diff --git a/docs/definitions.md b/docs/definitions.md
index f93a380..0b97ae1 100644
--- a/docs/definitions.md
+++ b/docs/definitions.md
@@ -229,10 +229,20 @@ results in
 <strong>bold text</strong>
 ```
 
+## italic
+
+```
+*italic text*
+```
+results in
+```html
+<i>italic text</i>
+```
+
 ## emphasized
 
 ```
-*emphasized text*
+_emphasized text_
 ```
 results in
 ```html
diff --git a/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h b/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h
index 65cf11b..56d43dc 100644
--- a/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h
+++ b/include/maddy/emphasizedparser.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public:
   /**
    * Parse
    *
-   * From Markdown: `text *text*`
+   * From Markdown: `text _text_`
    *
    * To HTML: `text <em>text</em>`
    *
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public:
   void
   Parse(std::string& line) override
   {
-    static std::regex re("(?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)\\*(?!.*`.*|.*<\\/code>.*)([^\\*]*)\\*(?!.*`.*|.*<\\/code>.*)");
+    static std::regex re("(?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)\\_(?!.*`.*|.*<\\/code>.*)([^\\_]*)\\_(?!.*`.*|.*<\\/code>.*)");
     static std::string replacement = "<em>$1</em>";
 
     line = std::regex_replace(line, re, replacement);
diff --git a/include/maddy/italicparser.h b/include/maddy/italicparser.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f31b96e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/maddy/italicparser.h
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/*
+ * This project is licensed under the MIT license. For more information see the
+ * LICENSE file.
+ */
+#pragma once
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#include <string>
+#include <regex>
+
+#include "maddy/lineparser.h"
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+namespace maddy {
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/**
+ * ItalicParser
+ *
+ * @class
+ */
+class ItalicParser : public LineParser
+{
+public:
+  /**
+   * Parse
+   *
+   * From Markdown: `text *text*`
+   *
+   * To HTML: `text <i>text</i>`
+   *
+   * @method
+   * @param {std::string&} line The line to interpret
+   * @return {void}
+   */
+  void
+  Parse(std::string& line) override
+  {
+    std::regex re("(?!.*`.*|.*<code>.*)\\*(?!.*`.*|.*<\\/code>.*)([^\\*]*)\\*(?!.*`.*|.*<\\/code>.*)");
+    static std::string replacement = "<i>$1</i>";
+    line = std::regex_replace(line, re, replacement);
+  }
+}; // class ItalicParser
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+} // namespace maddy
diff --git a/include/maddy/parser.h b/include/maddy/parser.h
index b152646..c11401e 100644
--- a/include/maddy/parser.h
+++ b/include/maddy/parser.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "maddy/emphasizedparser.h"
 #include "maddy/imageparser.h"
 #include "maddy/inlinecodeparser.h"
+#include "maddy/italicparser.h"
 #include "maddy/linkparser.h"
 #include "maddy/strikethroughparser.h"
 #include "maddy/strongparser.h"
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ public:
     : emphasizedParser(std::make_shared<EmphasizedParser>())
     , imageParser(std::make_shared<ImageParser>())
     , inlineCodeParser(std::make_shared<InlineCodeParser>())
+    , italicParser(std::make_shared<ItalicParser>())
     , linkParser(std::make_shared<LinkParser>())
     , strikeThroughParser(std::make_shared<StrikeThroughParser>())
     , strongParser(std::make_shared<StrongParser>())
@@ -112,6 +114,7 @@ private:
   std::shared_ptr<EmphasizedParser> emphasizedParser;
   std::shared_ptr<ImageParser> imageParser;
   std::shared_ptr<InlineCodeParser> inlineCodeParser;
+  std::shared_ptr<ItalicParser> italicParser;
   std::shared_ptr<LinkParser> linkParser;
   std::shared_ptr<StrikeThroughParser> strikeThroughParser;
   std::shared_ptr<StrongParser> strongParser;
@@ -131,6 +134,8 @@ private:
     this->strikeThroughParser->Parse(line);
 
     this->inlineCodeParser->Parse(line);
+
+    this->italicParser->Parse(line);
   }
 
   std::shared_ptr<BlockParser>
diff --git a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp
index c200313..c4cd56c 100644
--- a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp
+++ b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_emphasizedparser.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItReplacesMarkdownWithEmphasizedHTML)
 {
-  std::string text = "some text *bla* text testing *it* out";
+  std::string text = "some text _bla_ text testing _it_ out";
   std::string expected = "some text <em>bla</em> text testing <em>it</em> out";
   auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItReplacesMarkdownWithEmphasizedHTML)
 
 TEST(MADDY_EMPHASIZEDPARSER, ItDoesNotParseInsideInlineCode)
 {
-  std::string text = "some text `*bla*` `/**text*/` testing *it* out";
+  std::string text = "some text `*bla*` `/**text*/` testing _it_ out";
   std::string expected = "some text `*bla*` `/**text*/` testing <em>it</em> out";
   auto emphasizedParser = std::make_shared<maddy::EmphasizedParser>();
 
diff --git a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_italicparser.cpp b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_italicparser.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c87f266
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_italicparser.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/*
+ * This project is licensed under the MIT license. For more information see the
+ * LICENSE file.
+ */
+#include <memory>
+
+#include "gmock/gmock.h"
+
+#include "maddy/italicparser.h"
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+TEST(MADDY_ITALICPARSER, ItReplacesMarkdownWithItalicHTML)
+{
+
+  std::string text = "some text *bla* text testing *it* out";
+  std::string expected = "some text <i>bla</i> text testing <i>it</i> out";
+  auto italicParser = std::make_shared<maddy::ItalicParser>();
+
+  italicParser->Parse(text);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(text, expected);
+}
diff --git a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_parser.h b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_parser.h
index 00bbc1c..0d7898a 100644
--- a/tests/maddy/test_maddy_parser.h
+++ b/tests/maddy/test_maddy_parser.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ it's that simple.\n\
 \n\
 * an unordered list\n\
   * with some **hierarchy**\n\
-    1. and an *ordered*\n\
+    1. and an _ordered_\n\
     * list\n\
     * directly\n\
   * inside\n\