Abstract

This paper will analyse the role of political history and religious tradition in the political and cultural circles of the Savoyard-piedmontese counter-revolution, from 1789 to the beginning of Napoleonic age. The proposed texts – diplomatic reports and religious sermons – recovered the past not only a mean of condemnation and execration of the present times, but also as an instrument to understand them, and thus to provide a representation of Piedmont and Italy opposed to revolutionary narratives. Enhancing the creative and reactive use of Savoy traditions during his military and political confrontation with the Revolution, the Dynasty’s past and his religious and political history were used to fight and rationalize the decline of the House of Savoy, recomposing the legitimacy of traditional powers through the invention of a reactionary language and the comparison of similar past difficulties to provide political and strategic solutions to Savoy collapse