The state was officially a monarchy and Italian protectorate from the signing of the Treaties of Rome on 18 May 1941 until the Italian capitulation on 8 September 1943. Appointed by Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, Prince Aimone of Savoy-Aosta, initially refused to assume the crown in opposition to the Italian annexation of the Croat-majority populated region of Dalmatia. However, he later accepted the throne upon being pressured to do so by Victor Emmanuel III, and was titled Tomislav II of Croatia, but never moved from Italy to reside in Croatia.