The Conte di Cavour–class battleships were a group of three dreadnoughts built for the Royal Italian Navy in the 1910s. The ships were completed during World War I. In December 1915, and January 1916,
Conte di Cavour at speed in her original configuration
Original configuration
Office of Naval Intelligence drawing of the Conte di Cavour class, January 1943
Giulio Cesare leading her sister after their reconstruction
Dante Alighieri was the first dreadnought battleship built for the Regia Marina and was completed in 1913. The ship served as a flagship during World War I, but saw very little action other than the S
Conte di Cavour-class battleship
…and were ordered in response to French plans to build the Courbet-class battleships. They were intended to be superior to the Courbets and to remedy Dante Alighieri's perceived flaws of weak protection and armament. As upgrading a warship's protection and armament on a similar displacement typically requires a loss…
Dante Alighieri on 29 March 1914
Dante Alighieri in 1919
Dante Alighieri after being refitted, 1920s