Genevois (province)
Encyclopedia
The Genevois is a former province of the Duchy of Savoy
. Its capital is Annecy
and other centres include Faverges
, Thônes
, and La Clusaz
. It was bordered by the provinces of Carouge to the north-west, Faucigny
to the north-east, and Savoy proper to the south-east and south-west.
Although the province took its name from the city of Geneva
, the Counts of Geneva
were never able to exercise their authority in the city itself, which was ruled by the Bishops of Geneva. The County of Geneva, having passed to the de Thoire et Villars family on the death of Count Robert (the Avignon Pope Clement VII) in 1394, was sold in 1400 to the Counts of Savoy
. It was subsequently conceded in appanage
to several Savoyard princes before being joined to the Duchy of Savoy in 1659.
Duchy of Savoy
From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...
. Its capital is Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
and other centres include Faverges
Faverges
Faverges is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It occupies the glacial valley which gave birth to Lake Annecy.-Geology:...
, Thônes
Thônes
Thônes is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:The Fier flows northwestward through the middle of the commune and crosses the village.-References:*...
, and La Clusaz
La Clusaz
La Clusaz is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Overview:It is a ski resort in the Alps near the Swiss border. The commune of La Clusaz is part of the Haute-Savoie département. An old village, La Clusaz has been hosting winter sports since 1907...
. It was bordered by the provinces of Carouge to the north-west, Faucigny
Faucigny
Faucigny is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.Historically, Faucigny was a region in Savoy which included the area of the modern département of Haute Savoie and the municipalities of Chamonix, Argentière, and Les Houches.-Geography:In the...
to the north-east, and Savoy proper to the south-east and south-west.
Although the province took its name from the city of Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, the Counts of Geneva
Count of Geneva
The County of Geneva, largely corresponding to the later Genevois province, originated in the tenth century, in the Burgundian Kingdom of Arles which fell to the Holy Roman Empire in 1032.-History:...
were never able to exercise their authority in the city itself, which was ruled by the Bishops of Geneva. The County of Geneva, having passed to the de Thoire et Villars family on the death of Count Robert (the Avignon Pope Clement VII) in 1394, was sold in 1400 to the Counts of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
. It was subsequently conceded in appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
to several Savoyard princes before being joined to the Duchy of Savoy in 1659.