Giuseppe Bertoleoni claimed to be its monarch. When he died in the 1840s, his eldest son became King Paolo I. During his reign, in 1861 the Italian government paid 12,000 Italian lire for land at the northeast end of the island to build a lighthouse, which began operating in 1868."Notice to Mariners," London Gazette, Aug 28, 1868, p 4734 After Paolo's death in 1886,"E morto il Re!" La Sardegna, June 8, 1886, p 1 a number of newspapers published the report that according to his will, the island had become a republic. The New York Times described a government (supposedly recognized by Italy in 1887) with a president and council of six elected every six years by a vote of the people, regardless of gender. Others reported on Tavolara's alleged third presidential election in 1896."Tiny Nation to Vote: Smallest Republic in the World to Hold a Presidential Election," Lowell Daily Sun, Sep 17, 1896"Nation of 55 People: Republic of Tavolara in Its Third Presidential Campaign" Boston Globe, Jan 10, 1897, p 34 These reports, however, did not end the Bertoleoni kingdom. The third king of Tavolara was Carlo I, who was succeeded upon his death in 1928 by his son King Paolo II. Paolo went abroad, however, and left Carlo's sister Mariangela as regent in his absence. Mariangela died in 1934, leaving the kingdom to Italy."Italy Gets Queen's Island of Tavolara," Hartford Courant, July 9, 1934, p 15 Her nephew Paolo II still claimed the kingdom until he died in 1962, a year that marked the installation of a NATO station on the island.
Giuseppe Bertoleoni claimed to be its monarch. When he died in the 1840s, his eldest son became King Paolo I. During his reign, in 1861 the Italian government paid 12,000 Italian lire for land at the northeast end of the island to build a lighthouse, which began operating in 1868."Notice to Mariners," London Gazette, Aug 28, 1868, p 4734 After Paolo's death in 1886,"E morto il Re!" La Sardegna, June 8, 1886, p 1 a number of newspapers published the report that according to his will, the island had become a republic. The New York Times described a government (supposedly recognized by Italy in 1887) with a president and council of six elected every six years by a vote of the people, regardless of gender. Others reported on Tavolara's alleged third presidential election in 1896."Tiny Nation to Vote: Smallest Republic in the World to Hold a Presidential Election," Lowell Daily Sun, Sep 17, 1896"Nation of 55 People: Republic of Tavolara in Its Third Presidential Campaign" Boston Globe, Jan 10, 1897, p 34 These reports, however, did not end the Bertoleoni kingdom. The third king of Tavolara was Carlo I, who was succeeded upon his death in 1928 by his son King Paolo II. Paolo went abroad, however, and left Carlo's sister Mariangela as regent in his absence. Mariangela died in 1934, leaving the kingdom to Italy."Italy Gets Queen's Island of Tavolara," Hartford Courant, July 9, 1934, p 15 Her nephew Paolo II still claimed the kingdom until he died in 1962, a year that marked the installation of a NATO station on the island.