Actual territory of the free state of Fiume (red, 1920-1924) and what it could’ve been (dotted line).
The Free State of Fiume (officially known as the Regency of Carnaro) was
a short-lived state that existed from 1919 to 1924 in the city of Fiume
(now Rijeka, Croatia) and its surrounding territory, which had been
part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire prior to World War I. After the war,
there was a dispute over the control of Fiume, with Italy and
Yugoslavia both claiming the territory. In response to this dispute, a
group of Italian nationalists led by Gabriele d’Annunzio seized control
of the city in September 1919 and declared the Free State of Fiume, with
d’Annunzio as its leader.