Straddling the alpine passes between France and Italy, the House of Savoy rose from 11th century feudal counts to Imperial dukes and princes, eventually becoming kings of Sardinia and finally of Italy, traversing a thousand years of European history. The expansion of their territories was based on a series of military adventures and judicious marriages, allied to survival skills sharpened over centuries of European diplomacy. Indeed, the dynasty acquired a quasi-Machiavellian reputation for double-dealing, usually backing ‘the right horse’ on the international stage, thus facilitating their rise to regal status. In the course of this remarkable transformation, in 1563 the Savoy dukes moved their capital from alpine Chambéry to an old Roman settlement on the upper plain of the river Po, transforming it into their new capital of Turin. Thus, the city and surrounding territories saw an extraordinary blossoming of the arts, particularly in architecture as churches, palaces and villas were created. Two of Europe’s greatest architects, Guarino Guarini and Filippo Juvarra, worked for the family who filled these building with outstanding collections, much of which is still in the city’s palaces and museums. During the tumultuous events which led to the unification of Italy, the Savoy family became the new country’s monarchs until they were forced into exile at the end of the second World War. Over the course of two lectures, James Hill will introduce some of the most influential members of the House of Savoy, sketching in their military careers, their diplomatic achievements, their considerable patronage of the arts, the transformation of the ducal and royal capital at Turin and the dynasty’s wider impact on the creation of modern Italy.