The Kingdom of Sardinia: Namesake of Italy
Few travelers suspect that the name of this island once belonged to an entire kingdom – the same state that gave rise to today's Italy in 1861.
From Aragón to Savoy
As early as 1297, Sardinia was granted to the Crown of Aragón by papal decree, under the title "Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica." In 1720, the island finally passed to the House of Savoy: Duke Victor Amadeus II had to accept Sardinia in exchange for giving up Sicily, becoming the first "King of Sardinia" from the House of Savoy.
Governed from Turin
Remarkably, the actual seat of government for the Kings of Sardinia wasn't on the island at all, but in Piedmontese Turin. The island formally gave the state its name, but remained politically more of a peripheral region than the real centre of power.
Visible traces today
In the Castello district of Cagliari, the historic administrative centre of the island under Spanish, Savoyard, and later Italian rule, buildings from this era can still be visited today – such as the former royal palace (Palazzo Regio).