Duchy of Montferrat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Duchy of Montferrat
Ducato del Monferrato (Italian)
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| 1574–1708 | |||||||||
 Flag
 Aleramici
(Argent a chief gules) |
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| Status | Duchy | ||||||||
| Capital | Casale Monferrato | ||||||||
| Common languages | ltalian Piedmontese |
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| Religion | Catholicism | ||||||||
| Government | Duchy | ||||||||
| Duke | |||||||||
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• 1574–1587
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Guglielmo Gonzaga (first duke) | ||||||||
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• 1665–1708
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Ferdinando Carlo Gonzaga (last) | ||||||||
| Historical era | Modern Era | ||||||||
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• March of Montferrat raised to a duchy
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1574 | ||||||||
| 1628–31 | |||||||||
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• Claims by House of Savoy confirmed
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1648 | ||||||||
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• Annexed by Duchy of Savoy
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1708 | ||||||||
| 1713 | |||||||||
| Currency | Cavallotto, Ducat | ||||||||
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The Duchy of Montferrat was an important state in Northern Italy during the Modern Era. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire, a large group of lands in Central Europe. The Duchy of Montferrat was created in 1574. Before that, it was known as the March of Montferrat, a smaller territory.
The last ruler from the old family, the Palaeologus family, died in 1533. For a short time, Emperor Charles V controlled the area. Then, in 1536, the land passed to the House of Gonzaga family. This happened because Margaret of Montferrat, the last heir, married into the Gonzaga family. The Gonzagas were already powerful rulers of the Duchy of Mantua. In 1574, the area was officially made a Duchy, meaning it became a more important state.
Where Was Montferrat Located?
The Duchy of Montferrat was in southern Piedmont, a region in Italy. This area is still called Montferrat today. The Duchy covered about 2,750 square kilometers. It was made of two separate parts.
Neighbors of Montferrat
The Duchy of Montferrat shared its borders with several other states. These included the Duchy of Savoy, the Duchy of Milan, and the Republic of Genoa. Its capital city was Casale Monferrato.
The End of the Duchy
The Duchy of Montferrat did not last forever. A major conflict called the War of the Mantuan Succession took place between 1628 and 1631. During this war, some parts of Montferrat were taken by the Duchy of Savoy.
The rest of the Duchy of Montferrat was also taken by Savoy in 1708. This happened when Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, took control of the main lands of the Gonzaga family, which was the Duchy of Mantua. This marked the end of the Duchy of Montferrat as an independent state.
See also
- Rulers of Montferrat, for a list of margraves and dukes
