Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.

THE DVKEDOM OF SAVOY.

THe Dukedom of SAVOY is bounded on the East, with Millain and Montferrat in Italy; on the West, with Dauphine in France; on the North, with Switzerland, and the Lake of Ge∣neva; and on the South, with Provence, and the Mediterranean. The Country of so different na∣ture, that it cannot be reduced under any one character: and therefore we must look upon it in the severall parts into which divided; that is to say, 1 the Principalitie of Piemont, and 2 Sa∣voy, specially so called.

1 PIEMONT, in Latin called Regio Pedemontana, because situate at the foot of the Moun∣tains (as the name in both languages imports) is bounded on the East, with Millain and Montfer∣rat; on the West, with Savoy; on the North, with the Switzers; and on the South, it runneth in a narrow valley to the Mediterranean, having Montferrat on the one side, Provence and a part of the Alpes upon the other. The Country wonderfully fertile compared with Switzerland and Savoy, which lie next unto it; but thought to be inferior to the rest of Italie. It containeth, besides Baronies and Lordships, 15 Marquisates, 52 Earldoms, 160 Castles or walled places: and is so populous withall, that once a Piemontese being demauded the extent of his Country, made answer, that it was a City of 300 miles compass.

The principall Cities of it are, 1 Turin, called of old Augusta Taurinorum, because the head City of the Taurini, once the inhabitants of this Tract: from which Taurini it deriveth the name of Turin, and not as some conceive from the River Duria, on whose banks it standeth. In this City is the Court and Palace of the Duke of Savoy (who is the Lord of this Country) the See of an Archbishop, and an Universitie, in which the renowned Scholar Erasmus to ok his degrees in Divinity. It is situate on the River Po, in a place very important for the guard of Italie, for which cause the Romans sent a Colony hither, and the Lombards made it one of the•• four Dukedoms. Adjoyning to it is a Park of the Dukes of Savoy, watered with the Duria, Sture, and Po, six miles in circuit, full of Woods, Lakes, and pleasant Fountains, which make it one of the sweetest situations in Europe. 2 Mondent, seated on the swelling of a little hill, with very fair Suburbs round about it, in one of which the Dukes of Savoy built a Church and Chappell to the blessed Virgin: intended for the buriall-place of the Ducall Family. It is the best peopled Town, for the bigness of it, of any in Italie. 3 Augusta Iraetoria, now call∣ed

Aost, situate in the furthest corner of Italy to the North and West. 4 Vercelli, a strong Tovvn bordering upon Millain, to which it formerly belonged, and was given first in Dower with Blanch the daughter of Philip Maria Duke of Millain, to Amadee the third, Duke of Sa∣voy, antiently the chief Town of the Libyci, who together with the Salassi and Taurini, were the old Inhabitants of this Countrey. 5 Inurea, called by Ptolomie Eporedia, situate at the very jaws of the Alpes, an Episcopall Citie. 6 Nicaea, or Nizze, an Haven on the Mediterra∣nean, at the influx of the River Varus, which divides it from Provence, beautified with a Ca∣thedrall Church, the Bishops Palace, a Monastery of Nuns, and an impregnable Cittadel. A place so naturally strong, that when as yet the Fortifications were imperfect, it resisted the whole Forces of Barbarossa the Turkish Admiral, An. 1543, lying before it with a Navy of two hun∣dred sayl, and battering it continually with incredible fury. First fortified by Duke Charles, up∣on occasion of some words of the Duke of Burbon, who passing this way with his Army, Be∣hold, saith he, a situation of which they know not the importance: the Citadell being after added by Emanuel Philibert, and garrisoned for the most part with 400 souldiers. 7 Suse, seated in the ordinary thorough fare betwixt France and Italy, called of old Segovio, and honoused in those times with a stately Sepulchre of K. Coctius King of the Allobroges: one of the seven Mar∣quisates in the middle times erected by the Emperor Otho. 8 Pignarolle, fortified with a Castle of great importance, which commandeth all the adjoyning vallies. 9 Quiers, adorned vvith many goodly Churches, fair Convents, and noble Families. 10 Ville Franche, a place of great strength, more towards the sea. 11 Savillan, seated in so pleasant a Country, that Duke Ema∣nuel Philibert had once a purpose to settle his abode in it, and make it the chief of his Estate. 12 Busque, a Marquisate, another of the seven erected for the sonnes of Waleran. 13 Hereunto we may adde the City of Ast (though properly within the limits of Montferrat) antiently a Colony of the Romans, and now to be compared, for the greatness and beauty of her Palaces, to the most stately Cities of Lombardy, situate betwixt the two Rivers of Po and Tenarus, very rich, and populous.

