The Heirs to the Savoia Throne and the Construction of Italianit, 1860-1900

This book explores the evolution of the role of the heirs to the throne of Italy between 1860 and 1900. It focuses on the future kings Umberto I (1844-1900) and Vittorio Emanuele III (1869-1947), and their respective spouses, Margherita of Savoia (1851-1926) and Elena of Montenegro (1873-1952). It sheds light on the soft power the Italian royals were attempting to generate, by identifying and examining four specific areas of monarchical activity: firstly, the heirs public role and the manner in which they attempted to craft an Italian identity through a process of self-presentation; secondly, the national, royal, linguistic and military education of the heirs; thirdly, the promotion of a family-centred dynasty deploying both male and female elements in the public realm; and finally the readiness to embrace different modes of mobility in the construction of italianit . By analysing the growing importance of the royal heirs and their performance on the public stage in post-Risorgimento Italy, this study investigates the attempted construction of a cohesive national identity through the crown and, more specifically, the heirs to the throne.