# Carlo Alberto I of Sardinia

> King of Sardinia from 1831 to 1849

**Wikidata**: [Q181261](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181261)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Albert_of_Sardinia)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/carlo-alberto-i-of-sardinia

## Summary
Carlo Alberto I was the King of Sardinia from 1831 to 1849. He is best known for granting the *Statuto Albertino*, the constitution that served as the fundamental law of the Kingdom of Sardinia and later the Kingdom of Italy, and for founding major cultural institutions such as the Accademia Albertina.

## Biography
- **Born:** October 2, 1798
- **Died:** July 28, 1849
- **Nationality:** Kingdom of Sardinia; also identified with France
- **Education:** Collège Stanislas de Paris
- **Known for:** Reigning as King of Sardinia (1831–1849); enacting the *Statuto Albertino*; founding cultural institutions
- **Employer(s):** Kingdom of Sardinia (Sovereign)
- **Field(s):** Politics; Sovereignty

## Contributions
Carlo Alberto I's reign was marked by significant political and cultural contributions:
*   **Constitutional Grant:** He promulgated the *Statuto Albertino* in 1848. This constitution served as the fundamental law for the Kingdom of Sardinia (1848–1861) and subsequently for the unified Kingdom of Italy (1861–1948).
*   **Founding of the Accademia Albertina:** He founded the Accademia Albertina delle Belle Arti di Torino, a prestigious art school and higher education institution located in Turin.
*   **Establishment of Cultural Institutions:** He played a key role in the inception of the Royal Library of Turin (established 1839) and the Galleria Sabauda (established 1832/1833), a major art museum in Turin.
*   **Military Orders:** He is associated with the inception of the Civil Order of Savoy in 1831.

## FAQs
**Who succeeded Carlo Alberto I as King of Sardinia?**
Carlo Alberto I was succeeded by Victor Emmanuel II, who reigned as King of Sardinia from 1849 to 1861 and later became the first King of Italy.

**What was the *Statuto Albertino*?**
The *Statuto Albertino* was the constitution of the Kingdom of Sardinia, enacted by Carlo Alberto I in 1848. It remained the constitution of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until 1948.

**What educational institution did Carlo Alberto I found?**
Carlo Alberto I founded the Accademia Albertina delle Belle Arti di Torino, an art school and university located in Turin, established in 1678 under his patronage.

**What honors and orders was Carlo Alberto I affiliated with?**
He received numerous honors including the Order of St. Andrew, the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, the Order of Saint Januarius, and the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. He was also the founder of the Civil Order of Savoy.

## Why They Matter
Carlo Alberto I matters as a pivotal figure in the history of the Italian peninsula whose political and cultural decisions had lasting consequences. By granting the *Statuto Albertino* in 1848, he established a constitutional monarchy that provided the legal framework for the unification of Italy, serving as the constitution of the Italian state for nearly a century. His cultural legacy is equally significant; through the founding of the Accademia Albertina, the Royal Library of Turin, and the Galleria Sabauda, he transformed Turin into a major center for arts and education. These institutions preserved artistic heritage and fostered new talent, ensuring his influence extended well beyond his abdication in 1849.

## Notable For
- Serving as King of Sardinia from 1831 to 1849.
- Granting the *Statuto Albertino*, the constitution that later governed unified Italy.
- Founding the Accademia Albertina delle Belle Arti di Torino.
- Establishing the Royal Library of Turin (1839) and the Galleria Sabauda (1832/1833).
- Receiving the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour.
- Receiving the Order of St. Andrew, the highest order of the Russian Empire.
- Being succeeded by Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of Italy.
- Founding the Civil Order of Savoy in 1831.

## Body

### Reign and Political Context
Carlo Alberto I reigned as the King of Sardinia from 1831 until 1849. As a sovereign of the House of Savoy, he governed a kingdom that was a key political entity in the Italian peninsula prior to unification. His reign concluded in 1849 when he abdicated in favor of his son, Victor Emmanuel II. Victor Emmanuel II subsequently became the first King of Italy in 1861, utilizing the political and constitutional foundation established during Carlo Alberto's reign.