Here is also in this Country the Marquisate of Saluzzes (of the same erection as the former, but a greater Estate) the cause of so many differences betwixt France and Savoy. The principall Town whereof is called also Saluzze (from the Salassi questionless who dwelt hereabouts,) seated about the spring of the River Po, reasonably big, and fortified with a very large Castle, fitted with rooms for all uses, and for every season. 2 Carmanlogla, which gave name to that fa∣mous Captain who carried so great a sway in the Wars of Italie. A Town so fortified and sto∣red with all sorts of Ammunition, that it is thought impregnable. 3 Ravelle, a well-fortified place. 4 Doglian, the thorow-fare for the greatest part of the trade which is driven betwixt Pie∣mont and the River of Genoa. The Arms hereof Argent, a Chief Gules.

The antient Inhabitants of this Country were the Salassi, Libyci, and Taurini, as before is said, all vanquished by the Romans, and their Country made a Province of that Empire, by the name of the Province of Alpes Coltiae, in the time of Nero, of which Genoa was the Metropolis or principall City. The present are descended for the most part of the Heruls, who under the conduct of Odoacer conquered Italie, whereof he was proclamed King by the Romans themselves: but Odoacer being vanquished near Verona, by Theodorick King of the Gothes, the Heruli had this Country allotted to them by the Conqueror, for their habitation. They had not held it long, when subdued by the Lombards, of whose Kingdom it remained a part, till given by Aripert the seventeenth King of the Lombards, to the Church of Rome: affirmed by some to be the first temporall estate that ever the Popes of Rome had possession of. But lying far off, aud the dona∣tion not confirmed by the Kings succeeding, the Popes got little by the gift: so that in the sub∣verting of the kingdom of the Lombards, it was at the devotion of the Kings of Italie, of the house of Charles the Great, and afterwards of his successors in the Empire, by whom distracted into severall Estates and Principalities. Thomas and Peter Earls of Savoy made themselves Ma∣sters of the greatest part of it by force of Arms: the former in the year 1210, the later in the year 1256. Since that time the first sonne of Savoy is stiled Prince of Piemont. The Marquisate of Saluzzes, containing almost all the rest, was added by the mariage of a daughter of this Marquisate with Charles Duke of Savoy, An. 1481. Of which mariage though there was no issue, vet the Savoyard alwayes held it as their own; till the French upon as good a title possessed themselves of it: Recovered by the Savoyard An. 1588, the Civil Wars then hot in France. But finding that he was not able to hold it against Henry the fourth (who looked upon it as a door to let his forces into Italie) he compounded with him, An. 1600. the Country of Bresse being given in exchange for this Marquisate: Of which, together with the residue of Piemont, and some peeces of importance in the Dukedom of Montferrat, that noble Family of Savoy doth now stand possessed.

The Armes of this Principality are Gules, a Cross Argent, charged with a Label of three points Azure.

2 SAVOY, strictly and specially so called, is bouuded on the East, with Wallisland, and part of Piemont; on the West, with Daulphine and La Bresse; on the South, with some parts of Daul∣phine only; and on the North, with Switzerland, and the Lake of Geneva.

The Country is fot the most part hilly and mountainous, overspread with the branches of the Alpes; healthy enough, as commonly all Hill-countries are, but not very fruitfull, except some

of the vallies which lie nearest to the Western Sun, and the plain tract about the Lemanian Lake, lying towards Geneva. By reason of the difficult and narrow waies, and those full of theeves, it was once called Malvoy: but the passages being opened by the cost and industry of the people, and purged of theeves by good Laws and exemplary justice, it gained the name of Savoy or Sal∣voy, quasi salva via; as Maleventum, a town of the Realm of Naples, on the like considerations got the name of Benevent. By the Latins of these later times it is called Sabaudia, a name not known to any of the antient writers, who knew it by no other name than that of the Allobro∣ges, or Allobrogum Regio.

