King Amadeo I was an Italian monarch democratically elected by the Cortes of Madrid but never accepted by the Spanish nobility.
Few in Spain remember that among their monarchs was an Italian king called upon to fill an institutional void and prevent a civil war.
Amadeo Ferdinando Maria of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, was born in Turin on May 30, 1845, the third son of Victor Emmanuel II and Maria Adelaide of Habsburg-Lorraine.
After the anti-Bourbon revolution of 1868, during the tumultuous period known as the "Democratic Sexennium," a Provisional Government issued the Spanish Constitution of 1869, which confirmed the monarchical principle while excluding the Bourbons and initiating the search for a new sovereign.
General Juan Prim y Prats, the leader of the Provisional Government, proposed the crown to Amadeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, who accepted only after securing the approval of Europe's major powers.
On November 26, 1870, Amadeo was elected King of Spain under the name Amadeo I.
For the first time, the central part of the Spanish royal coat of arms, traditionally reserved for the symbol of the ruling family, bore the Savoy cross of the Italian kings (today replaced by the three fleurs-de-lis of the Bourbon-Anjou house).
Departing from La Spezia on December 26, 1870, and arriving in Cartagena on December 30, Amadeo received the tragic news of the assassination of his supporter, General Prim, who had fallen victim to an attack in Madrid.
Upon reaching the Spanish capital on January 2, 1871, he swore an oath on the new Constitution before the Cortes, paid tribute to Prim’s remains at the Basilica de Atocha, and visited the general’s widow.
In his inaugural speech, Amadeo I declared his intention to rule in accordance with the aspirations of the Spanish people, pledging to maintain political trust and refrain from interfering in parliamentary affairs.
The House of Savoy was admired in Spain for its role in the recent unification of Italy and its modern constitutional monarchy, but it was resented by Carlist supporters and Bourbon loyalists still bitter over the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
The Spanish Church also viewed Amadeo unfavorably, as Rome and the Papal States had fallen to the same Italian monarchy.
Amadeo sought to connect with the Spanish people through a modest lifestyle and gestures of humility, such as traveling by tram, shopping in local stores, and attending religious services.
His wife, Queen Maria Vittoria, dedicated herself to charity, founding hospitals, schools, and soup kitchens for the poor.
However, his rejection of royal extravagance and his initial struggles with the Spanish language made him the target of ridicule among the aristocracy, who mockingly nicknamed him "Don Macarrón I."
The nobility expressed their opposition through symbolic acts, such as wearing Isabelline and Carlist mantillas or, as in one notable incident during a concert in the Parque del Retiro, refusing to stand when Queen Maria Vittoria entered.
Also known as the "knight king" or the "elected king," Amadeo’s reign lasted just over two years and was marked by severe political and social instability.
Six governments followed one another during a period of deep economic crisis, exacerbated by the Cuban independence conflict and the outbreak of the Third Carlist War in 1872.
Amid this turmoil, Amadeo was the target of two assassination attempts, the most serious occurring in July 1872 on Calle del Arenal in Madrid.
A group of attackers emerged from Calle San Ginés and opened fire on the royal carriage, but thanks to the swift response of the king’s guards, no one in the royal family was harmed.
One assailant was neutralized, while the others fled into nearby streets.
To demonstrate his courage, Amadeo returned to the same street the following day in an open carriage, earning the warm applause of the citizens.
Despite moments of popular support, opposition to his monarchy grew stronger. Republicans, Carlists, and Alfonsists joined forces to bring an end to his reign.
The breaking point came when Amadeo refused to dissolve the Artillery Corps, a conflict that provided him with the pretext to abdicate.
On February 11, 1873, he announced his irrevocable decision to step down, paving the way for the establishment of the First Spanish Republic.
Upon returning to Turin, relieved to be free of his burdensome duty, he was greeted by a joyful crowd.
Three years later, his wife Maria Vittoria, whose health had been weakened and spirit tormented by her time in Madrid, passed away at just 29 years old.
Amadeo himself, struck by pneumonia, lived only until the age of 45.
Today, his remains rest in the royal crypt of Superga, on the green hills of his beloved Turin, where his legacy endures as a symbol of dedication and integrity in a reign fraught with instability and contradictions.