### The Statuto Albertino
One of Carlo Alberto's most enduring political acts was the promulgation of the *Statuto Albertino*. This constitution was enacted in 1848 and served as the fundamental law of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Following the unification of Italy, the *Statuto Albertino* was adopted by the Kingdom of Italy, where it remained in effect from 1861 until 1948. This document established a constitutional monarchy and defined the structures of government, playing a critical role in the modernization of the Italian state.

### Cultural and Educational Foundations
Carlo Alberto I was a significant patron of the arts and education, responsible for founding several major institutions in Turin:
*   **Accademia Albertina:** He founded the Accademia Albertina delle Belle Arti di Torino, a higher education institution and art school. The academy, located in Turin, Italy, is one of the oldest fine arts academies in Europe. It houses the Pinacoteca della Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti, a notable art gallery.
*   **Royal Library of Turin:** He established the Royal Library of Turin (Biblioteca Reale di Torino), a public library that opened in 1839. The library serves as a major repository of historical and literary works.
*   **Galleria Sabauda:** He was instrumental in the inception of the Galleria Sabauda, an art museum in Turin. The museum was officially established in 1832 and 1833 and currently employs 28 staff members.

### Honors and Recognition
Throughout his life, Carlo Alberto I received numerous prestigious awards and orders of chivalry from various European powers:
*   **Russian Honors:** He was a recipient of the Order of St. Andrew, the highest order of the Russian Empire (incepted 1698), and the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, an order of chivalry of the Russian Empire (1725–1917).
*   **French Honors:** He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the fifth rank of the French Legion of Honour.
*   **Italian Honors:** He founded the Civil Order of Savoy in 1831, a military order associated with the Kingdom of Sardinia. He was also affiliated with the Order of Saint Januarius, a Roman Catholic order of knighthood incepted in 1738.

### Personal Life and Education
Born on October 2, 1798, Carlo Alberto I was educated at the Collège Stanislas de Paris, a private Catholic school in Paris, France. This education likely influenced his political and cultural outlook. He died on July 28, 1849, shortly after his abdication. His personal records and biographical data are extensively cataloged, with identifiers including ISNI (0000000110219936), VIAF (18030661), and multiple library authority files across Europe.

### Affiliations and Relationships
Carlo Alberto I was affiliated with notable figures of his time. His son and successor, Victor Emmanuel II, continued his legacy by unifying Italy. Luigi Federico Menabrea, an Italian politician, scientist, and general, served the Kingdom of Sardinia during the era following Carlo Alberto's reign, eventually becoming a minister and diplomat for the Kingdom of Italy. The political stability and institutions Carlo Alberto fostered enabled figures like Menabrea to rise to prominence in the subsequent Italian government.

## References

1. Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978)
2. Archivio Storico Ricordi
3. BeWeB
4. Integrated Authority File
5. The Peerage
6. Czech National Authority Database
7. [Calendario manual y guía de forasteros en Madrid. 1837](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=ucm.5324213865&view=1up&seq=85)
8. [Notizia storica del nobilissimo ordine supremo della santissima Annunziata. Sunto degli statuti, catalogo dei cavalieri. 1869](https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=Q2aP6enNFoYC&pg=PA100)
9. [Hof- und Staatshandbuch des österreichischen Kaiserthumes. 1848](https://alex.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/alex?aid=shb&datum=1848&page=206&size=45)
10. Virtual International Authority File
11. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
12. Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana
13. Proleksis Encyclopedia
14. Croatian Encyclopedia
15. Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani
16. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
17. [Source](http://digitale.beic.it/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&vid=BEIC&vl%283134987UI0%29=creator&vl%28freeText0%29=Carlo%20Alberto%20)
18. IdRef
19. CERL Thesaurus
20. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
21. Enciclopedia Treccani
22. LIBRIS. 2012
23. Dizionario di Storia
24. Sejm-Wielki.pl
25. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands