Governorate of Dalmatia

Governorate of Dalmatia
Governatorato di Dalmazia
Province of Italy
1941–1943
Flag Coat of arms
Motto Foedere et Religione Tenemur "We are held together by Pact and Religion"
Anthem Marcia Reale d'Ordinanza "Royal March of Ordinance"
The Governorate of Dalmatia in 1941
Capital		Zara
Languages		Italian, Croatian
Religion		Roman Catholic
Political structure		Governorate
Governor
•	1941	Athos Bartolucci
•	1941–1943	Giuseppe Bastianini
•	1943	Francesco Giunta
Historical era		World War II
•	Invasion of Yugoslavia	17 April 1941
•	Armistice of Cassibile	10 September 1943
Area
•	1941	5,001 km² (1,931 sq mi)
Population
•	1941 est.	380,100
Density		76 /km²  (196.9 /sq mi)
Currency		Italian lira
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Yugoslavia Province of Zara Independent State of Croatia Italian Social Republic

The Governorate of Dalmatia (Italian: Governatorato di Dalmazia), was a territory divided in three Provinces of Italy during Italian Kingdom and Italian Empire epoch, created in April 1941 at the start of World War II in Yugoslavia from the existing Province of Zara together with occupied Yugoslav territory annexed by Italy after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers and the signing of the Rome Treaties.

Dalmatia was a strategic region during World War I that both Italy and Serbia intended to seize from Austria-Hungary. Italy joined the Triple Entente Allies in 1915 upon agreeing to the London Pact that guaranteed Italy the right to annex a large portion of Dalmatia in exchange for Italy's participation on the Allied side. From 5–6 November 1918, Italian forces were reported to have reached Lissa, Lagosta, Sebenico, and other localities on the Dalmatian coast. By the end of hostilities in November 1918, the Italian military had seized control of the entire portion of Dalmatia that had been guaranteed to Italy by the London Pact and by 17 November had seized Fiume as well. In 1918, Admiral Enrico Millo declared himself Italy's Governor of Dalmatia. Famous Italian nationalist Gabriele d'Annunzio supported the seizure of Dalmatia, and proceeded to Zadar in an Italian warship in December 1918.