Italy Today

Today Italy is a vibrant and dynamic country with one of the largest and strongest economies in the world. The current nation comprises both the land of the former Imperial Kingdom of Italy and the former Kingdom of Two Sicilies. Its current functioning government is a republic, which was founded out of the Savoy Kingdom of Italy by a plebiscite in 1946 in the aftermath of the Second World War. The role of the Imperial Kingdom of Italy today is purely historical, without affiliation with the Italian Republic. It promotes the Christian faith in modern Italy, the Italian and Frankish traditions of the Holy Roman Empire, and peace and prosperity for the Italian people.

ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Italian constitutes its own ethnic group, but perhaps the terms "the Italies" would be more accurate. The Italian penisula is not only made up of the Italic and Roman people so widely associated with the territory. The genetic history of Italy includes the Etruscans, from whom Etruria in central Italy takes its name, and the Lombards, a people from southern Scandinavia that ruled Italy after the Roman Empire. In the north, there is a Germanic heritage from the Franks who came with Charlemagne, as well as an ancient Celtic heritage. In the south, there is an influence from Greeks and Byzantines, as well as the Normans, who conquered southern Italy from the Lombards and Muslims in the early 11th century.

Italy also has a long history of French, Spanish, and English influence. Indeed, the Holy Roman Empress Matilda, wife of Emperor Henry V, was also a claimant to the English throne during a period of civil war, creating a marital union between the thrones of Italy and England. From the 16th century, the English have maintained a lasting relationship with Italy. English is not only a bridge language between Germanic and Romance languages, it is believed to be the modern language closest to the language of Charlemagne — and therefore its use provides a modern link to Imperial Italy.

In the north of Italy, there is French and German influence. The region of Savoy, in modern-day France, was originally Italian. Yet, it was always maintained both French and Italian culture. In the southern part of Italy, not only was there French, Germanic, and Scandinavian influence from the Normans, there was French influence from the Houses of Anjou and Bourbon who ruled the territory at various times. The south also had a Spanish influence from the Spanish House of Aragon, which ruled Naples, and later when Naples was part of the Habsburg Spanish Empire.

Much like the Roman Empire before it, and indeed the Holy Roman Empire, Italy of today is deeply rooted in diverse ancient cultures that combined together to weave the tapestry of what it means to be Italian.