Provincial governors and the absolute state: Piedmont 1713-48

European History Quarterly

Volumn 37, Issue 1, 2007, Pages 35-60

  Storrs, Christopher ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Absolutism; Nobility; Provincial governors; Savoyard state; State formation

Indexed keywords

EID: 43249141442     PISSN: 02656914     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/0265691407071801     Document Type: Review

References (77)

1. H. Costamagna, 'Pour une histoire De l'intendenza dans les états De terre fermé De la Maison De Savoye a l'époque moderne', Bollettino Storico Bibliografico Subalpino [BSBS] 83 (1985), 373-467.
2. R. Harding, Anatomy of a Power Elite (New Haven, CT and London, 1978);
3. W. Beik, Absolutism and Society in Seventeenth-century France (Cambridge 1985);
4. J. Swann, Provincial Power and Absolute Monarchy: The Estates General of Burgundy, 1661-1790 (Cambridge 2003).
5. For Sweden, cf. M. Roberts, Gustavus Adolphus (Harlow 1992), 2nd edn, 83-4.
6. The Lords Lieutenant of England (and Scotland) have not been properly studied, but see T. Cogswell, Home Divisions. Aristocracy, The State and Provincial Conflict (Manchester 1998)
7. J. M. Rosenheim, The Townshends of Raynham (Middleton, CN 1989) for Leicestershire and Norfolk.
8. For Spain and its empire, cf. P. Rosenfeld, 'The Provincial Governors of the Netherlands from the Minority of Charles V to the Revolt', in H. J. Cohn, ed., Government in Reformation Europe 1520-60 (London 1971)
9. W. Borah, El gobierno provincial en la Nueva España 1570-1787 (Mexico 1985).
10. For a non-European, Chinese, comparison, cf. J. Spence, Treason by the Book (London 2001).
11. J. Nicolas, La Savoie au 18e siècle. Noblesse et Bourgeoisie, 2 vols. (Paris 1978), II, 602-3.
12. G. Quazza, Le Riforme in Piemonte nella prima meta del Settecento, 2 vols (Modena 1957);
13. G. Symcox, Victor Amadeus II: Absolutism in the Savoyard State (London 1983).
14. P. Libra, 'Storia di una "confusione necessaria": l'ordinamento provinciale sabaudo di antico regime', BSBS, 101 (2003), 150-1, simply notes the importance of the governors in the arrangements of 1749.
15. S. Lombardini, 'La costruzione dell'ordine: governatori e governati a Mondovi (1682-1687)', in G. Lombardi, ed., La Guerra del Sale (1680-1699). 3 vols (Milan 1986), I, 179 ff.
16. Cf. A. Ferrero della Marmora, Notizie sulla Vita e sulle Geste militari di Carlo Emiliano San Martino di Parella . . . 1672 al 1706 (Torino 1863)
17. D. Carutti, 'Il Maresciallo Rhebinder', in C. Contessa et al., Le Campagne di Guerra in Piemonte (1703-08) el'assedio di Torino (1706), 10 vols (Turin 1908-33), 8, largely ignores his subject's governorships of Biella (1709-13) and Pinerolo (1713-).
18. W. Barberis, Le Armi del Principe. La Tradizione Militare Sabauda (Turin 1989);
19. P. Bianchi, Onore e Mestiere. Le Riforme Militari nel Piemonte del Settecento (Turin 2002).
20. B.A. Raviola, 'Poteri ed Onori di un Elite: I Governatori nei Domini Sabaudi da Emanuele Filiberto a Carlo Emanuele I (1559-1630)', tesi di laurea, University of Turin (1995-96);
21. R. Bonturi, 'La figura del governatore sabaudo e i suoi rapporti con la Segreteria di Guerra (1770-98)', tesi di laurea, University of Turin (1995-96);
22. L.V. Camurri, 'La Segreteria di Guerra nello state sabaudo. Gli uomini e gli uffici', tesi di laurea, University of Turin (1985-86);
23. P. Bianchi, 'Una piazzaforte sabauda: esercito, difesa e controllo sociale ad Asti nel Settecento', in G. Ricuperati, ed., Quando San Secondo divento giacobino. Asti e la Repubblica del luglio 1707 (Asti 1999), 127-78;
24. A. Merlotti, L'Enigma delle Nobilta. Stato e ceti dirigenti nel Piemonte del Settecento (Florence 2000), xii;
25. P. Bianchi and A. Merlotti, Cuneo in Eta Moderna. Citta e Stato nel Piemonte d'antico regime (Milan, 2002).
26. cf. also G. Ricuperati, 'Il Settecento', in P. Merlin, ed. Il Piemonte Sabaudo. Stato e Territori in Eta Moderna (Turin 1994), 449 ff.
27. Costamagna, 'Pour une histoire', 373 ff.
28. cf. S. Dixon, Catherine the Great (London 2000), 148-9, for developments in eighteenth-century Russia,
29. A.C. Nogueira da Silva, O Modelo Espacial do Estado Moderno. Reorganizacao Territorial em Portugal nos Finals do Antigo Regime (Lisbon 1998) for reform in late eighteenth-century Portugal and an invaluable general discussion.
30. F.A. Duboin, Raccolta per ordine di materia delle leggi emanati negli stati sardi sino all'otto dicembre 1708, 23 vols (Turin 1818-69), III, 72;
