Annexation Of Savoy

The term annexation of Savoy to France is used to describe the union of all of Savoy—including the future departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, which corresponded to the eponymous duchy—and the County of Nice, which was then an integral part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, with France ( Second Empire) in 1860. This union is expressed in the French version of the Treaty of Turin.

Despite the country's history of occupation and annexation by various powers, including the French (from 1536 to 1559, from 1600 to 1601, 1689, and then from 1703 to 1713) and the Spaniards (from 1742 to 1748), the expression in question pertains to the "union" clause outlined in Article 1 of the Treaty of Turin of March 24, 1860. This clause concerns the joint rule of France and the Savoy during the Carolingian Empire. The expression is also used about the "union" clause in Article 1 of the Treaty of Turin of March 24, 1860,For a reading of the text of the Treaty of Turin (1860). which pertains to the historical fact that France and Savoy had been jointly ruled during the Carolingian Empire. This occurred on seven occasions: first, from 749; then, by France during the Revolution from 1792 to 1814; and finally, on five occasions by France between 1860 and 1947.

Terminology

Use of terms

The terminology employed to designate this period is variable, and four terms have become established in usage: "annexation," "union," "cession," and "attachment."

The words "annexation" and "union," preferred to "cession," were used during the 1860 debates by both supporters and opponents of union with the French Empire. However, the term "union" appears in the text of the 1860 treaty. "Article One – His Majesty the King of Sardinia consents to the union of Savoy and the arrondissement of Nice." Indeed, it gives the impression that the populations consent to the decisions of the princes. Professor Luc Monnier, in his book ''L'Annexion de la Savoie à la France et la politique suisse'' (1932), notes: "They did not speak of annexing Nice and Savoy, but of consulting the wishes of these two provinces, a more elegant formula that respected propriety." Moreover, Count Cavour seems to have insisted on using the word "union" instead of "cession". The acceptance by the populations of this cession will be highlighted with the results of the April 1860 plebiscite, which marked the definition of the term in '' 19th-century Larousse'': "the acquisition of a territory, a country, with the formally expressed adherence of the populations of that territory, that country".  

The expression is frequently written with a capital "A", particularly in certain works. In his book, ''Histoire de la Savoie en images: images & récits'', discusses using the capitalized "A" in the context of the region's history. He notes that the history of Savoy, on a large scale, is not exempt from these tensions, as evidenced by the ongoing debates surrounding the millennium of the dynasty, the Revolution, the Annexation, and the Resistance. These words, when capitalized, convey a sense of timelessness, stimulate the imagination, and rekindle passions, which can sometimes be contrived.

The term "union" was also employed during the fiftieth anniversary in 1910. However, during the centennial celebration in 1960, official documents used the term "attachment", which persists during the sesquicentennial celebrations.

Historians specializing in the theme from the Savoyard school of thought, such as Professors and , employ the term "annexation." Italian authors, on the other hand, tend to use the term "''cessione''" ("cession"), which aligns more closely with the legal reality of the situation.

Local usages

The principal urban centers of Savoy have a thoroughfare designated as "Annexation Street." However, the designation is considerably more prevalent in the northern reaches of the regionIn Haute-Savoie, with Annecy and the towns near Switzerland such as Annemasse, Bons-en-Chablais, Rumilly, Sallanches, or Thonon-les-Bains. than in the south, where Chambéry, the erstwhile capital of the duchy, has renamed it " General-de-Gaulle Avenue".

History

Prelude: a secret agreement

On July 21, 1858, Emperor Napoleon III and Camille Benso, Count of Cavour, President of the Council of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, convened in secret at Plombières to deliberate the prospect of providing military and diplomatic assistance to the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia in its conflict with the Austrian Empire. In return, they proposed the transfer of the Savoyard and Niçois territories to France. Subsequently, a treaty was signed in Turin on January 26, 1859, to formalize the Franco-Piedmontese alliance by Prince Napoleon Jérôme, who married Princess Clotilde of Savoy four days later.

However, on July 7, 1859, following the armistice of Villafranca, Napoleon III renounced Savoy, citing the failure to achieve the desired military objectives. In their departure, the Savoyard population greeted the French troops with enthusiasm for their support of the Italian cause. Witnessing the unraveling of his plans, Cavour was compelled to relinquish power, paving the way for the unpopular Urbano Rattazzi.

Debates on union with France

From August 1859 to January 1860, Savoy was beset by uncertainty regarding its future. In response, liberals mobilized in favor of Savoy's attachment to their sovereigns. Concurrently, a pro-French annexationist party emerged, while in the north of the duchy, the idea of attachment to Switzerland arose.

