The Savoy in Sardinia

With the conclusion of the “war of Spanish succession” - opened by the dispute between the claimants to the throne of the last Spanish ruler of the Habsburg dynasty Charles II, who died in November 1700 - on August 2, 1718, with the London pact, the Spanish dominance in Sardinia ended, which was assigned to the ducal house of Savoy, which with it also acquired the royal title.

Despite the Savoy's ambition to expand into the Po Valley, the possibility of using Sardinia as a bargaining chip to achieve objectives closer to its expansionist aims guided the Piedmontese government to consolidate the possession of the island and to adopt a cautious policy towards existing institutions.

In fact, the obligation for the Savoy to respect the feudal possessions of the Spanish aristocrats and the traditional systems of the island were part of the transfer clauses from Spain to Piedmont. And although the first contact between Piedmontese and Sardinians was not the best, especially because of the difficulty of understanding a Spanish country and culture, and not infrequently ended with the use of force, the sovereign Vittorio Amedeo II, concerned both with the political and diplomatic consequences of a possible dissent from Sardinian feudality, and with a waste of resources on ineffective actions, adopted a conduct of prudence and moderation while respecting institutions, laws and customs.

Update

20/9/2023 - 11:27