What is "bertoleoni"

Bertoleoni is the self-proclaimed ruling family of the self-styled " Kingdom of Tavolara" ( Sardinia, Italy), which claimed to be "the smallest kingdom of the world" (now extinguished). The members of this family were also the only inhabitants of this island (whose land is owned partly by the Marzano family in Rome, and partly by a NATO military base) that had been abandoned in the 1730s because of North-African piracy in the area. They sustained themselves by goat farming and fishing. Currently, the mock-kingdom is a tourist attraction for the 50 or so native inhabitants of the island, where the current "king" and "crown princess" run its two restaurants and sell souvenirs to visitors of the Natural Park.

A Giuseppe Bertoleoni claimed that during a hunting trip, Charles Albert, King of Sardinia, verbally appointed him "king of Tavolara" in 1836. According to Giuseppe Bertoleoni, Charles Albert also (verbally) sanctioned the use of the title "Prince" for the oldest male heir, and the titles "Lord of the Islands" (Signore delle Isole) and "Lady of the Sea" (Signora del Mare) for the younger children of the king.

The present pretender to the throne is "King" Tonino, an Italian citizen who runs Da Tonino, a restaurant on the island.