Question

Who among the following was proclaimed as the first king of Italy?
a.Nicholas II
b. George II
c. William IV
d. Victor Emmanuel II

Answer 1

Hint: The Kingdom of United Italy was proclaimed for the first time on March 17, 1861 at Turin which was the capital of Piedmont-Sardinia. The then King of Sardinia became the First King of United Italy.

Complete step by step solution: Let’s take a look at the different options given in the question one by one to reach the appropriate answer.
a. Nicholas II – The Russian King Nicholas II was born in 1868, long after the Kingdom of Unified Italy was established. Hence, it is unlikely that he could be the First King of the Unified Italy. So, it is an incorrect option.
b. George II – George II was a king of Great Britain who had passed away in the year 1760, which is almost a century after which the Kingdom of Unified Italy was established. Hence, he cannot be the king of Italy at all. So, it is an incorrect option.
c. William IV – William IV was also a king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland who had already died in 1837. Since the unification of Italy had not taken place at that time, William IV could not have been the first king of the Unified Italy kingdom. So, it is an incorrect option.
d. Victor Emmanuel II – Victor Emmanuel II was the king of Sardinia during whose reign the unification of Italy took place. He became the first king of the Kingdom of Unified Italy and ruled until his death in 1870. So, it is the correct option.

Note: The students should take care not to confuse the Unification of Italy with the Unification of Germany, which took place in 1990.