MARQUISATE OF SALUZZO
The Marquisate of Saluzzo, like that of Montferrat, had its origin in the frontier march established by King Berengar II about 950 for his son-in-law Aleramo. The so-called “Aleramic March” was continuously divided among his siblings, giving birth to the branch of the Dal Vasto, holding power in the west as the Marquisate of Saluzzo, and the Aleramici, keeping it in Monferrato.
A prohemie, in which discryveth he,
Pemond, and of Saluces the contree,
And speketh of Appenyn, the hilles hye,
That been the boundes of West Lumbardye,
And of Mount Vesulus in special,
Wher as the Poo out of a welle smal,
Taketh his first spryngyng and his cours.
Geoffrey Chaucer, "The Clerk's Tale," from
The Canterbury Tales
HISTORY
Originally counts, the Del Vasto family received in feudum the city of [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saluzzo"]Saluzzo from the margrave of Turin, Ulric Manfred, in early 11th century. It passed to the margrave of Susa, of the del Vasto family branch of Savona, and, in 1175, the land was raised to margravial status by the Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa.
Under the reign of Marquis [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_I,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo"]Thomas I in late 13th century, Saluzzo blossomed, achieving a greatness which had eluded his ancestors. He crafted a state the borders of which remained unchanged for over two centuries. He extended the march to include Carmagnola. He was often at odds with Asti and he was a prime enemy of Charles of Anjou and his Italian pretensions. During his tenure, he made Saluzzo a free city, giving it a
podestà to govern in his name. He defended his castles and strongholds vigorously and built many new ones.
Later, however, civil war erupted in 1330 between the half-brothers [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_V,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo"]Manfred V and [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_I,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo"]Frederick I of Saluzzo that lasted until 29 July 1332, leaving the Marquisate severely weakened. Through the intercession of Frederick's cousin, [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus_VI,_Count_of_Savoy"]Amadeus VI of Savoy, Manfred was forced, after being caught in a sex scandal with his own mother, to cede the throne to his brother in 1334.
After the death of Frederick in 1336, Manfred declared war on the legitimate heir, his young nephew [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_II,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo"]Thomas II. His army was mostly composed by Angevin mercenaries. In 1341, after a short siege, Saluzzo surrendered and his troops sacked it, destroying also the castle. Thomas was imprisoned. However, when the fortunes of Manfred's protector Robert of Anjou, King of Naples, declined after the battle of Gamenario, he was compelled by the Visconti to abandon Saluzzo in 1342.
In August 1347, Thomas II, Marquess of Saluzzo joined John II, Marquess of Montferrat and Humbert II of Viennois as they attacked Savoy and conquered former Angevin lands in northern Italy after the death of Robert of Anjou. The 1348 treaty which resolved this war left none of the participants satisfied and especially Saluzzo now owed allegiance to Milan, as well as his prior allegiance to Savoy.
This double vassallage and the impoverishment due to the war led [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_II,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo"]Frederick II of Saluzzo to swearing loyalty to Charles, Dauphin of France in April 1375, in order to obtain help against the Savoyard pressures. [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_III,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo"]Thomas III of Saluzzo tried to continue the philo-French politics of his father, mainly to face the menace of Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy, who aimed to conquer the whole Piedmont. In 1394 he was captured by Savoyard troops and was freed only two years later after a ransom of 20,000 golden florins had been paid. The current Marquis, [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludovico_I,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo"]Ludovico, son of Thomas III tried to keep a balance of vassallages between Milan, Savoy and France, always pursuing neutrality in all conflicts and proposing himself as mediator between conflicting neighbours.
TERRITORY
The county comprised the land between the Alps, the Po and the Stura river. The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. This is the sector of Monvis, the highest mountain of the Cottian Alps, on the northern slopes of which are the headwaters of the Po river, called "Vesulus" in Roman times.
ECONOMY
Agriculture and mining
Grain and crops could not be sowed on high rocks: as the territory of the marquisate is mountainous, local people rely of food imports from the lower plains, pastoralism and animal husbandry, or hunting on the mountains. Here they can find the Alpine ibexes, mountain hares, weasels, marmots, chamoises, deers, wild boars, badgers, ptarmigans and so on.
Iron, lead, silver, copper and marble are found in the surrounding mountains: however, they are almost impossible to extract, being scarce and mixed with other material, thus making their extraction more costly than import for many minerals. Marble and Iron are the only profitable mining enterprises, which are operative under concession by the marquess of Saluzzo.
Trade and commerce
Saluzzo is just out of the Varaita valley, where the french-held Dauphiné has its last holdings. There is a narrow passage on [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col_de_la_Traversette"]Traversette which is used by merchants during spring and summer times. It allows come commerce between Piedmont and France, but could not be used in winter times and is quite risky. A costly but innovative project could be to dig a passage under the mountain, a tunnel, that could be used by man and beasts, to allow a shorter route and safer passage.
Salt trade from the Rhone delta could be incremented through this route, and prevent higher prices from imported Genoese salt.
POLITICS
Relations with Savoy
After a short war, in 1213 peace was established amongst the Marquis of Saluzzo and the Counts of Savoy; the regency that ensued in Saluzzo caused for the next century the vassalage to Savoy. Savoy is a powerful and troublesome neighbour, which has the clear intention to expand their power beyond the Alps and to enlarge themselves in the piedmontese lands. Savoy will pretend submission from Saluzzo and will try to invade and subdue the Marquisate if the conditions will be favourable - that is, if Saluzzo could not ask the French or the Milanese to effectively help them.
Relations with France
Saluzzo regards itself as a part of France that happens to be located in Italy. Even if this may sound odd, we have to consider that the Del Vasto family is of Frankish origin. Their links with France proper are also cultural: the marchional and other noble families are educated in France, and they contract marriages with other French people. France is a big brother whose help is necessary to survive, but this slow submission will make the marquisate totally dependent by them, and could only led to incorporation in France.
ARMY
Little is known on military matters on Saluzzo: documents relates about local militias, raised through feudal levées, to guard castles and watchposts, relying on noble's retinues and mercenaries during active warfare.
SOURCES
Delfino Muletti,
Memorie storico-diplomatiche appartenenti alla città e ai marchesi di Saluzzo, Lobetti-Bodoni, Saluzzo 1830.
Luca Losito,
Saluzzo fra Medioevo e Rinascimento, Società per gli Studi storici, archeologici ed artistici della provincia di Cuneo, Cuneo 1998.
[Modificato da Mylae 31/10/2018 12:28]
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