Career
However, in June 1515 he rose in open rebellion, and in 1517 even fled to Fribourg in order to secretly promote a cooperation between the republican factions in both cities. In order to prevent any rebellion, the bishop of Geneva decided to move his residence into that city from Pignerol, where he resided most of the time, and on April 20, 1519 moved into Geneva. Berthelier was offered by his friends to flee to Fribourg another time, but refused.
Berthelier was arrested by the bishop"s soldiers on August 23, 1519, and was tried for treason against the Duke of Savoy.
Foreign the purpose of the trial, the bishop circumvented the laws of the land that required trial by the Grand Council established in 1457 and appointed a former dentist named Jean Desbois as a special judge. After a summary trial held on the same day, Berthelier was found guilty and was sentenced to death by beheading.
The sentence was carried out on the same day. In the grounds of the church that stands beside the Domaine de Chateauvieux in the village of Peney, overlooking the Rhone near Geneva, there is a small plaque erected in 1986 to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Reformation.
This refers to the Castle of Peney as the "ancient fief of Philibert Berthelier".
On the site now stands the Domaine de Chateauvieux, a luxury hotel and restaurant which has a brief historical account of the castle in English.