Re d'Italia was the flagship of the Italian fleet and the lead vessel of the Re d'Italia-class armored frigates built in the United States during the early 1860s. Constructed at William H. Webb Shipyard in New York, she was laid down in November 1861, launched in April 1863, and completed in September 1864. The ship measured 99.61 meters (326 ft 10 in) in overall length, with a beam of 16.76 meters (55 ft) and an average draft of 6.17 meters (20 ft 3 in). Her hull, constructed from green wood, displaced approximately 5,610 long tons (5,700 t) normally, with a full load displacement of up to 5,869 long tons (5,963 t). She was crewed by 565 sailors. Re d'Italia featured a broadside ironclad design with a main battery comprising six 72-pounder 203 mm (8 in) guns and thirty-two 164 mm (6.5 in) rifled muzzle-loading guns. Her armor consisted of wrought iron plating, 121 mm (4.75 in) thick, covering her hull, though her rudder and propellers remained unprotected. She was propelled by a single-expansion marine steam engine driving a single screw propeller, powered by four coal-fired rectangular fire-tube boilers vented through an amidships funnel. Her engine produced 1,812 to 1,845 indicated horsepower, achieving speeds of approximately 10.6 to 10.8 knots and allowing her to steam about 1,800 nautical miles at 10.5 knots. For extended voyages, she was also rigged with three masts in a barque configuration. Re d'Italia's service history includes her role as the flagship during the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866. She participated in the Battle of Lissa, where she was heavily engaged in the melee. During the battle, her rudder was disabled, and she was rammed by the Austrian flagship Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, which tore a large hole in her hull. This damage caused her to roll over and sink rapidly, with approximately 400 crew members losing their lives, including her captain Emilio Faà di Bruno. Her sinking marked a significant and tragic event in Italian maritime history, emphasizing her role in the naval conflicts of the period and her importance as an early ironclad vessel built abroad for Italy.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.