31. Symcox, Victor Amadeus,
32. C. Storrs, War, Diplomacy and the Rise of Savoy 1690-1720 (Cambridge 1999).
33. Cf. Costamagna, 'Pour une histoire', 380;
34. Libra, 'Storia', 148-9.
35. Merlotti, Enigma, 276.
36. L. Einaudi, La finanza sabauda all'aprirsi del secolo XVIII e durante la guerra di successione spagnuola (Turin 1908), 311-12.
37. For Aosta, cf. Storrs, War, Diplomacy, 277ff.
38. Instructions for conte Cumiana, governor of Casale and the Lower Monferrato, 7 Apr. 1739, AST/RSG/ Regie Istruzioni ai Governatori [RIG], 1739, 52 ff. The previous governor had requested a transfer to the quieter Alba.
39. A. Merlotti, 'Da fortezza militare a fortezza religiosa?', in G.G. Merlo et al., eds, Il Settecento Religioso nel Pinerolese (Pinerolo 2001), 73-136.
40. Cf. Instructions for the Marchese di Rivarolo, as governor of the city and contado of Alessandria, 24 March 1747, AST/RSG/RIG, 346, 301.
41. Camurri, Segreteria di Guerra, 229.
42. Carutti, 'Rhebinder', 162-3.
43. Quazza, Le Riforme, I, 65fr.;
44. Costamagna, 'Pour une histoire', 388 ff.
45. For Cuneo, besieged in 1691 and 1744, cf. Bianchi and Merlotti, Cuneo.
46. CE to Bogino, 19 November 1745, AST/RSG/Lettere SAR, Vol. 23, f. 2.
47. In 1731, governors were ordered to provide escorts whenever provincial treasurers sent money to Turin: Sec. of War to San Nazaro, 24 August 1731, AST/RSG/LP, Ser. I, 1731, f. 136.
48. In 1730 a description of two men who had robbed, in Genoa, the brother of a captain in the Desportes regiment (then in Savoyard service) was circulated to governors: Sec. of War to San Nazaro, 24 February 1730, AST/RSG/LP, Ser. II, 1730, f. 96.
49. Sec. of War to Conte Viterbo, 23 October 1739, AST/RSG/LP, Ser. I, 1739-40, f. 10, approving joint measures in the Barcelonette valley (ceded by Victor Amadeus to Louis XIV in 1713).
50. Sec. of War to Conte Pellion (Vercelli), Cavaliere Brizio (Alba) and Marchese Trotti, 30 July 1744, AST/RSG/LAG, 1744, f. 3-4; AST/Editti, m. 29/42.
51. Sec. of War to baron di Breglio, 19 May 1747, AST/RSG/LAG, 1747, f. 79.
52. M. Broers, 'Policing Piedmont: the "Well-ordered" Italian Police State in the Age of Revolution', Criminal Justice History (1994).
53. Ricuperati, 'Il Settecento', 450-1.
54. C. Storrs, 'Le Politiche Statali: Lo Stato Sabaudo, Pinerolo e la Chiesa', in Merlo, Il Settecento Religioso nel Pinerolese, 23-47.
55. There is a large literature on the Piedmontese Vaudois. Cf. A. De Lange, ed., Dall'Europa alle Valli Valdesi (Turin 1990).
56. C. Storrs, 'Ormea as Foreign Minister 1732-45: the Savoyard State between England and Spain', in A. Merlotti, ed., Nobilta e Stato in Piemonte. I Ferrero d'Ormea (Turin 2003), 242 ff.
57. Symcox, Victor Amadeus II, 199 ff.
58. But see now S. Cavallo, Charity and Power in Early Modern Italy. Benefactors and their Motives in Turin, 1541-1789 (Cambridge 1995).
59. Duboin, Raccolta, XII (XIV), 98 ff.
60. Cf. Paolo Domenico Siccardi to Roero di Cortanze, 5 January 1734, AST/LP/R, m. 47.
61. Many governors attributing the problem of banditry in part to the protection afforded by local nobles: Rivarolo to Saint Laurent, 26 November 1747, AST/LP/R, m. 39.
62. On the College of the Provinces, cf. M. Roggero, Il Sapere e la Virtu. Stato, Universita e Professioni nel Piemonte tra Settecento ed Ottocento (Turin 1987), passim.
63. Molesworth to Newcastle, 28 February 1725, SP 92/31, f. 429;
64. Cf. Rivarolo to Saint Laurent, 26 November 1747, AST/LP/R, m. 39. Rivarolo's attitude jars somewhat with the view of the Constitutions as expression and instrument of Savoyard absolutism.
65. Cf. Merlotti, Enigma, 94-5, 106. The Constitutions had reformed ceremonial in favour of governors.
66. Quazza, Le Riforme, passim.
67. AST/RSG/Patenti, 1744-5, f. 58.
68. C. Storrs, 'Savoyard Diplomacy in the Eighteenth Century (1684-1798)', in D. Frigo, ed., Politics and Diplomacy in Early Modern Italy (Cambridge 2000), 210 ff.
69. DBI, III', 618 ff.
70. A. Manno, Patriziato Subalpino, XVI [typescript in AST], 328-9.
71. Cf. the salary scales in Quazza, Le Riforme, I, 88-9. (Quazza, typically, fails to mention the provincial governors.)
72. AST/RSG/Lettere SAR, f. 97.
73. AST/RSG/Patenti, 1735-7, f. 12.
74. AST/RSG/Lettere SAR, vol. 18, f. 99.
75. AST/RSG/Patenti, 1737-9, f. 133, 135, 140.
76. Cf. Bianchi and Merlotti, Cuneo, 329.
77. Manno, Patriziato Subalpino, XVII, 328-9.