History History

Flints found in Anglona, in the north of Sardinia, attest to the first human presence on the island. They could be Tuscans who arrived via Corsica or Elba Island.

Attracted by the obsidian, which is traded in the Mediterranean, populations from central Italy settled permanently on the island. They come with their animals and wheat and take advantage of the fertile land. Archaeologists refer to the civilization of Filiestru.

People from Liguria came from Corsica to settle in the north of Sardinia, in the Arzachena region. Sanctuaries appear in the form of funerary circles, such as that of Li Muri.

New communities arriving from southern Italy, Malta and the eastern Mediterranean took possession of the Mara and Cabras regions in the west of the island. They founded the Bonuighini civilization and left behind huts, decorated caves, decorated pottery, jewellery and objects of worship.

Numerous archaeological testimonies show a significant colonization of the island during this period. Settlers arrived from the south of Sardinia, probably from North Africa or Crete. They will go up to the northwest of the island, swarming small villages or occupying the caves. The civilization of Ozieri is famous for its ceramics and jewellery. It leaves in inheritance the domus de janas, or "fairy houses", which were used as burial place for a whole clan, and the taste of war.

Opening of the Nuraghic period, founder of the Sardinian civilization. The name comes from "nuraghe", that stone tower with always mysterious functions. The first nuraghi, in tunnel, and the tombs of giants make their appearance.

The Trojan War - if it has taken place - is causing an exodus, with some refugees arriving in Sardinia. This period coincides with the construction of nuraghi in tholos, circular and conical in shape and topped with a pointed roof. The Nuraghic culture soon reached its peak.

The Phoenicians used southern Sardinia as a relay to the western part of the Mediterranean. They developed ports, traded with the local tribes and imported writing. Barumini becomes one of the most important nuraghes of the island.

The Carthaginians are trying to take over the island. General Malchus lands at the head of a fleet of 50,000 men, but is repulsed. They sign an alliance with the coastal inhabitants, the Phoenicians, to achieve their ends.

Carthaginian domination is almost total. The Sardinians take refuge in the mountains to the east of the island, which are considered inaccessible. The Phoenicians enlarged the port cities and founded Karalis, today's Cagliari. The island becomes an important military and commercial base.

The Romans have coveted the riches of Sardinia for several decades. They took advantage of a violent revolt by the Sardinians to demand the surrender of the island by the Carthaginians. This episode marks the end of the Nuraghic period.

The Romans defeat the Sardinian mountain people and complete their conquest of the island. 27,000 Ilians are massacred during the last two years of the war. They develop the island by building roads and bridges that allow them to transport men and goods more easily.

Tiberius sends 4,000 Jews into exile in Sardinia, the highest criminal penalty in the Roman code. Tombs with inscriptions in Hebrew and Latin were found in the catacombs of Sant'Antiocho.

Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who was known for his persecution of Christians, had many of them deported to the island. By this means, he brought religion to Sardinia, which slowly spread.

Emperor Constantine converts to Christianity. The persecution of Christians ceases. But pagan cults continue, especially in Sardinia.

Foundation of the bishopric of Cagliari.

After settling in North Africa and taking Carthage, the Vandals invaded Sardinia, which they snatched from the Romans. The island becomes the breadbasket of their empire.

Symmachus becomes the first pope of Sardinian origin.

The Byzantine Emperor Justinian gathered 16,000 men to conquer Sardinia. The civil administrator takes up residence in Cagliari while the military leader occupies the stronghold of Fordongianus. The Byzantines overwhelm the Sardinians with taxes and duties.

Pope Gregory undertook to convert the previously refractory Sardinians of Barbagia. He sent Byzantine monks who also introduced apple trees, vines, fig and olive trees.

Destabilized by the wars against the Persians, then the Arabs, the Byzantine Empire abandoned Sardinia. Abandoned, the island returns to its Nuraghic traditions of governance.

The Saracens of the Umayyad Caliphate took advantage of the Byzantine holiday to take over Sardinia in their turn.

A popular revolt drove out the Arabs, who would attempt new incursions, without success, in the following decades. Sardinia organizes itself administratively by founding 4 independent territories: l'Arborea, Calaris (Cagliari), Gallura and Logoduro (Torres). These "Judicates" are placed under the authority of a judge who holds both civil and military responsibilities.

Amir Mujahid al-Amiri landed at Torres with a fleet of 125 ships. The Judicat de Logoduro falls under his control.

Pope Gregory VIII forced Pisa and Genoa to join forces to form a fleet destined to retake Sardinia. Learning the news, Emir Mujahid leaves the island.

