Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
1820–1878 (age 58)
Biography
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy was the first king of a unified Italy, whose reign marked the culmination of the Risorgimento and the establishment of the Italian nation-state. His leadership during the nineteenth century was instrumental in transforming Italy from a collection of separate states into a modern, unified kingdom.
Victor Emmanuel II's legacy as a monarch encompasses his role in the political unification of Italy and his efforts to establish a constitutional monarchy. His burial at the Pantheon, one of Rome's most sacred monuments, reflects his status as a founding figure of modern Italy and his enduring place in the nation's historical consciousness.