The House of Savoy is one of the oldest royal families in Europe. First rising to power in the 11th century, the family ruled an area covering parts of modern France, Switzerland, and Italy for nearly a thousand years. In 1730 they became Kings of Sardinia, and in 1861 the rule of all of Italy fell to the House of Savoy.
The penultimate King of Italy was Vittorio Emanuele III. He was a bit overfond of Mussolini, and was driven from the throne after World War II. Power briefly passed to his brother, Umberto II, before the monarchy was abolished and the royal family exiled. After the death of Umberto II in 1983, leadership of the House passed to Vittorio Emanuele, who would become Vittorio Emanuele IV if he ever manages to regain the throne.
Sadly, the latest Vittorio Emanuele is no prize. In 1978 he killed a guy. In 2002 he formally renounced the crown of Italy, which led monarchists to start favoring the Duke of Aosta. Apparently irritated by this turn of events, Vittorio Emanuel punched the Duke in the face at the wedding of King Juan Carlos' son. Since his return to Italy, Vittorio Emanuel has apparently spent his time recruiting prostitutes and making friends in the Mafia. This has not, strangely, endeared him to the Italian public.
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