War of the Montferrat Succession

This article is about the 1613–7 war of succession over Montferrat. For the 1627–32 war over Mantua and Montferrat, see War of the Mantuan Succession.

The War of the Montferrat Succession (Italian: Guerra di successione del Monferrato) was a war of succession from 1613 to 1617 over the Duchy of Montferrat in northwestern Italy.^[1]

War of the Montferrat Succession
Italy in 1600. Montferrat is portrayed as part of Mantua.
Date 1613 – 1617 Location Northwestern Italy Result Peace of Pavia Territorial changes None, return to the status quo ante bellum
Belligerents
Supporting the Duke of Mantua: Duchy of Mantua Montferrat Tuscany (1613) Spanish Empire  France (1613–14) Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of Naples  Genoa	Supporting the Duke of Savoy: Duchy of Savoy Montferrat Tuscany (1613)  France (1615–17)  Venice
Commanders and leaders
John Anthony of Levo, prince of Ascoli Pedro de Toledo Osorio Mainfroi of Castillon Charles Gonzaga Pedro Álvarez de Toledo	Charles Emmanuel I François of Lesdiguières

The direct cause of the conflict was the death of duke Francesco IV Gonzaga of Montferrat and Mantua on 22 December 1612 without male heirs. His brother Ferdinando Gonzaga was a cardinal, but renounced his ecclesiastical career in order to succeed his brother in both the Duchy of Mantua and the Duchy of Montferrat. However, Francesco's wife Margaret of Savoy was the daughter of duke Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy, who claimed Montferrat now fell to Maria (daughter of Francesco and Margaret). Charles Emmanuel invoked the treaty of 1 May 1330 on the occasion of the marriage of Yolande Palaeologina of Montferrat, daughter of Theodore I, Marquess of Montferrat, and Argentine Spinola, with Aymon, Count of Savoy. The treaty stipulated that when the male descendants of the marquis of Montferrat went extinct, those of Yolande (and thus the House of Savoy) would succeed in the marquisate, to provide the daughters with money.

Both sides rallied numerous other states to their camps, and the war raged on for four years. Spain and France joined Ferdinando's side, but France would defect to Charles Emmanuel's side in 1615. That year, the Peace of Asti was drawn up between Spain and Savoy, but the treaty was never signed and the war continued. In 1617, agreements signed in Madrid and then at Pavia led to a peace settlement according to which: the Duke of Savoy would contest the succession of Ferdinando through Imperial tribunals and not through war, both Spain and Savoy would disarm, and occupied territories would be restored to Savoy and the Montferrat.

When Ferdinando died in 1626, his brother Vincenzo II (1594–1627), also a cardinal, succeeded him as Duke of Mantua and Montferrat. Despite marrying, following the resignation of Ferdinando and the expulsion of Vincenzo from the Sacred College of Cardinals (for violating the celibacy), neither produced any legitimate children. A new crisis erupted when Vincenzo II died on 26 December 1627, leading to the War of the Mantuan Succession (1627–1632).

Battles

• Siege of Alba (22 April 1613)
• Siege of Trin (26 April 1613)
• Siege of Moncalve (23 April – 8 May 1613)
• Siege of Nizza Monferrato (14 – 23 May 1613)