 In 1862 , the Italian government under Prime Minister Urbano Rattazzi and his naval minister Carlo Pellion di Persano made the decision to build a fleet of ironclad warships . The Italian fleet had already acquired a pair of small , French @-@ built armored frigates of the Formidabile class , and two more vessels of the Re d 'Italia class had been ordered from the United States . Five more ironclads were ordered from foreign shipyards , three wooden steam frigates already under construction were converted into armored ships , and four more ironclads were ordered from Italian shipyards . The two Principe Amedeo @-@ class ships were the last two of this first generation of Italian ironclads . The design for Principe Amedeo was prepared by Inspector Engineer Giuseppe De Luca . He had initially planned on using entirely wooden hulls for the ships , but had changed to composite wood and iron construction by the time the ships were laid down . 
 In 1862 , the Italian government under Prime Minister Urbano Rattazzi and his naval minister Carlo Pellion di Persano made the decision to build a fleet of ironclad warships . The Italian fleet <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> already acquired a pair of small , French @-@ built armored frigates of the Formidabile class , and two more vessels of the Re d 'Italia class <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> been ordered from the United States . Five more ironclads <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> ordered from foreign shipyards , three wooden steam frigates already under construction <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> converted into armored ships , and four more ironclads <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> ordered from Italian shipyards . The two Principe Amedeo @-@ class ships <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> the last two of this first generation of Italian ironclads . The design for Principe Amedeo was prepared by Inspector Engineer Giuseppe De Luca . He <a href='been_done' title='7'><mark>had</mark></a> initially planned on using entirely wooden hulls for the ships , but <a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>had</mark></a> changed to composite wood and iron construction by the time the ships <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>were</mark></a> laid down . 
In 1862 , the Italian government under Prime Minister Urbano Rattazzi and his naval minister Carlo Pellion di Persano made da decision to build a fleet of ironclad warships . TdaItalian fleet done already acquired a pair of small , French @-@ built armored frigates of thdaormidabile class , and two more vessels of theda d 'Italia class done been ordered from the United States . Five more ironclads was ordered from foreign shipyards , three wooden steam frigates already under construction was converted into armored ships , and four more ironclads was ordered from Italian shipyards . The 2 Principe Amedeo @-@ class ships was the last two of this first generation of Italian ironclads . The daign for Principe Amedeo was prepared by Inspector Engineer Giuseppe De Luca . He done initially planned on using entirely wooden hulls fir the ships , but done changed to composite wood and iron construction by the tda the ships was laid downn .