Carlo Emanuele I (1562-1630)

Duke of Savoy 1580-1630, the son of Emanuel Philibert (duke 1553-80). Carlo Emanuele pursued his father's ambitions to make Savoy a major Italian power and involved the duchy in frequent wars. He gained some territory, but constant warfare strained the duchy's finances. He did, however, successfully promote commercial development and made his court at Turin a centre of culture and learning.

Among his many enterprises, he took advantage of the conflict between France and Spain in Italy to make some gains for Savoy, but then failed in his attack on Geneva in 1602.