Franco-Savoyard War, 1600-1601
Also referred to as the War of Saluzzo




The territories of the Dukes of Savoy-Piemont, for Spain, were of strategical importance, as the Spanish Road connecting the Spanish Duchy of Milan, the Spanish County of Burgundy and, beyond the Duchy of Lorraine, the Spanish Netherlands. With France reunited since 1598 and Spain involved in War against the United Provinces (Dutch Revolt), and experiencing great problems (Death of King Philip II., state bankrupcy), King Henri IV. regarded it time to act against Spain's ally. In addition, Henry IV. got even for the Savoyard Occupation of Saluzzo (1588) and the Savoyard invasion of the Provence 1590.
The Duc de Sully prepared a considerable, well-equipped French force the invasion of which took the Duchy of Savoy-Piemont by surprise. In September to October 1600, the French laid siege to Montmelian; Savoy was occupied by French troops which proceeded to occupy fortresses in Piemont (Pinerolo).
In the Treaty of Lyon, January 17th 1601, Savoy-Piemont had to cede Le Bugey, Bresse and the land of Gex to France; the French returned Savoy proper, the County of Saluzzo and the fortresses in Piemont to Savoy-Piemont. Spain opened up a new Spanish Road, through Graubünden (Grisons) and the Alsace.



EXTERNAL
FILES 		Conference : En Savoie vers 1600, posted by Roland Farre, in French
Le Pays de Gex, histoire, from Sabaudia, in French
Denise Turrel, Introduction : le Traite de Lyon (1601), from Cahiers d'Histoire, in French
Alain Hugon, Le duche de Savoie et la Pax Hispanica autour du traite de Lyon (1601), from Cahiers d'Histoire, in French
Nicolas le Roux, "Ce sont les rois qui ont les jettons a la main". Henri IV, la noblesse et la guerre autour de 1600, from Cahiers d'Histoire, in French
Robert Beck et Denise Turrel, Langue et nationalite : sur la fortune d'une phrase d'Henri IV, from Cahiers d'Histoire, in French
Geoffrey Parker, Le traite de Lyon et le "chemin des Espagnols", from Cahiers d'Histoire, in French
War of Saluzzo, from E. Armstrong, Tuscany and Savoy, posted by MATEO
DOCUMENTS Les Cartes Historiques de 2 Savoie, from Sabaudia
REFERENCE



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted on March 15th 2004, last revised on November 19th 2004

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