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Vittorio Amedeo II
King of Sardinia
(1666–1732)

Other names: Vittorio Amedeo Francesco

Biographical

King of Sardinia 1720–30 abd.
King of Sicily 1713–18 dep
15th Duca di Savoia 1675–1732†
Titular King of Cyprus 1675–1732†
Titular King of Jerusalem 1675–1732†
Titular King of Armenia 1675–1732†
Principe di Piemonte 1675–1732†
Prince of the Holy Roman Empire
Principe di Oneglia 1657–1732†
Duc de Genevois 1675–1732†
Duca di Aosta 1675–1732†
Marchese di Saluzzo 1675–1732†
Marchese di Ivrea 1675–1732†
Marchese in Italia 1675–1732†
Marchese di Monferrato 1708
Marchese di Oristano 1720–32†
Marchese di Marene
Marchese di Modane
Marquis de Lanslebourg
Comte de Nice 1657–1732†
Comte de Maurienne 1675–1732†
Comte de Chablais 1675–1732†
Conte di Asti 1675–1732†
Comte de Romont 1675–1732†
Conte di Carmagnola 1675–1732†
Comte de Tende 1675–1732†
Conte di Goceano 1720–32†
Conte di Sant'Antioco 1720–32†
Baron de Vaud 1675–1732†
Baron de Faucigny 1675–1732†
Signore di Pinerolo 1675–1732†
Signore di Vercelli 1675–1732†
Patrician of Venice
Patrician of Ferrara 1725

Victor Amadeus spent his youth under the regency of his mother, the Madama Reale, an able but ambitious and overbearing woman. He assumed the reins of government at the age of sixteen, and married Princess Anne d'Orléans, the niece of Louis XI of France, the king who was determined to dominate the young duke of Savoy. In 1685, Victor Amadeus was forced by Louis to persecute his Waldensian subjects, because they had given shelter to the French Huguenot refugees after the revocation of the edict of Nantes. With the unwelcome help of a French army under Marshal Catinat, he invaded the Waldensian valleys, and after a difficult campaign, characterised by great cruelty, he subjugated them. Nevertheless, he became more anxious than ever to emancipate himself from French thraldom, and his first sign of independence was his visit to Venice in 1687, where he conferred on political affairs with Prince Eugene of Savoy and other personages, without consulting Louis.

About this time the duke plunged into a whirl of dissipation, and chose the beautiful but unscrupulous Contessa di Verrua as his mistress, neglecting his faithful and devoted wife. Louis, having discovered Victor Amadeus' intrigues with the emperor, tried to precipitate hostilities by demanding his participation in a second expedition against the Waldensians. The duke unwillingly complied, but when the French entered Piedmont and demanded the cession of the fortresses of Turin and Verrua, he refused, and while still professing to negotiate with Louis, joined the league of Austria, Spain and Venice. War was declared in 1690, but at the battle of Staffarda in 1691, Victor Amadeus, in spite of his great courage and skill, was defeated by the French under Catinat. Other reverses followed, but the attack on Cuneo was heroically repulsed by the citizens. The war dragged on with varying success, until the severe defeat of the allies at Marsiglia and their selfish neglect of Victor Amadeus' interests induced him to open negotiations with France once more. Louis agreed to restore most of the fortresses he had captured and to make other concessions. A treaty was signed in 1696, and Victor Amadeus was appointed generalissimo of the Franco-Piedmontese forces in Italy operating against the imperialists. By the treaty of Ryswick of 1697, a general peace was concluded.

On the outbreak of the war of the Spanish Succession in 1700, the duke was again on the French side, but the insolence of Louis and of Philip V of Spain towards him induced him, at the end of the two years for which he had bound himself to them, to go over to the imperialists in 1704. At first the French were successful and captured several Piedmontese fortresses, but after besieging Turin, which was skilfully defended by the duke, for several months, they were completely defeated by Victor Amadeus and Prince Eugene of Savoy in 1706, and eventually driven out of the other towns they had captured.

By the peace of Utrecht of 1713, the Powers conferred the kingdom of Sicily on Victor Amadeus, whose government proved efficient and at first popular. But after a brief stay in the island, he returned to Piedmont and left his new possessions to a viceroy, which caused much discontent among the Sicilians. When the Quadruple Alliance decreed in 1718 that Sicily should be restored to Spain, Victor Amadeus was unable to offer any opposition, and had to content himself with receiving Sardinia in exchange.

The last years of Victor Amadeus' life were saddened by domestic troubles. In 1715 his eldest son died, and in 1728 he lost his queen. After her death, much against the advice of his remaining son and heir, Charles Emmanuel, he married the Contessa di San Sebastiano, whom he created Marchesa di Spigno, abdicated the crown and retired to Chambéry to end his days in 1730. But his second wife, an ambitious schemer, soon tired of her quiet life, and induced him to return to Turin and attempt to revoke his abdication. This led to a quarrel with his son, who, with quite unnecessary harshness, partly due to his minister the Marquis d'Ormea, arrested his father and confined him at Rivoli and later at Moncalieri, and there, Victor Amadeus, overwhelmed with sorrow, died in 1732.

Victor Amadeus, although accused not without reason of bad faith in his diplomatic dealings and of cruelty, was undoubtedly a great soldier and a still greater administrator. He not only won for his country a high place in the council of nations, but he doubled its revenues and increased its prosperity and industries, and he also emphasised its character as an Italian state. His infidelity to his wife and his harshness towards his son Carlino are blemishes on a splendid career, but he more than expiated these faults by his tragic end.

Place of birth: Turin
Place of first marriage: Chambéry
Place of second marriage: Turin
Place of death: Montcalieri
Place of burial: Basilica of Superga

Son of Carlo Emanuele II di Savoia and Princesse Marie-Jeanne de Savoie-Nemours. He was married firstly to Princesse Anne Marie d'Orléans in 1728, and secondly (morganatically) to Anna Terera Canalis di Cumiana in 1730, with issue. He also had illegitimate issue.

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