Savoy (Chaos)

1338, Savoy organized a small crusade together with other small nations, and was reconquered from the . got Sofia back.
While in 1395 other Italian states were hit by the , Savoy, like , was an exception. Thus, the weight of Savoy (until then rather sitting at the fence of northern Italy) became greater.
In 1407, , a cunning Florentine diplomat, saw the weakness of the divided Northern Italy and devised a plan. Meeting with the rulers of Savoy and , all of Northern Italy except was divided into spheres of influences, which said three states were allowed to conquer. Otherwise, the big three were supposed to live in peace. Until the 1430s, this was what happened: The little city states of Northern Italy (which were near collapse after the difficult 14th century) were "mopped up". As a result, many Italians left their country (especially from Pisa and Milan), going to and , and some other states too, spreading Italian art.
1430-35, Savoy invaded the republic of Genoa, annexing it. The duke treated the conquered city relatively well, though; he wanted to use it to become a power in the Mediterranean, too.
== Decline ==
The happened in 1541-44. The former won, got the control over Graubünden, Tessin and Veltlin.
The took place 1627-32. At the beginning the Swiss were in advantage, but later the rebellion in the gave France the opportunity to strike against the Swiss. In the , Savoy joined the , becoming a French satellite. This would hurt them in the future: Since they had fought in the at France's side against the new kingdom of , they lost Genoa and Milan, being cut off from the sea.
1768, the country joined the . In this war, in the (May 1769) "the blackest day for the house of Savoy" happened: Crown prince Filiberto was captured by the French, while his brother Filippo and their cousin (also named Filippo) died in battle. In the 1772, (core) Savoy and were ceded to France, but the duke of Savoy already was broken. Now he fell gradually under the influence of king , who influenced in making a contract that Savoy would fall to Italy after his death, which would come in 1779.
Later, a son of Savoy would become very famous, when the emperor of made the governor of Turin his successor, so he became new emperor in 1853.
Category:Savoy