Duchy of Guastalla
Encyclopedia
The Duchy of Guastalla was an Italian state
which existed between 1621 to 1748. It was bordered by the Duchy of Modena and Reggio
and the Po River
to the north, on the opposite bank of the Duchy of Mantua
.
elevated the County of Guastalla
to the rank of a duchy. Ferrante II
became the first duke of the city, hoping to succeed in the future to the great Duchy of Mantua
. Ferrante died of plague in 1630 and was succeeded by his son Cesare II
. With him Guastalla expanded its territory with the annexation of the lands of Dosolo
, Luzzara
and Reggiolo
, until then owned by Mantua. In 1632 his son Ferrante III
ascended to the throne. Having no male heir, he bequeathed the Duchy of Guastalla to his daughter's husband Ferdinand Charles, Duke of Mantua. Meanwhile Guastalla modernized its defenses, owing to the frequent wars which swept over Italy at this time. Between 1689 and 1690 the city was attacked by the Spaniards, who managed to demolish the defensive walls thus occupying the city, destroying the Visconti
castle and the town tower. In 1692 the Duke was accused of felony and Emperor Leopold I
gave Guastalla and its territories to Vincenzo Gonzaga. During his reign, in 1702, there were violent clashes in the territory of Luzzara (see Battle of Luzzara
) between the French troops of Louis XIV and imperial forces led by Prince Eugene of Savoy
. Shortly after Guastalla was itself attacked. The city, although putting up a heroic defense, was forced to surrender. Antonio Ferdinando Gonzaga in 1714 inherited the duchy on the death of his father. Unfortunately he was not very active politically, dying in unusual circumstances in 1729. His brother Vincenzo Gonzaga, last duke of the city, took power in 1734 and saw the occupation by the Austrians in the so-called Battle of Guastalla
. Later the city was sold to Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy until 1738. The last duke died without heirs in 1746 and the Duchy of Guastalla was incorporated into Austrian Lombardy
under the government of Maria Theresa of Austria
until the year 1747. With the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
, Guastalla was joined to the Duchy of Parma
, ruled by the Bourbons. It was annexed to the Cisalpine Republic
in 1802, but became an autonomous duchy in 1806. It was returned in 1815 to the Duchy of Parma
, and remained under Parma's rule until 1847. With the death of Marie-Louise the Duchy then passed to the Duchy of Modena and later on to the unified Kingdom of Italy.
and the annexed territories (Rivarolo Mantovano
, San Martino dall'Argine
, Pomponesco
, Commessaggio
, Ostiano
, Isola Dovarese
) and the Duchy of Sabbioneta.
Historical states of Italy
Italy, until the present era, was a conglomeration of city-states and other small independent entities. The following is a list of the various states that made up what we now know as Italy during the past...
which existed between 1621 to 1748. It was bordered by the Duchy of Modena and Reggio
Duchy of Modena and Reggio
The Duchy of Modena and Reggio |Italian]] state that existed from 1452 to 1859, with a break between 1796 and 1814. It was ruled by the noble House of Este, from 1814 Austria-Este.-House of Este:...
and the Po River
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
to the north, on the opposite bank of the Duchy of Mantua
Duchy of Mantua
The Duchy of Mantua was a duchy in Lombardy, Northern Italy, subject to the Holy Roman Empire.-History:After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Mantua was invaded by Byzantines, Longobards and Franks. In the 11th century it became a possession of Boniface of Canossa, marquis of Toscana...
.
History
On the 2 July 1621 Emperor Ferdinand II HabsburgFerdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
elevated the County of Guastalla
County of Guastalla
The County of Guastalla was a sovereign state of northern Italy centred on Guastalla. The title of count was created in 1406 for Guido Torelli: the Torelli family held Guastalla until 1539, when it was bought by Ferrante Gonzaga. Another branch held the county of Montechiarugolo until 1612...
to the rank of a duchy. Ferrante II
Ferrante II Gonzaga
Ferrante II Gonzaga was Count of Guastalla and since 1621 Duke of Guastalla.He was the son of Cesare I Gonzaga, Count of Guastalla and Duke of Amalfi and Camilla Borromeo. He succeeded his father in 1575...
became the first duke of the city, hoping to succeed in the future to the great Duchy of Mantua
Duchy of Mantua
The Duchy of Mantua was a duchy in Lombardy, Northern Italy, subject to the Holy Roman Empire.-History:After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Mantua was invaded by Byzantines, Longobards and Franks. In the 11th century it became a possession of Boniface of Canossa, marquis of Toscana...
. Ferrante died of plague in 1630 and was succeeded by his son Cesare II
Cesare II Gonzaga
Cesare II Gonzaga was Duke of Guastalla.He was the son of Ferrante II Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla and Duke of Amalfi and of Vittoria Doria.He succeeded his father in 1630, but died 2 years later....
. With him Guastalla expanded its territory with the annexation of the lands of Dosolo
Dosolo
Dosolo is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 130 km southeast of Milan and about 25 km southwest of Mantua...