The Common people are naturally very dull and simple, so gross of understanding for all their continuall converse with other Nations, who take this Country in their way to Italie, that they beleeve the Duke of Savoy to be the greatest Prince in the World: and so unwar∣like, that a few men of another Nation well trained and disciplined, will make a great num∣ber of them fly. But on the other side, the Gentry are of a very pleasing conversation, civill, ingenious, and affecting all good exercise: so as there may be dayly seen in Chamberie as much good company, and as well-appointed and behaved, as in many of the best Towns of France or Italie. The number of both sorts, taking in Piemont (who are not interessed in the first part of this character) are thought to be 800000.

The chief Cities are, 1 Chamberie, situate on the banks of the River L' Arch in a very pleasant valley, compassed round with Mountains, the principal of the Dukedom on that side of the Alpes, honoured with the Dukes Court when he resideth in this Countrey, the or∣dinary seat of Justice, and many neat houses which belong to the Gentry: fortified of late with a strong Castle and sufficient Out-works, but not recovered of the damage it received An^o 1600, when it was forced by King Henry the fourth of France, in his Wars with Savoy. 2 Tarentuise, an Archbishops See, situate in the middest of the Mountains; heretofore the Me∣tropolis of the Province of the Alpes Graiae, and Poeninae, and called by Antoninus, Civitas Centronum, from the Centrones who inhabited about this tract. 3 Lunebourg, in the Country of the old Me∣dulli, betwixt which and Suse, a town of Piemont, lyeth the most ordinary road betwixt France and Italie. 4 Aque belle, situate at the foot of a craggy Rock. 5 Ripaille, in a sweet and fruitfull situation, on the South-side of the Lake Lemanus, the chief Town of the Signeury of Fossig∣me: where Amadee the first Duke of Savoy having given over his Estate, lived a Monastick life, and was thence chosen Pope by the Fathers of Basil, An^o 1440. 6 Nun or Nevidum (by some of the old Latins called Noviodunum) an antient City, layd desolate, in, or before the time of Julius Caesar, repaired again in the Empire of Vespasian; the seat of late times of the Bishops of Geneva, since their expulsion out of that Citie. 7 Bele, on the Rhodanus, or Rhos∣ne. 8 Albon, founded about the year 456. 9 Conflans, fortified by the late Dukes of Savoy, but otherwise of small importance. 10 Annunciada, not much observable, but for being the seat or place of Sol••mnities, for an order of Knights called by that name. 11 Maurienne, or St. John de Maurienne, an Archbishops See, situate in a valley of the Alpes so called; the chief City of the old Medulli, who dwelt hereabouts; from whence the Princes of this house were first entituled Earles of Maurienne only. 12 Charboneers, a well-fortified place. Here is al∣so the strong Town and Fort of Montmelian, which held out four moneths against Henry the fourth, and many thousand shot of French Cannon, An^o 1600: and the impregnable Fortress of St. Catharines, which yet submitted to that King; the Government whereof being denied to the Duke of Byron, plunged him in discontent and treason to the loss of his head.

The many Tribes in and about this mountainous Country, of which we have mentioned some before, pass generally in most antient Writers by the name of the Allobroges, because the most powerfull of them all. Of whom the first mention which vve find in story, is the Attonement made by Annibal in his passage this way, between Bruncus and his brother, a∣bout the succession of the Kingdom. Afterwards siding with the Salii a Gallick Nation in a War against Marseilles, then a confederate of the Romans, they drew that people on their backs, by whom they were in fine subdued, with the loss of no less than 120000 Galls, un∣der the severall conducts of Cn. Domitius Aenobarbus, and Qu. Fabius Maximus: by which last, Bituitus, or Bitultus King of the Auverni, one of the confederates, was led in triumph unto Rome. The Country and people at that time were much alike, Coelum atrox, pervicaci inge∣nio, a sharp air, and stubborn people, as it is in Florus: not without commendation in the following Ages for discovering Catilines conspiracy, by which the whole Roman state was in danger of ruin. After which we find Coctius one of the Kings of these Allobroges, to have been in speciall favour with Augustus Caesar, affirmed to be the founder of 12 Cities in this mountainous tract, whence it had the name of Alpes Coctiae; and by that name reduced into the form of a Province by the Emperor Nero. In the declining of that Empire, this Province became a part of the Kingdom of Burgundy; and passed with other rights of that falling Kingdom to the Emperors of Germany, by the gift of Rodolph the last King. To them it did continue subject till the year 999, in which Berald of Saxony, brother to Otho the third, for killing Mary the lascivious Wife of his Uncle, fled from Germany, and setled himself here in France. His sonne Humbert (surnamed Blanchmanis, that is White-hand) was by the speciall favour of the Emperor Conradus Salicus, made Earl of Maurienne, which is a town of this

