The Roman Republic was a French client state that existed in central Italy from 15 February 1798 to 30 September 1799 with Rome as its capital. The directorial republic was established in 1798 after the French Armee d'Italie invaded the Papal States in response to the murder of general Mathurin-Leonard Duphot in Rome. Pope Pius VI was imprisoned and exiled to France, and Louis-Alexandre Berthier became the regent of the republic, officially governed by Roman consuls and the Roman Directory. The republic lacked popular support, and the Kingdom of Naples' army conquered Rome on 30 September 1799, restoring the papacy under Pope Pius VII.