Lot 1963

Description

Italy, The House of Savoy and the Kingdom of Italy, Emanuele Philiberto, Duke of Savoy, (1538-1580), silver blanco or four soldi, 1576, Torino mint, obv. arms of Savoy around EM FILIB D G DVX SABAVDIE P PED, FE RT across, rev. cross, around IN TE DOMINE CONFIDO 1576 T, (Simonetti 45/27, CNI 278-282). Very fine and very scarce.

When Emanuele Philiberto succeeded his father Carlo III in 1553 he was essentially a duke without a duchy. A series of wars involving French, Spanish and Swiss forces had devasted Savoy, and by 1536 Francis I had brought the duchy under complete French rule. Emanuele in exile served the king of Spain, as governor-general of the Lowlands, and in 1557 delivered a devastating defeat to the French at St. Quentin. As part of subsequent negotiations the Duke was confirmed as the independent ruler of Savoy, assuming full control of his duchy in 1559. Emmanuel Philibert made Turin his capital, thus shifting the center of his duchy from France to Italy, and Savoy's growing influence in Italian affairs led to the establishment of the House of Savoy as the royal Italian house in 1861.