The War of the Mantuan Succession (1627-1631) came as a result of the extinction of the main male line of Gonzaga Dukes of Mantua in 1627. The last three dukes, the brothers Francesco III (1612), Ferdinando (1612-1626) and Vincenzo II (1626-27), had all died leaving no legitimate heirs. Gonzaga is the name of an historical Italian family of rulers, for which, see below. ... The Duchy of Mantua was an Italian state that was ruled by the Gonzaga family from 1328 to 1708. ...

The Claimants, and their supporters

The rights were inherited by Carlo (Charles) Gonzaga, a son of Luigi (Louis), the brother of the late Duke Vincenzo's grandfather (see below). Louis was naturalised French from about 1550, and had married the heiress of the Duchies of Rethel and Nevers in 1566. For the French Crown he was thus an acceptable successor to the Duchy of Mantua. This is a list of counts and dukes of Rethel. ... Nevers is a commune of central France, the préfecture (capital) of the Nièvre département, in the former province of Nivernais. ...

In 1540, Francesco III of Mantua had inherited the Maquessate of Montferrat from his mother, Margherita Paleologa. Carlo Emanuele, the Duke of Savoy had harboured claims to this, and found support with the Habsburgs. Carlo also had to face a distant Gonzaga cousin, Ferrante II, Duke of Guastalla, who also claimed Mantua. The resulting French-Habsburg war over the succession was just one of many theatres of the 30 Years War, where the two sides fought all over Europe. Montferrat was a marquisate in Lombardy during the Middle Ages. ... Savoie is a French département. ... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... Guastalla is a commune in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna. ... The victory of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) The Thirty Years War was a conflict fought between the years 1618 and 1648, principally in the central European territory of the Holy Roman Empire, but also involving most of the major continental powers. ...

The Peace of Regensburg (1630)

After Spanish and Austrian troops sacked Mantua in July 1629, the French first agreed to the Peace of Regensburg (13 Oct. 1630) which was favorous to French interrests in Italy, despite the military setback: It confirmed Carlo Gonzaga-Nevers as Duke of Mantua and Marquess of Monterrat in exchange for minor concessions to the Dukes of Savoy and Guastalla. The Habsburgs would on their side reduce their number of troops in the region. The treaty was seen as so unfavourable to the Spanish that the Spanish first minister Olivares considered it not much better then a surrender. Equestrian portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel, Count of Olivares and Duke of San Lúcar (January 6, 1587 - July 22, 1645), was a Spanish royal favourite and minister. ...

The treaty did, however, contain a troublesome clause: It included an agreement that the French would not meddle in the affairs of the Empire, something that would set France on the sideline in the ongoing conflict. Louis XIII of France refused to accept this, and the Austrians found themself with a continued war and with diminished forces in the area. The new forces sent south of the Alps were to be sorely missed when Swedish forces under Gustavus II Adolphus invaded from the north. Gustav II Adolf (also known as Gustaf Adolf den store or Gustavus II Adolpus) (December 9, 1594 – November 6, 1632 O.S.), widely known by the Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus and referred to by Protestants as the Lion of the North, was King of Sweden from 1611 until his...

The Treaty of Cherasco (1631)

The Italian peace was eventually made with the Treaty of Cherasco on 19 June 1631. France, who in 1629 had taken Savoy, followed by the capture of Pinerolo in Piedmont the following year, renounced all conquests in Italy. Carlo was confirmed to Mantua and Montferrat, with concessions to the claimants: Vittorio Amedeo I of Savoy gained Trino and Albi in Montferrat, while Cesare II of Guastalla was given Luzzara and Reggiolo. Pinerolo is a town 40 km southwest of Turin. ... Victor Amadeus I (May 8, 1587 – October 7, 1637) was the Duke of Savoy from 1630 to 1637. ...

Later it was discovered that by a secret treaty with Vittorio Amedeo, Pinerolo was surrendered to France.

The Gonzaga Family Tree

 Francesco II (1484-1519) | |--------------------------------------------------------------| | | Federico II (1519-40) Ferrante of Guastalla | | (1539-57) |-------------------------|--------------------------| | | | | | Francesco III (1540-50) Guglielmo I (1550-87) Louis of Nevers (1581-95) Cesare I of Guastalla | | | (1557-75) | | | | | | Vincenzo I (1587-1612) Charles III of Nevers (1595-37) Ferrante II of Guastalla | /Carlo I of Mantua (1627-37) | (1575-1630) |----------------|---------------| | | | | | Francesco III Ferdinando I Vincenzo II Cesare II of Guastalla (1612) (1612-26) (1626-27) (1630-32) 

The branches of the Gonzaga family, showing the main line in bold (Dukes of Mantua), the Nevers line in italics (Dukes of Nevers and Rethel) and the Guastella line to the right.