King of Italy (1900–46). He succeeded to the throne after his father’s assassination. Under Mussolini, whom he had invited to form a government in 1922 in order to forestall civil war, Victor Emmanuel lost all political power. However, during World War II, after the loss of Sicily to the Allies (1943), he acted to dismiss Mussolini and conclude an armistice. Victor Emmanuel abdicated in favour of his son in 1946, but a republic was established the same year by popular vote and both he and his son went into exile.