Italy after the dissolution of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and the successive barbarian invasions, up until the Italian unification in 1860, was a conglomeration of city-states, republics, and other independent entities. The following is a list of the various Italian states during that period.
Ostrogothic Kingdom
Lombard Kingdom
Exarchate of Ravenna (under the Byzantine Empire)
Exarchate of Carthage (under the Byzantine Empire)
Thema of Sicily (under the Byzantine Empire)
Duchy of Benevento
Papal States
Kingdom of Italy (under the Carolingian Empire)
Catepanate of Italy (under the Byzantine Empire)
Kingdom of Italy (also called Kingdom of Lombardy)
March of Tuscany
March of Verona
March of Treviso
March of Ivrea
March of Turin
March of Montferrat
March of Genoa
Patriarchate of Aquileia (including March of Friuli and March of Istria)
Duchy of Spoleto
Bishopric of Brixen
Bishopric of Trent
County of Savoy
County of Gorizia
Marquisate of Saluzzo
Marquisate of Ceva
Marquisate of Incisa
Marquisate of Finale
Catepanate of Italy (under the Byzantine Empire)
Principality of Benevento
Principality of Salerno
Principality of Capua
Duchy of Gaeta
Duchy of Naples
Duchy of Amalfi
Duchy of Sorrento
Emirate of Sicily (under the Fatimid Caliphate)
County of Sicily
County of Apulia
Duchy of Apulia
Duchy of Calabria
Duchy of Apulia and Calabria
Kingdom of Sicily
Giudicato of Agugliastra
Giudicato of Arborea
Giudicato of Cagliari
Giudicato of Gallura
Giudicato of Logudoro
Papal States
Republic of Venice
Republic of Genoa
Republic of Pisa
Republic of Florence
Republic of Lucca
Republic of Siena
Republic of Ancona
Republic of Noli
Republic of Senarica
Republic of Ragusa
Republic of San Marino
Papal States
Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica
Duchy of Milan
Duchy of Ferrara
Duchy of Modena and Reggio
Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
Prince-Bishopric of Trent
Marquisate of Saluzzo
Marquisate of Montferrat
Marquisate of Mantua
Marquisate of Massa
Marquisate of Finale
Marquisate of Incisa
Marquisate of Ceva
Marquisate of Fosdinovo
Marquisate of Bastia
County of Savoy (raised to Duchy of Savoy in 1416)
County of Urbino (raised to Duchy of Urbino in 1443)
County of Mirandola
County of Guastalla
County of Nice (in personal union with Savoy)
County of Gorizia
County of Montechiarugolo
County of Santa Fiora
County of Asti
County of Masserano
County of Correggio
County of Pitigliano
County of Novellara
County of Tende
County of Sovana
County of Scandiano
Republic of Venice
Republic of Genoa
Republic of Lucca
Republic of Florence
Republic of Siena
Republic of Ancona
Republic of Noli
Republic of Senarica
Republic of Cospaia
Republic of Ragusa
Republic of San Marino
The Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis was signed between Elizabeth I of England and Henry II of France on 2 April and between Henry II and Philip II of Spain on 3 April 1559, at Le Cateau-Cambrésis. Under its terms, France restored Piedmont and Savoy to the Duke of Savoy, and Corsica to the Republic of Genoa. More importantly, the treaty confirmed Spanish direct control of Milan, Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, and the State of Presidi, and indirectly (through dominance of the rulers of Tuscany, Genoa, and other minor states) of northern Italy. The Pope was also their natural ally. The only truly independent entities on Italian soil were the Duchy of Savoy and the Republic of Venice.
