Political, Religious and Social Conflict in the States of Savoy, 1400-1700

Taking conflict as its collective theme, this book brings together the work of early modern specialists to offer a range of insights into the political, social and religious climate in Savoy between 1400 and 1700. The contributors focus on the broader context of early modern European history, making clear the sometimes overlooked political and historical significance of Savoy. The volume explores the diverse mechanisms whereby political, social and religious conflicts were articulated with reference to a wide range of primary sources, many of which are unpublished. The chapters offer important perspectives on subjects such as: the diplomatic relations between the court of Savoy and certain foreign powers during a time of European unrest; the role of propaganda; the construction of national and religious identities; and persecution and resistance, notably in relation to the Reformation and the Waldensians. The conclusions that are established advance a better understanding of the history of Savoy and of the broader conflicts shaping Europe in the early modern period.

Sarah Alyn Stacey is an Associate Professor in the Department of French at Trinity College Dublin, where she is also the founding director of the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. In recognition of her research, she has been elected to fellowships at both the University of Dublin and the Académie de Savoie. She has served for many years on the executive council of the Society for Renaissance Studies and has also been a member of the executive committee of the Society for French Studies. She has published extensively on Savoy in the sixteenth century, notably on the poet Marc-Claude de Buttet, and is the author of a significant number of publications in other areas of French studies.