Geneva wis a Prince-Bishopric o the Holy Roman Empire frae 1154, but frae 1290, secular authority ower the citizens wis dividit frae the bishop's authority, at first anerlie lawer jurisdiction, the office o vidame gien tae François de Candie in 1314, but frae 1387 the bishops grantit the citizens o Geneva fou communal sel-govrenment. As frae 1416, the Dukes o Savoy attemptit tae annex the ceety, baith bi claimin secular authority an bi installin members o the Savoy dynasty as bishops, the ceety sought assistance in allyin itsel wi the Auld Swiss Confederacy. The Republic o Geneva wis proclaimit in 1541, unner John Calvin, an gien a constitution (Édits civils) in 1543. The Republic o Geneva reinforcit its alliance tae the Protestant cantons o the Swiss Confederacy, becomin an ""iverlastin ally"" in 1584.