Franco-Savoyard War (1600–1601)

The Franco-Savoyard War (1600–1601) was a conflict between France under King Henry IV and the Duchy of Savoy, ruled by Duke Charles Emmanuel I. The war was primarily fought over the Marquisate of Saluzzo, a small territory strategically located in the Italian Alps, which Savoy had seized from France in 1588 during the French Wars of Religion.

Henry IV, having consolidated his power after the Edict of Nantes, sought to reassert French authority and reclaim Saluzzo. The war began with a French invasion of Savoyard territory in August 1600. French forces quickly captured several Savoyard towns and fortresses, including Montmélian.

Despite Savoy's alliance with Spain, Spanish support was limited and slow to materialize. Charles Emmanuel I, facing mounting losses and internal pressure, ultimately agreed to negotiate.

The Treaty of Lyon, signed on January 17, 1601, formally ended the war. Savoy ceded Bresse, Bugey, Valromey, and Gex to France in exchange for Saluzzo. While France gained strategically important territory, particularly Bresse which strengthened its eastern border, the Duchy of Savoy retained the coveted Marquisate of Saluzzo. The Treaty of Lyon significantly altered the balance of power in the region and marked a further consolidation of French power under Henry IV.