Background
Charles Emmanuel I was born in the Castle of Rivoli in Piedmont on January 12, 1562.
Charles Emmanuel I was born in the Castle of Rivoli in Piedmont on January 12, 1562.
Charles Emmanuel I intervened in the French religious wars, and also fought with Bern and other Swiss cantons, and on the murder of Henry III of France in 1589 he aspired to the French throne on the strength of the claim.
In the war between France and Spain Charles sided with the latter, with varying success.
Finally, by the peace of Lyons (1601), he gave up all territories beyond the Rhone, but his possession of Saluzzo was confirmed.
This arrayed the Venetians, Tuscany, the Empire and Spain against him, and he was obliged to relinquish his conquest.
The Spaniards invaded the duchy from Lombardy, and although the duke was defeated several times he fought bravely, gained some successes, and the terms of the peace of 1618 left him more or less in the status quo ante.
We next find Charles Emmanuel aspiring to the imperial crown in 16x9, but without success.
In 1628 he was in alliance with Spain in the war against France; the French invaded the duchy, which, being abandoned by Spain, was overrun by their armies.
The duke fought desperately, but was taken ill at Savigliano and died in 1630.
He was succeeded by his son Victor Amedeo I, while his third son Tommaso founded the line of Savoy-Carignano from which the present royal house of Italy is descended.
Charles Emmanue married his (first cousin-once-removed) cousin, Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain. They had ten children.
