War of the Mantuan Succession

War of the Mantuan Succession
Part of the Thirty Years' War
The successful claimant, Charles I Gonzaga
Date 1628–1631 Location Northern Italy Result Treaty of Cherasco recognises the Duke of Nevers as ruler of Mantua
Belligerents
Supporting the Duke of Nevers: Kingdom of France Republic of Venice Mantua	Supporting the Duke of Guastalla: Spain Holy Roman Empire Savoy
Commanders and leaders
Duke of Nevers Louis XIII of France Cardinal Richelieu Montmorency Schomberg	Duke of Guastalla Collalto Gallas Aldringen Ambrogio Spinola  † Córdoba Charles Emmanuel
Strength
1628: Up to 14,000 Mantuan and French troops 1630: 24,500 Venetian troops 6,400+ Franco-Mantuan troops in garrisons 2,500 Mantuan troops in the field 20,000 French troops in the field	1628: 29,000 Spanish 8,000 Savoyard 1630: 34,000 Spanish 30,000 Imperial Army 25,000 Savoyard troops 4,000 Tuscan 2,000 Parman

The War of the Mantuan Succession, from 1628 to 1631, was caused by the death in December 1627 of Vincenzo II, last male heir from the House of Gonzaga, long-time rulers of Mantua and Montferrat. These territories controlled the Spanish Road, a route that allowed Habsburg Spain to move recruits and supplies from Italy to their army in Flanders. It resulted in a proxy war between the French-backed Duke of Nevers, and the Duke of Guastalla, supported by Spain. It is considered a related conflict of the 1618 to 1648 Thirty Years' War.

Fighting centred on the fortress of Casale Monferrato, which the Spanish besieged twice, from March 1628 to April 1629 and from September 1629 to October 1630. French intervention on behalf of Nevers in April 1629 led Emperor Ferdinand II to support Spain by transferring Imperial troops from Northern Germany, who captured Mantua in July 1630. However, French reinforcements enabled Nevers to retain Casale,^[a] while Ferdinand withdrew his troops in response to Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years' War, and both sides agreed a truce in October 1630.

The June 1631 Treaty of Cherasco confirmed Nevers as Duke of Mantua and Montferrat in return for minor territorial losses. More importantly, the treaty left France in possession of Pinerolo and Casale, key fortresses that controlled access to passes through the Alps and protected its southern borders. The diversion of Imperial and Spanish resources from Germany allowed the Swedes to establish themselves within the Holy Roman Empire and was one reason that the Thirty Years' War continued until 1648.
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