, Luzzara
Luzzara
Luzzara is a comune in the province of Reggio Emilia, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located at the northern end of the province and is bounded by the river named Po to the north as well as the provinces of Mantua and the region of Lombardy....
and Reggiolo
Reggiolo
Reggiolo is a town in the province of Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. As of 2007 Reggiolo had an estimated population of 9,185. Carlo Ancelotti is a native of the town, and Formula One racer Lorenzo Bandini is buried there....
, until then owned by Mantua. In 1632 his son Ferrante III
Ferrante III Gonzaga
Ferrante III Gonzaga was Duke of Guastalla.He was the son of Cesare II Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla and Duke of Amalfi and Isabella Orsini.He succeeded his father in 1632....
ascended to the throne. Having no male heir, he bequeathed the Duchy of Guastalla to his daughter's husband Ferdinand Charles, Duke of Mantua. Meanwhile Guastalla modernized its defenses, owing to the frequent wars which swept over Italy at this time. Between 1689 and 1690 the city was attacked by the Spaniards, who managed to demolish the defensive walls thus occupying the city, destroying the Visconti
House of Visconti
Visconti is the family name of two important Italian noble dynasties of the Middle Ages. There are two distinct Visconti families: The first one in the Republic of Pisa in the mid twelfth century who achieved prominence first in Pisa, then in Sardinia where they became rulers of Gallura...
castle and the town tower. In 1692 the Duke was accused of felony and Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
gave Guastalla and its territories to Vincenzo Gonzaga. During his reign, in 1702, there were violent clashes in the territory of Luzzara (see Battle of Luzzara
Battle of Luzzara
The Battle of Luzzara was a battle of the War of the Spanish Succession, which was fought on 15 August 1702 near Luzzara, Italy.-Prelude:In the summer of 1702, after taking Guastalla, the French under Louis Joseph, duc de Vendôme turned north, with the intention to besiege Borgoforte...
) between the French troops of Louis XIV and imperial forces led by Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene of Savoy , was one of the most successful military commanders in modern European history, rising to the highest offices of state at the Imperial court in Vienna. Born in Paris to aristocratic Italian parents, Eugene grew up around the French court of King Louis XIV...
. Shortly after Guastalla was itself attacked. The city, although putting up a heroic defense, was forced to surrender. Antonio Ferdinando Gonzaga in 1714 inherited the duchy on the death of his father. Unfortunately he was not very active politically, dying in unusual circumstances in 1729. His brother Vincenzo Gonzaga, last duke of the city, took power in 1734 and saw the occupation by the Austrians in the so-called Battle of Guastalla
Battle of Guastalla
The Battle of Guastalla or Battle of Luzzara was a battle fought on September 19, 1734, between Franco-Sardinian and Austrian troops as part of the War of Polish Succession.-Background:...
. Later the city was sold to Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy until 1738. The last duke died without heirs in 1746 and the Duchy of Guastalla was incorporated into Austrian Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
under the government of Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
until the year 1747. With the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession following a congress assembled at the Imperial Free City of Aachen—Aix-la-Chapelle in French—in the west of the Holy Roman Empire, on 24 April 1748...
, Guastalla was joined to the Duchy of Parma
Duchy of Parma
The Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese, centered on the city of Parma....
, ruled by the Bourbons. It was annexed to the Cisalpine Republic
Cisalpine Republic
The Cisalpine Republic was a French client republic in Northern Italy that lasted from 1797 to 1802.-Birth:After the Battle of Lodi in May 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte proceeded to organize two states: one to the south of the Po River, the Cispadane Republic, and one to the north, the Transpadane...
in 1802, but became an autonomous duchy in 1806. It was returned in 1815 to the Duchy of Parma
Duchy of Parma
The Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese, centered on the city of Parma....
, and remained under Parma's rule until 1847. With the death of Marie-Louise the Duchy then passed to the Duchy of Modena and later on to the unified Kingdom of Italy.
Territory
The Gonzaga, at the maximum extent of the Guastalla duchy, also took control of the principality of BozzoloBozzolo
Bozzolo is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km southeast of Milan and about 25 km southwest of Mantua....
and the annexed territories (Rivarolo Mantovano
Rivarolo Mantovano
Rivarolo Mantovano is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km southeast of Milan and about 30 km southwest of Mantua...
, San Martino dall'Argine
San Martino dall'Argine
San Martino Dall'argine is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km southeast of Milan and about 25 km southwest of Mantua.-External links:*...
, Pomponesco
Pomponesco
Pomponesco is a comune in the Italian Province of Mantua. As of 2007 the estimated population of Pomponesco was 1,770.The experimental musical artist Maurizio Bianchi was born there in 1955....
, Commessaggio
Commessaggio
Commessaggio is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 120 km southeast of Milan and about 25 km southwest of Mantua....
, Ostiano
Ostiano
Ostiano is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 90 km southeast of Milan and about 20 km northeast of Cremona...
, Isola Dovarese
Isola Dovarese
Isola Dovarese is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 90 km southeast of Milan and about 20 km east of Cremona....
) and the Duchy of Sabbioneta.
See also
- Historical states of ItalyHistorical states of ItalyItaly, until the present era, was a conglomeration of city-states and other small independent entities. The following is a list of the various states that made up what we now know as Italy during the past...
- List of rulers of Guastalla
- House of GonzagaHouse of GonzagaThe Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...