Victor Amedee François de Savoie was born in 1666 to Charles Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy, and Marie Jeanne Baptiste de Savoie-Nemours. On his father's death in 1675, his mother became his regent and pursued a pro French agenda. 1/10
Savoy is a landlocked region in the ancient Kingdom of Burgundy, situated in the Western Alps. It became a County in 1003 and, with the addition of County of Nice, got access to the Mediterranean Sea in 1388. In 1416, it was raised to a Duchy, in the Holy Roman Empire. 2/10
Although Victor Amedee's mother came from the House of Savoy, she belonged to a cadet branch and her family were peers in France. Preferring to align with France, Marie Jeanne got his son a French bride - Anne Marie d'Orleans, the niece of the French King Louis XIV. 3/10
But the French King also wanted to intervene in the affairs of the state, especially against Protestants. So when Willem Hendrik organized a grand alliance against France, Victor Amedee supported him. Savoy also had Habsburg General, Eugene de Savoie, to lead its armies. 4/10
In 1692, Savoy invaded the French province of Dauphiné. But the Duke was now vary of Habsburg influence in the Duchy, which was still part of the Holy Roman Empire ruled by the Habsburgs. So he made peace with France, gaining Pinerolo in the process. 5/10
He strengthened his ties with France by marrying his daughters, Marie Adelaide & Marie Louise to the French King's grandsons, Louis and Philippe in 1696 & 1701 respectively. The younger Philippe was a contender for the Spanish throne, after the Spanish royal family died out. 6/10
But the Habsburgs also had a claim and this led to a continental war. Victor Amedee came in support of his son-in-law. In 1701, Savoy fought against Habsburgs at Chiari along with the Bourbons. But the Habsburgs, led by Eugene de Savoie back in Habsburg colours, won the day. 7/10
By 1703, Victor Amedee was having second thoughts of his alliance. He switched to the Habsburg side and was besieged in his capital, Turin, in 1706. It lasted three months before Prince Eugene could relieve the city. The war ended in 1713 profitably for Savoy. 8/10
Savoy gained Montferrat for supporting the Habsburgs. Though Philippe was confirmed as King of Spain, he lost the Spanish possessions outside the Iberian peninsula like Sicily and Sardinia. Victor Amedee was made the King of Sicily. 9/10
But the rule was brief, since he had to exchange Sicily for Sardinia after Philippe attempted to regain his lost territories.
Though the French annexed Savoy and Nice in 1860, the rest of the state would be the base for Italian reunification by Victor Amedee's descendants. 10/10
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Friedrich von Brandenburg was born in 1657 to Friedrich Willhem, Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, and Luise Henriette von Nassau. The same year Prussia became an independent Duchy free off Polish suzerainty, in exchange for support in its war against Sweden. 1/10
Friedrich's father, Friedrich Wilhelm, had been able organize his family's estates into the state of Brandenburg-Prussia. Though Prussia had become independent, there was one title Friedrich Wilhelm wanted but remained elusive, that of a King. 2/10
Richard was born in 1209 to King John of England and Countess Isabelle of Angoulême. In the middle of a civil war in 1216, King John died and was succeeded by his elder son, Henry. The English barons had allied with French Prince, Louis, to overthrow King John. 1/10
William Marshal, the Regent for King Henry, turned the tide in favour of the King by pacifying the barons and defeating the French at Lincoln in 1217.
In 1225, Henry made Richard Earl of Cornwall. Cornwall was an ancient region, a Celtic Kingdom during Anglo Saxon times. 2/10
Konstantin Roger Friedrich von Staufen was born in 1194 to Henrich von Staufen, Holy Roman Emperor (King of Germany) and Constance, Queen of Sicily. Heinrich's death in 1197 led to the disarray of his realms. Opposing factions elected two new Kings to succeed Heinrich. 1/10
Otto of Brunswick and Heinrich's younger brother, Philipp von Staufen, were both elected. In 1198, Constance died, and young Konstantin became King of Sicily taking the name Federigo (Friedrich). Federigo remained in Sicily with Pope as Regent, away from the German rivalry. 2/10
Marcus Cocceius Nerva was born around 30 AD to Marcus Cocceius Nerva and Sergia Plautilla. He came from a Roman noble family with ties to the imperial family and Nerva continued in the same vain becoming Praetor Elect in 65. 1/10
In 65, Nerva is supposed to have played an important role in revealing a conspiracy to assassinate Emperor Nero. But in 68, Nero got himself killed bringing the imperial dynasty to an end. Without an heir, the Empire plunged into chaos as different factions sought power. 2/10
25 years later, the brother of the French King who was dethroned (and executed later) became King of France. The Old World Order stuck around for a bit longer in Europe, and the oldest and the most diverse dynasty of Europe, the Capets / Robertiners, ruled France till 1848. 1/11
Thread on the 8 prominent rulers and 2 notable consorts of this dynasty on whom I have written so far. The earliest among them was before Capets were called Capets and from when France was not called France. 2/11
Lucius Tarquinius was born in 6th century BC in Rome. He was the son (more likely grandson) of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, King of Rome. The time of the Roman Kingdom is semi legendary, but there were written records of Lucius Tarquinius in existence till 2,000 years ago. 1/10
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, born as Lucumo, was a Greek based in the Etruscan city of Tarchuna, but shifted to Rome. He became prominent in Rome seizing power in 616 BC, when King Ancus Marius died leaving young sons under the care of Tarquinius. 2/10