On July 25, 1859, approximately twenty-five or thirty Savoyard individuals, lacking notable political or economic influence, primarily from Chambéry, led by Dr. and lawyer Charles Bertier, editor-in-chief of the conservative newspaper , presented an address to King Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy, requesting his consideration of the desires of the ducal province.

The question words affirm a "Savoyard nationality," as the '' Revue des deux Mondes'' reported. This address was the subject of a petition throughout Savoy, marking the beginning of an opinion movement across the country, notably through the Savoyard, Turin, Geneva, and French press.

In the days that followed, on July 28, 1859, in Annecy, a group of approximately a dozen Savoyard deputies, all of whom identified as conservative Catholics, petitioned the government to address the material fate of the province of Savoy.

The government of Urbano Rattazzi sought to mitigate the impact of the ' by suspending its publication on August 3, 1859. This was in response to the newspaper's call for the residents of Savoy to be granted the same nationality voting rights as those in central Italy. Following a period of suspension, the publication resumed on December 1.

In August 1859, Count Cavour, who was on a period of rest in Switzerland, returned to the Kingdom of Sardinia via Savoy. He seized the opportunity to engage with prominent figures such as General Intendant Pietro Magenta,↑ Pietro Magenta (1807–1862) was a Piedmontese official. He ended his career as the vice-governor of Genoa. He was a commander of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus. While stationed in Chambéry, he strove to defend the idea that the duchy would never be abandoned. a democrat who had held the office in Chambéry since 1856 and was disliked by conservatives, as well as anti-annexationists François Buloz, co-founder of the '' Revue des deux Mondes'', and the liberal Albert Blanc, who published  ''La Savoie et la Monarchie constitutionnelle''. This visit was followed by that of the king's two young sons, but the reception remained polite, as noted by historians of the period, such as . However, the ''Revue des Deux Mondes'', which was anti-annexationist, indicated that the reception given to these young princes had not been as cold as had been claimed, especially in the ultramontane papers of France. Mr. Albert Blanc had refuted this allegation in writing in which he had reduced the separatist movement of Savoy to its proper value.

In the period between December 1859 and January 1860, the government dispatched clandestine emissaries to ascertain the prevailing sentiment among the Savoyard populace regarding the proposed union with the French Empire. "All evidence leads to the conclusion that the Piedmontese regime is profoundly unpopular among the elites, the Church and the general population. The prospect of joining France, a prosperous and powerful country, represents a significant temptation for the Savoyards."

In Turin, Count Cavour returned to power on January 16, 1860, after six months of withdrawal, assuming the role of President of the Council. He was prepared to pursue the unification of Italy: "My task is more arduous and challenging than it was in the past. The objective of uniting the disparate elements that constitute Italy, of harmonizing the disparate regions of the country, presents as many difficulties as a war with Austria and the struggle for Rome."

The Swiss option

In February and March, petitions were circulated in the communes of Chablais and Faucigny, advocating for union with the Swiss Confederation. The petition stated: "A period of union with France spanned several years, and many still evoke a sense of nostalgia when contemplating that era. Since 1848, we have been closely allied with Piedmont. Nevertheless, despite our sympathies for either free Italy or France, other, more profound sympathies lead us to conclude that annexation to Switzerland is the optimal course of action. Indeed, such is our most fervent aspiration, rooted in our exclusive ties with Geneva, our commercial interests, and the myriad advantages that elude us elsewhere." This petition garnered 13,651 signatures across 60 communes of Faucigny, 23 of Chablais, and 13 surrounding Saint-Julien-en-Genevois (cited by ).It is also noted that some signatories have strange signatures: Messrs. Pain, Viande, Rotisseur, etc., or that some "idiots" affixed their signatures. Quoted from

Those who advocated this solution included the attorneys Edgar Clerc-Biron and Joseph Bard,Joseph-Léandre Bard, born on September 3, 1818, in Bonneville, was a lawyer, and author of brochures on various questions of the period, indicated in the bibliography below. representing Bonneville, and Henri Faurax, representing Saint-Julien, as well as the surveyor Adolphe Bétemps, representing Thonon. Additionally, the idea was advanced in the Turin Chamber by the deputy .His inclinations were also noted by the correspondent of the Journal de Genève in Turin: "(he) defends the Swiss cause with extraordinary perseverance. He is somewhat for Savoy what Garibaldi is for Nice. Unfortunately, everything related to the government only discourages these attempts. Messrs. Chenal and Garibaldi are represented by the ministerial world as extremists opposing inevitable necessities," quoted by . However, the matter did not persist for an extended period. A limited number of newspapers outside the province disseminated the information. The '' Journal de Genève'' published the petition, and the Parisian newspaper ''La Patrie'' participated in the discourse by publishing a motion from Savoyards residing in the northern region of the duchy. The reaction of conservatives in favor of maintaining Savoyard unity was prompt, invoking the historical precedent of Bernese domination during the 16th century.

