Victor Emmanuel II (Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso; 14 March 1820 – 9 January 1878) was king of Sardinia from 1849 until 17 March 1861. On that date, he took the title King of Italy to become the first king of a united Italy since the 6th century. He held that title until his death in 1878. The Italians called him "Father of the Homeland" ().