived Kingdom of Croatia during World War II...
(born 27 September 1943) who received Zvonimir as one of his given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
s.
In the late months of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he became the commander of the Italian Naval Base of Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
but he was dismissed from his post for his criticism of the judges that had found General Mario Roatta
Mario Roatta
Mario Roatta was an Italian general, Mussolini's Chief-of-Staff, and head of the military secret service.-SIM:From 1934 to 1936, Roatta headed up the Italian Military Intelligence Service .-Spain:...
guilty. During his naval career he reached the rank of Squadron Admiral.
Death
In 1947 following the birth of the Italian RepublicBirth of the Italian Republic
The Italian constitutional referendum which officially took place on 2 June 1946, is a key event of Italian contemporary history. Until 1946, Italy was a kingdom ruled by the House of Savoy, kings of Italy since the Risorgimento and previously rulers of Savoy...
the previous year, Prince Aimone left Italy for South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. He died early the next year on 29 January 1948 in his hotel room in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. His son Prince Amedeo succeeded him as Duke of Aosta.
Titles and styles
- His Royal Highness Prince Aimone of Savoy-Aosta
- His Royal Highness The Duke of Spoleto
- His Royal Highness The Duke of Aosta, Prince of Cisterna and of Belriguardo, Marquess of Voghera, and Count of Ponderano
- His Majesty The King of Croatia, Prince of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Voivode of Dalmatia, Tuzla and Knin