Free State of Fiume

Free State of Fiume
Stato libero di Fiume Slobodna Država Rijeka Fiumei Szabad Állam Freistaat Fiume
1920–1924
Flag
German map of Fiume
Capital		Fiume
Languages		official Italian · Hungarian · German regional Venetian · Chakavian Croatian
Government		Republic
President
•	1921–1922	Riccardo Zanella
•	1922–1923	Giovanni Giuriati
Military Governor
•	1923–1924	Gaetano Giardino
Historical era		Interwar period
•	Treaty of Rapallo	12 November 1920
•	Control established	30 December 1920
•	Coup d'état	3 March 1922
•	Annexed by the Kingdom of Italy	22 February 1924
Currency		Fiume krone (until 1920) Italian lira (after 1920)
Preceded by Succeeded by Italian Regency of Carnaro Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946) Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Today part of		Croatia

Coordinates: 45°21′11″N 14°26′34″E / 45.3531°N 14.4429°E / 45.3531; 14.4429

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The Free State of Fiume (pronounced [ˈfjume]) was an independent free state which existed between 1920 and 1924. Its territory of 28 km² (11 sq mi) comprised the city of Fiume (now in Croatia and, since the end of World War II, known as Rijeka) and rural areas to its north, with a corridor to its west connecting it to Italy.

Fiume gained autonomy for the first time in 1719 when it was proclaimed a free port of the Holy Roman Empire in a decree issued by the Emperor Charles VI. In 1776, during the reign of the Empress Maria Theresa, the city was transferred to the Kingdom of Hungary and in 1779 gained the status of corpus separatum within that Kingdom. The city briefly lost its autonomy in 1848 after being occupied by the Croatian ban (viceroy) Josip Jelačić, but regained it in 1868 when it rejoined the Kingdom of Hungary, again as a corpus separatum. Until 1924, Fiume existed for practical purposes as an autonomous entity with elements of statehood.