As an independent entity, each Judicate organizes itself as it sees fit. Thus, the Judicate of Calaris makes an alliance with Pisa, while the Judicate of Logoduro approaches Genoa. These two republics guarantee a protectorate in a first time before operating a domination.

The Gallura Judiciary falls under the influence of Pisa.

Adelasia de Torres, judicessa de Logoduro, dies without leaving an heir. The Judicat is separated between that of Arborea and the powerful Genoese families Doria and Malaspina.

Pope Boniface VIII created ex-nihilo the kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica and offered the title to James II of Aragon. Only the Judicate of Arborea maintains its independence.

The Judicate of Arborea allied itself with King James II of Aragon to drive the Visconti from Pisa and the Doria and Malaspina families. One year later, the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica becomes effective.

The first cortes (parliament) meets. The three orders are represented: ecclesiastical, military and civil. Peter IV of Aragon loses interest in Sardinia and the Judicate of Arborea exerts its influence, with the exception of Alghero and Cagliari.

Hugues III of Arborée imposed a tyrannical domination that led to a revolt of the islanders. Martin I of Aragon undertakes to recover Sardinia.

Eléonore d'Arborea established the first Civil Code of Europe, which was maintained until 1827.

Martin I defeats William II, Viscount of Narbonne and Judge of Arborea in Sanluri.

William II sells his last Sardinian territories to the King of Aragon for 100,000 florins.

Castelsardo, still under the Doria's domination, falls. Sardinia is unified.

In the absence of an heir, the crown of Aragon passes to Charles V.

Charles II, King of Spain, the Netherlands, India, Naples, Sardinia and Sicily, Duke of Burgundy and Milan, dies without an heir. A long war between the House of Austria and Louis XIV begins to recover the throne of Spain and its many colonies.

The Treaties of Utrecht divided the Spanish Empire between Great Britain, France, Austria and the Netherlands. Philip V, grandson of Louis XIV, inherits the Spanish throne. In exchange, Spain cedes its Italian possessions to Austria, and Sicily returns to the Prince of Savoy.

Prince Victor-Amédée II of Savoy exchanges Sicily with Sardinia. The Kingdom of Sardinia includes in addition the states of Savoy, Piedmont and the county of Nice.

The French attempt an invasion of Sardinia, quickly repulsed by the Ilans.

Exasperated by the refusal of the Savoy to take into account the statutory proposals of the Sardinian states general, a revolution broke out. Giovanni Maria Angioy, judge at the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Sardinia, takes the lead in the revolt.

Following a blitzkrieg, Napoleonic France takes Savoy and the county of Nice. Giovanni Maria Angioy is defeated near Oristano. He fled to Paris.

France declares war on the King of Sardinia Charles-Emmanuel IV and invades Turin. The king lost Piedmont, which had been erected as a Republic, and took refuge on the island. Piedmont will be united with France in 1802.

Charles-Emmanuel IV decides to enter the orders and hands over his throne to his brother Victor-Emmanuel I.

The Kingdom of Sardinia recovers Piedmont, Savoy, Nice and wins Genoa thanks to the Congress of Vienna which dismembers the Napoleonic Empire. The Habsburgs regain possession of Lombardy, Veneto, Modena and Tuscany.

Inspired by the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, Victor-Emmanuel I merged Sardinia with the continental states of Piedmont, Savoy and Liguria. Institutions and the royal house settle in Turin to the great displeasure of the Sardinians who want to preserve their autonomy. This is the beginning of the Risorgimento, the "resurgence" that will lead to Italian unity.

Charles-Albert of Sardinia, allied with other insurgent Italian states, declares war on the Austrian principalities. After some victories, some states recall their troops. The Pope and the King of the Two Sicilies disengage.

The Vignale armistice sees the Austrians victorious and puts an end to the first Italian War of Independence. The king abdicates in favour of his son, Victor-Emmanuel II.

A treaty is signed between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Franco-Austrian-British alliance entangled in the Crimean War.

Victor-Emmanuel II sent 21,000 Sardinians to take part in the battle of Chernaya. Only 250 men will die in the battle. But 2,400 will perish from cholera and hardship.

Cavour, a minister of the King of Sardinia, is fighting to take part in peace negotiations with Russia. Austria opposes his presence. If the Italian question is not raised, Cavour obtains from Napoleon III the signature of a memorandum supporting the Sardinians in their right "of peoples to self-determination" and therefore to work for Italian unification against Austria.

Cavour knows that Italian unity cannot take place without the support of France. He secretly met Napoleon III at Plombières. The latter agreed to support the Kingdom of Sardinia if it was attacked by Austria. He also saw the opportunity to recover Savoy and Nice.

