Abstract

An understudied aspect of Renaissance lordship is its transregional dimension. Some sixteenth-century lords, such as René, count of Challant, held lands that were geographically dispersed and situated within multiple jurisdictional contexts. His status as lord of Valangin injected personal and familial elements into René’s diplomatic and military role in Sabaudian- Swiss politics. Litigation over his landed claims in different parts of Europe drew him into relationships with a host of political actors. Likewise, the territorial configuration of his fiefs affected revenue collection and accounting in ways that impacted his interactions with other princes. Consideration of transregional lordship further complicates our understanding of the development of sovereign authority and its relationship to dynastic interests.