Country, An^o 1027. And by this mariage with Adela the daughter and heir of the Mar∣quess of Suse, added that noble Marquisate (one of the seven erected by Otho the second, and given amongst the sonnes of Waleran) unto his estate. Humbert the second gained by conquest the Town and Territory of Tarentaise; as Ame, or Amadee the third did the Counties of Vaulx and Chablais, An^o 1240, or thereabouts. Ame, or Amadee the fourth, by the Mariage of Si∣bille daughter and sole heir of Wric Earl of Bresse, added that Earldom to his house: as Ame, or Amadee the ninth, did the Town and Territory of Vercelli, upon the contract be∣twixt Philibert his sonne and successor with Blanch the base daughter of Philip Maria Duke of Millain, who afterwards was maryed unto Francis Sforza. Ame, or Amadee the second Earl of Maurienne was by the Emperor Henry the fifth, invested with the title of Earl of Savoy; and Amadee the eighth created the first Duke by the Emperor Sigismund, An^o 1397. But the main improvement of the power and patrimony of this House, came by the valour and good success of the two Earles, Thomas, who in the year 1210, and Peter one of his sonnes and successors (for his manifold Conquests, surnamed Charlemaine the Junior) An^o 1256, by con∣quest got a great part of Peidmont, to which the Marquisate of Saluzzes containing almost all the rest, was united by a Mariage of the daughter of the Marquisate, to Charles Duke of Sa∣voy; and though he dyed without issue by her, An^o 1489, yet his successors still kept the pos∣session of it, till Francis the first, pretending some title to it in the right of his Mother (a daughter of the house of Savoy) layd it unto the Crown of France: from which it was a∣gain recovered by the Savoyard, during the French Civill Wars, An^o 1588, and now is peace∣ably possessed: The Countrey of Bresse being given to the French for their pretension to the Marquisate, An^o 1600. These Dukes of Savoy have a long time been devoted to the faction of Spain, especially since the French Kings took in the lesser states bordering on them, as Bur∣gundie, Bretagne, &c. Charles the third sided so constantly with the Emperor Charles the fifth, that denying Francis the first a passage for his Army thorough the Country into Italy, he vvas by the sayd King dispoyled of his Estates, An^o 1536. The Emperor to recover it left no∣thing undone; but in vain: for the French encountring his force in the open field, vanquished them, vvith the slaughter of fifteen thousand of his men. In the year 1558, peace being made between Henry and Philip, successors to those great Princes, Emanuel ••hilibert, sonne to Duke Charles, was restored to all his Rights. His sonne and successor, having maryed Ca∣tharine the daughter of King Philip the second, depended wholly upon Spain, notwithstand∣ing many quarrels vvhich did grovv betwixt them, his sonnes receiving thence many great pensions and preferments: For at the same time Prince Amadee Victorio the second sonne, during the life of Philip his elder brother, vvas chief Commander of that Kings Gal∣lies, and had in pension a hundred thousand Crowns per annum; Philibert the third sonne was Vice-Roy of Sicil; Maurice the fourth, a Cardinal, had a moity of the Revenues of the Arch∣bishoprick of Toledo; and Don Thomazo, though then young, had his pensions also. But Ama∣dee Victorio, who succeeded him, marying Madam Christian, a daughter of King Henry the fourth of France, changed his dependances, and held more close to France than any of his pre∣decessors; but whether to the hurt or benefit of his Estates future times will shew. For leaving his heir a Minor, in the hands of his mother, the French upon pretence of preserving the Coun∣try for him against the incroachments of the Spaniard, have made themselves masters of the greatest parts of it, which when they will restore to the proper owner, is beyond my cunning to determine. But now behold the Catalogue of the

Earles and Dukes of Savoy.

• 999 1 Beral of Saxony.
• 1027 2 Humbert, the first Earl of Maurienne.
• 1048 3 Ame, or Amadee I.
• 1076 4 Humbert II.
• 1109 5 Ame, or Amadee II. the first Earl of Savoy.
• 1154 6 Humbert III.
• 1201 7 Thomas, sonne of Humbert.
• 1234 8 Ame, or Amadee III.
• 1246 9 Boniface, sonne of Ame III.
• 1256 10 Peter, a younger sonne of Earl Thomas, called Charlemagne the less, won Turin, Vaulx, &c.
• 1268 11 Philip, brother of Peter.
• 1285 12 Ame, or Amadee IV. Nephew of Thomas the 7^th Earl, by a sonne named Thomas.
• 1323 13 Edward, sonne of Ame IV.
• 1329 14 Ame, or Amadee V. the brother of Edward.
• 1342 15 Ame, or Amadee VI.
• 1385 16 Ame, or Amadee VII.
• 1397 17 Ame, or Amadee VIII, the first Duke of Savoy.
• 1434 18 Lewis, sonne of Ame VIII.
• ...