Cavour amasses troops on the border between Piedmont and Lombardy. Emperor Franz Joseph can only issue an ultimatum to Sardinia. Napoleon III made good on his promise and led the French army himself.

The Franco-Sardinian alliance won the battle of Magenta and entered Milan three days later.

Another decisive battle is won at Solferino. The Grand Duke of Tuscany and the Duke of Modena fled to Austria while the Duke of Parma took refuge in Switzerland.

Napoleon III proposed an armistice to the Austrians, without even consulting Cavour. It is signed at Villafranca di Verona. Austria cedes Lombardy to France, which gives it back to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Plebiscites undertaken in different states unite the Kingdom of Sardinia, Tuscany, Romagna, Parma, Modena and Lombardy. Victor Emmanuel II sits on the throne of this new constitutional monarchy. But Sardinia gains nothing from the unification of Italy, which is all about continental expansion.

In order to guarantee Napoleon III's support for the new monarchy, Victor-Emmanuel II agreed to cede Savoy and the county of Nice to France. The Treaty of Turin is signed.

Victor-Emmanuel II took the title of King of Italy when the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was annexed by force. Only Rome, under the authority of the Pope, and Venice did not join the new kingdom. Sardinia, with an agro-pastoral vocation, sank into misery. Banditry develops, harshly repressed by Italian institutions.

Sardinia is the only part of the territory not benefiting from the railway. An Italian-British consortium is being set up to link Cagliari to Iglesias, Porto Torres and Olbia.

Inauguration of the first section of railway line between Cagliari and Villasor, 30 kilometres north-west of the Sardinian capital.

A law makes education compulsory between the ages of 6 and 9, in order to learn the basics of writing, the Italian language, mathematics and the metric system. But in Sardinia schools do not exist.

Italy entered the First World War alongside France and her allies. Sardinia sends the "Sassari" brigade, which is very undisciplined but stands out in battle.

An opuscule entitled Per l'autonomia appears in Cagliari, published under a pseudonym.

The armistice is signed. The Sardinians lost 13,602 of their number in battle. They note with bitterness that Italy does not give them back their sacrifices. No action is taken to improve the economic lot of the Sardinians.

Sardinia sends 3 regionalist elected representatives to the Parliament on the occasion of the general elections.

Emilio Lossu, a veteran of the Sassari Brigade, founded the Sardinian Action Party, with autonomist aspirations and secular and democratic, anti-fascist and anti-communist values.

The Sardinian Action Party won 150 municipalities in the local elections.

Benito Mussolini came to power after his march on Rome. Fascism takes hold in Sardinia.

Cagliari is bombed by the Allies for strategic reasons. Nearly 2,000 civilians are killed.

Italy signs a secret armistice with the Allies. Germany sends the Wehrmacht to Sardinia, which it quickly abandons to strengthen its positions on the continent. The Americans take control of Cagliari, which offers a strategic position in the Mediterranean.

A civil war between fascists and anti-fascists breaks out in Italy.

The Italians decide to end the monarchy in an institutional referendum.

Umberto II, King of Italy, leaves the throne and goes into exile in Portugal.

The Republic of Italy is promulgated. Sardinia obtains a special status which gives it broad legislative powers and financial autonomy.

A constitutional law specifies the contours of Sardinian autonomy. The island is divided into three main regions: Cagliari, Nuoro and Sassari. The province of Oristano is quickly added. Executive power is administered by a regional junta and legislative power is exercised by a Regional Council. The Regional Council elects a president to head the executive. The right to legislate can only concern regional issues.

Sardinia holds its first regional elections. Luigi Crespellani of the Christian Democracy Party becomes the first president of the regional commission. It was not until 1979 that another political party won the supreme seat.

Mario Melis of the Sardinian Action Party becomes president of the region.

A new administrative division is introduced, establishing 4 regions and the metropolitan area of Cagliari: Sassari to the north, Oristano to the west, Nuoro to the east and South Sardinia.

The last regional elections brought to power Christian Solinas of the Sardinian Action Party.

The province of Oristano, in the west of the island, is suffering from severe fires that have burned more than 20,000 hectares of vegetation.

Due to its insularity and small population, Sardinia is once again an island of freedom in Italy, after having been an epicenter of the Covid-19 epidemic in the summer of 2020.

February 2024

The elections are won by the Center-Left colation and confirm Alessandra Todde, candidate of the 5-Star Movement supported by the Democratic Party, as the first woman to lead the autonomous region of Sardinia.