The prospect of a split of Northern Savoy prompted a response from some notable figures, including fifteen personalities from Chambéry. These included lawyer Charles Bertier, Dr. , , and deputies , , and . De Montfalcon, among others, was supported by approximately forty individuals who published a ''Déclaration'' on February 15, 1860, denouncing the potential division of Savoy as a violation of its historical and cultural identity. They asserted that such a move would be detrimental to the region's pride and sense of national identity, and would be perceived as an insult to the deeply held values and aspirations of the Savoyard people. They would denounce any proposal for the fragmentation or division of the ancient Savoyard unity as a crime against the fatherland. Some of the signatories were present during the meeting with the Tuileries delegation.

On February 26, 1860, the French government rejected the notion of an autonomous Savoy.

On March 1, 1860, Napoleon III proclaimed to the Legislative Body his intention to claim the gratuity agreed upon at Plombières, namely, the western slope of the Alps mountains, comprising Nice and Savoy, in exchange for his support for Italian unity. On March 8, 1860, the divisional councils, convened in Chambéry, articulated a preference for the preservation of Savoy's territorial integrity, thereby rejecting the proposed partition of Savoy between Switzerland and France.

The treaty and the plebiscite

On March 12, 1860, a clandestine preliminary convention was concluded in Turin, whereby the cession of Savoy and Nice to France was acknowledged. The principle of consulting the population was accepted.

The duchy's divisional councils convened and resolved to dispatch a delegation of 41 Savoyards (nobles, bourgeois, and ministerial officers) in favor of annexation.The delegation led by Count included, for the province of Chambéry, the deputy of Aix , the provincial councilors Louis Bérard, Maurice Blanc, , Barons , and , as well as Charles Bertier, Alexis Falcoz, Pierre-Louis Besson, lawyer Antoine Bourbon, Dr. Dardel, Jacques Prosper Degaillon, Charles François, Jacques Prosper Degaillon, Félix Gruat, Pierre Viviand, Savey-Guerraz, and the major of the National Guard Vuagnat. The province of Annecy was represented by deputies , Joseph Ginet (Rumilly), (Saint-Julien), and (Annecy), accompanied by (the former deputy of Saint-Julien), Dufour, Barons (Annecy) and Jules Blanc (Faverges), François Bétrix (director of the Bank of Savoy), Dr. Descotes, Magnin, Masset, Alexis Rollier. Note that Chablais, which was rather favorable to a rapprochement with neighboring Switzerland, only sent Édouard Dessaix, Félix Jordan, François Ramel, and Gustave Folliet. Quoted by . This delegation was to be led by Count and would receive a solemn reception at the Tuileries from the Emperor on March 21, 1860.

On March 24, 1860, the signing and later publication of the Treaty of Annexation, also known as the Treaty of Turin, occurred. The initial three articles delineated the stipulations of this annexation. Primarily, the term "annexation" was not employed; instead, the document referred to a "union" (Article I). Consequently, the call for the consent of the Savoyards and the organization of a plebiscite was made. Secondly, the , which had been previously neutralized, was guaranteed. The zone of Northern Savoy, guaranteed by the Treaty of Turin of 1816, was maintained (art. II). Finally, a mixed commission was established to determine the borders of the two states, considering the configuration of the mountains and the necessity of defense (art. III).

In April 1860, French senator (from April 4 to 28) commenced preparations for the plebiscite. French emissaries traversed the regions of Chablais and Faucigny to ascertain the sentiments of the local populations. Concurrently, the advantages of annexation were espoused, including the abridgment of military service, the dissolution of customs with France, the influx of inexpensive commodities, the influx of capital, the more equitable distribution of taxation, and, most significantly, the unification of a nation with a common linguistic heritage for the Savoyards. On March 28, 1860, French troops arrived in Chambéry.In his letter of March 28, 1860,
The annexation of Savoy

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published on April 2, the correspondent of the Times reflecting the British point of view on the Annexation, describes the events and ends his letter with: "This morning, at half past nine, the first detachment of the French army ..arrived from Saint-Jean de Maurienne. Tomorrow, the same number of soldiers is expected, until the entire regiment has arrived. Although the first French troops were only passing through ..in Savoy last Friday, and even though everyone knew that it was not just a passage, but that they intended to stay, until this morning, one could still believe, to some extent, this fiction .. Not anymore! Chambéry, the capital of Savoy, is occupied by the troops of His Majesty the Emperor of the French." In the letter dated March 29, he adds: "You can put a cross on the map of Southern Savoy; it has been French since yesterday."

