On 17 March 1805, the Kingdom of Italy is founded, with Napoleon Bonaparte as King. Image: The Iron Crown of Lombardy, from Cesare Cantù Grande illustrazione del Lombardo-Veneto ossia storia delle città, dei borghi, comuni, castelli, ecc. fino ai tempi moderni Milano, Corona e Caimi Editori, 1858. This image is in the public domain in the United States because its copyright has expired.
This crowning of Napoleon as King of 
Italy is a result of the French conquest of Italy. Napoleon was crowned King of Italy with the iron crown of Lombardy (click for geospatial location) on 26 May 1805 (crown pictured above). His full title was “Emperor of the French and King of Italy.”
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