• 1461 19 Ame, or Amadee IX.
• 1475 20 Philibert, sonne of Ame 9^th.
• 1481 21 Charles, brother of Philibert.
• 1489 22 Charles II.
• 1495 23 Philip II. sonne of Lewis, the second Duke.
• 1496 24 Philibert II.
• 1504 25 Charles III. the brother of Philibert, outed of his Estate by King Francis the first.
• 1559 26 Emanuel Philibert, restored upon his Mariage with Margaret the daughter of King Francis the first, made Knight of the Garter by Qu. Mary.
• 1580 27 Charles Emanuel. 28 Ame X. called also Amadee Victorio, sonne of Charles Emanuel, maryed Christiane the daughter of King Henry the fourth.
• 1637 29 Charles Emanuel II. sonne of Amadee Victor, or Ame the 10. at the age of three yeares succeeded his Father.

The Forces of this Duke consist especially in his Forts and Garrisons, vvhereof he hath good store in France, Savoy, and Piemont, well fortified, and plentifully furnished with all manner of Ammunition. And it concerneth him so to have, considering what dangerous neighbours he hath near him, and that his Country is a continnall thorow-fare for the Armies both of France and Spain upon all occasions. Nor doth it less conduce to his preservation, that he hath so many retreats of naturall strength, as are not easily accessible by a conquering Army; of this last sort is, amongst many others, the valley of ••ost (which some reckon for a part of Savoy, and some of Piemont) so strong by reason of the narrow entries, the uneasie pas∣sages, and the great multitudes of the people which inhabit in it, that those who have made themselves masters of the rest of the Country, durst never attempt it. And of the first, be∣sides those formerly described, is the Town of Nizze, so fortified and flanked upon all acces∣ses, that it seems rather to be an assembly of Forts, than a single Fortress. Out of which Garrisons the Duke is able to draw great Forces for present service; besides the ready∣ness of the Piemont ese upon all occasions, vvhich are for the most part given to Arms.

The ordinary Revenue of this Dukedom (taking Piemont in) are sayd to be above a Million of Crovvns per Annum. But his extraordinary is so great, that Duke Charles Ema∣nuel, during his Wars with Henry the fourth, in a very few years drew out of Piemont onely eleven Millions of Crowns, besides the charge which they were put to in quartering of Soul∣diers. By which it may appear that the Dukes are not like to want money to serve their turns, when they shall desire it of the Subject, and yet not charge them more than they are able to bear.

The only Order of Knighthood in this Dukes Estate is that of the Annunciada, which ordai∣ned by Amade the first Duke, at vvhat time he defended Rhodes from the Turks, An. 1409. Their Collar is of fifteen links, to shew the fifteen mysteries of the Virgin: at the end, is the por∣traiture of our Lady, with the history of the Annunciation. Instead of a Motto, these letters, F. E. R. T. id est, Fortitudo Ejus Rhodum Tenuit, are engraven in every plate or link of the Collar: each link being inter-woven one within the other, in form of a True-lovers knot. The number of the Knights is fourteen, besides the Duke, who is the Soveraign of the Order: the solemnitie is held annually on our Lady-day, in the Castle of Saint Peter in Tu∣rin. So from this victory (for every repulse of the besieger, is a victory to the besieged) there arose a double effect: first, the institution of this order; secondly, the assumption of the pre∣sent Arms of this Dutchy, which are G. a Cross A. This being the cross of Saint John of Hie∣rusalem, whose Knights at that time vvere owners of the Rhodes. Whereas before, the Arms vvere Or, an Eagle displayed with two heads, Sable, armed Gules, supporting in fesse, an escotchi∣on of Saxony, that is Barrewise six pieces Sable and Or, a Bend flowred Vert. A coat belong∣ing to the Emperors of the house of Saxony, from whom the first Earles of Savoy did derive themselves.

Notes

• Piemtont.
• Savoy.