Amadeo I

Second son of Vittorio Emanuele II, who was King of Sardinia (1849-1861) and King of Italy (1861-1878), and Adelheid Franziska Marie Rainiera Elisabeth Klothilde (Italian: Maria Adelaida Francesca Raniera Elisabetta Clotilde) Erzherzogin von Österreich (archduchess of Austria); received military education; was made captain of Aosta infantry brigade; distinguished himself in the battle of Custoza (24 Jun 1866) during the Italian campaign of the Austro-Prussian War; was promoted to general lieutenant and assigned command of a cavalry brigade; named vice admiral (1869); elected King of Spain (16 Nov 1870) with the support given by Juan Prim y Prats, veteran of the Spanish politics; accepted the crown at a meeting with the delegation of Spanish officials at Palazzo Pitti, Florence (4 Dec 1870); renounced his rights to the Italian throne for himself and his successors; landed at Cartagena, Spain (30 Dec 1870), few days after the assassination of Prim y Prats (27 Dec 1870); sworn in as constitutional monarch (2 Jan 1871); with no experience in politics, the 25-year old king failed to bring reconciliation within complicated political environment; governed counting on the support of the progressive party; in 1872 faced an outburst of internal party rivalry; escaped assassination attempt (18 Jul 1872); abdicated (11 Feb 1873). Biography source: [6]