Papal States
Kingdom of Naples (under Habsburg Spain)
Kingdom of Sicily (under Habsburg Spain)
Kingdom of Sardinia (under Habsburg Spain)
Duchy of Savoy
Duchy of Milan (under Habsburg Spain)
Duchy of Mantua
Duchy of Parma and Piacenza
Duchy of Ferrara
Duchy of Modena and Reggio (in personal union with Ferrara)
Duchy of Florence (raised to Grand Duchy of Tuscany in 1569)
Duchy of Urbino
Duchy of Castro (in personal union with Parma)
Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
Prince-Bishopric of Trent
Principality of Piombino
Principality of Monaco
Marquisate of Montferrat (raised to Duchy of Montferrat in 1574; in personal union with Mantua)
Marquisate of Masserano (raised to Principality of Masserano in 1598)
Marquisate of Sabbioneta (raised to Duchy of Sabbioneta in 1577)
Marquisate of Finale
Marquisate of Massa (raised to Principality of Massa in 1568)
Marquisate of Carrara (in personal union with Massa)
Marquisate of Castiglione (raised to Principality of Castiglione in 1609)
Marquisate of Torriglia
Marquisate of Fosdinovo
Marquisate of Bastia
County of Guastalla
County of Mirandola
County of Montechiarugolo
County of Correggio (raised to Principality of Correggio in 1616)
County of Novellara
County of Pitigliano
County of Tende
County of Santa Fiora
Republic of Venice
Republic of Genoa
Republic of Lucca
Republic of Ragusa
Republic of San Marino
Republic of Noli
Republic of Senarica
Republic of Cospaia
Malta (ruled by the Knights Hospitaller)
By the Treaty of Utrecht's provisions, the European empire of Spain was divided. In Italy, the Duchy of Savoy received Sicily and parts of the Duchy of Milan, while Charles VI (the Archduke of Austria) received the Kingdom of Naples, Sardinia, and the bulk of the Duchy of Milan along with other minor states.
Papal States
Kingdom of Naples (under Habsburg Monarchy up to 1734)
Kingdom of Sicily (under Savoy from 1714 to 1720; under Habsburg Monarchy from 1720 to 1734; in personal union with Naples thereafter)
Kingdom of Sardinia (under Habsburg Monarchy from 1714 to 1720; in personal union with Savoy thereafter)
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Duchy of Savoy
Duchy of Milan (under Habsburg Monarchy)
Duchy of Mantua (under Habsburg Monarchy)
Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (under Habsburg Monarchy from 1734 to 1748)
Duchy of Guastalla (in personal union with Parma from 1748)
Duchy of Modena and Reggio
Duchy of Massa and Carrara (in personal union with Modena from 1731)
Duchy of Mirandola (in personal union with Modena from 1710)
Prince-Bishopric of Brixen
Prince-Bishopric of Trent
Principality of Masserano
Principality of Torriglia
Principality of Piombino
Principality of Monaco
Marquisate of Fosdinovo
Marquisate of Bastia
Republic of Venice
Republic of Genoa
Republic of Lucca
Republic of San Marino
Republic of Ragusa
Republic of Noli
Republic of Senarica
Republic of Cospaia
Corsican Republic
Malta (ruled by the Knights Hospitaller)
Republic of Alba
Republic of Bergamo
Republic of Brescia
Republic of Crema
Republic of Pescara
Piedmontese Republic
Anconine Republic
Cispadane Republic
Transpadane Republic
Cisalpine Republic
Subalpine Republic
Ligurian Republic
Bolognese Republic
Tiberina Republic
Roman Republic
Parthenopean Republic
Italian Republic
Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Etruria
Kingdom of Naples
Principality of Lucca and Piombino
Principality of Benevento
Principality of Pontecorvo
Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sicily
Anglo-Corsican Kingdom
Principality of Elba (non-hereditary Monarchy under the exiled Emperor Napoleon)
Republic of San Marino
Republic of Cospaia
Following the defeat of Napoleonic France, the Congress of Vienna (1815) was convened to redraw the European continent. In Italy, the Congress restored the pre-Napoleonic patchwork of independent governments, either directly ruled or strongly influenced by the prevailing European powers, particularly Austria. The Congress also determined the end of two millenary republics: Genoa was annexed by Sardinia, and Venice was incorporated with Milan into a new kingdom of the Austrian Empire. At the time, the struggle for Italian unification was perceived to be waged primarily against the Habsburgs, since they directly controlled the predominantly Italian-speaking northeastern part of present-day Italy and were, together, the most powerful force against unification. The Austrian Empire vigorously repressed nationalist sentiment growing on the Italian peninsula, as well as in the other parts of Habsburg domains.
Papal States
Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia (under Austrian Empire)
Kingdom of Illyria (under Austrian Empire)
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla
Duchy of Modena and Reggio
Duchy of Massa and Carrara
Duchy of Lucca
Principality of Monaco
Republic of San Marino
Republic of Cospaia
Republic of San Marco
Roman Republic
United Provinces of Central Italy