The plebiscite was conducted on April 22 and 23, 1860. It was the inaugural universal suffrage election in Savoy, and voters were tasked with answering the question, "Does Savoy desire reunification with France?" As a historian elucidates, for Napoleon III, the objective was not to ascertain the citizens' opinion but to demonstrate that his policy enjoyed popular support. "Every effort was made to ensure that the vote results would align with the Emperor's expectations." The voting conditions would not be considered completely democratic in the present era. The ballot boxes were in the hands of the same authorities who had issued the proclamations. "Controls were impossible",Universal Suffrage In Savoy

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The Times, April 28, 1860, as well as "
Suffrage Universel en Savoie
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''Journal de Genève'', May 3, 1860, by the Times correspondent who speaks of a vote as "the bitterest of ironies made to popular suffrage. The ballot boxes were in the hands of the same authorities who issued the proclamations. Controls were impossible. Even travelers were suspected and harassed for fear that they might meddle. Any opposition was repressed by intimidation, and any freedom of action was suppressed. One cannot blame the opposition for giving up; the forces used against them were too great. As for the results of the vote, we have no worries; it will be as brilliant as in Nice." observed one historian. Churches held masses and sang "Domine salvum fac Imperatorem" (Lord, save the emperor).Judgment made by Dr. Truchet of Annecy, a pro-annexation activist, on June 8, 1860. Notwithstanding considerable conservative exertions, the historian posited that the annexation was "primarily the work of the clergy." Dr. Truchet of Annecy posited that had the six hundred Savoyard priests opposed the annexation, the result would have been near unanimous support for the measure. Guichonnet observed that the Savoyard clergy exhibited a stance that was "antithetical to Cavour's secular and pro-Italian orientation, espoused by the aristocracy and clergy, and guiding the politically uneducated rural masses."

On April 29, the (Chambéry) formally announced the results of the plebiscite.

In most polling stations, there were no ballots marked "no." On April 28, 1860, the correspondent in Geneva for the British newspaper ''The Times'' described the referendum as "the greatest farce ever played in the history of nations." Contemporary scholars have posited that "a truly democratic vote would have yielded the same result, with perhaps less glorious but much more credible figures."

On May 29, 1860, the Turin chamber ratified the treaty of cession of March 24 by a vote of 229 in favor, 33 against, with 25 abstentions, and the Senate by a vote of 92 in favor, 10 against. On June 12, France ratified the treaty, and on June 14, 1860, it officially assumed control of the territory following the treaty signing. The following day, an imperial decree established the two departments of Savoy and Haute-Savoie.

Swiss supporters

On March 28, 1860, an armed delegation from Switzerland, led by the secretary of the foreign office, , and composed of French anti-Bonapartist refugees, departed from Geneva to join the town of Bonneville. The delegation, which had assumed the guise of Northern Savoyards, supporters of annexation to Switzerland, attempted to galvanize the inhabitants by proclaiming, "Let us extend our arms to this Swiss homeland that our ancestors dreamed of and that must bring us well-being and freedom. Long live Switzerland, our new homeland. Long live the Federal Constitution proclaimed this day in Northern Savoy as the only fundamental law of the country."

In Bonneville, the elections for the Turin parliament resulted in a resounding victory for the pro-French deputies. In response, the furious inhabitants hastily removed the Swiss flags and posters erected by the refugees. Consequently, the city authorities, seeking to circumvent a potential scandal, promptly invited the Genevans to return home at their earliest convenience.

On the following day, March 29, 1860, the radical Geneva deputy John Perrier, who was known as ''Perrier-le-Rouge'' and had previously worked as a goldsmith, accompanied by an armed Swiss delegation, went to Thonon-les-Bains intending to incite an uprising. However, upon their arrival, they were met with insults and jeers from the local inhabitants. They sought refuge in Évian-les-Bains but were subsequently expelled and removed from the premises aboard the vessel designated "Italy," which was bound for Lausanne. The authorities of Chambéry and Annecy denounced the "maneuvers of all kinds in the city of Geneva and outside, aimed at detaching the provinces of Chablais, Faucigny, and even part of Annecy from the old Savoyard family." Upon his return to Switzerland, John Perrier was arrested. He was imprisoned in Geneva for 67 days before being released without conviction.

Savoy under the Second Empire

To commemorate the event, a series of traditional celebrations were held in the rural and urban communities of Savoy over several days. From August 27 to September 5, the French emperor, accompanied by Empress Eugénie, undertook a triumphant journey through the recently annexed French province. The imperial couple was greeted in Chambéry, Annecy, Thonon, Chamonix, Évian-les-Bains, Sallanches, Aix-les-Bains