Religion or Politics? 131
despite Geneva’s own retaliation which involved destroying the duke’s fortress (the
Tour de l’Île) and razing the eastern suburbs to construct stouter defensive walls
around the city.539 In this volatile situation the various attempts to defuse the
conflict were unlikely to get very far, though Bern did persuade the Estates of the
Vaud not to send troops to aid the duke.540 For his part, the duke, not for the first
time, disclaimed all knowledge of any violence inflicted on Genevan citizens by the
League of the Spoon.541
Bern’s envoys at Chambéry failed to get Savoy to withdraw its troops. Rather,
the duke presented a set of fresh demands: Geneva was to abandon its ‘Lutheranism’;
the rights of the bishop were to be respected (not a cause that had previously been
conspicuous among his concerns); and the office of vidomne should be restored to
him. In return, he promised to respect Geneva’s liberties and to disregard earlier
unpleasantness.542 Apart from the office of justiciar, long conceded, Bern could
hardly agree, since the duke claimed that Bern and Geneva had infringed the two
treaties of 1530, whereas in reality it was he who had persistently refused to sign
them, despite undertaking to do so in Turin.543 In one respect, however, Bern did
hold Geneva to be in breach of the treaties: it had not reimbursed Geneva for its
war expenditure, including soldiers’ wages.544
At a Confederal diet at Thonon—in the Savoyard Chablais!—Duke Charles
appealed to the other cantons for help in fulfilling his demands. And in an access
of unctuousness he declared that Savoy’s old friendship with Bern was worth more
to him than a disobedient Geneva.545 This soft-soaping failed to impress Bern’s
envoys, who insisted on adherence to the treaties of St-Julien and Payerne, the con-
firmation of Bern’s Burgrecht with Geneva, and unhindered evangelical preaching
of the Gospel in the city.546 The other cantons are likely to have been similarly
unimpressed, since Savoy had failed to pay them their pensions, which were
overdue547—and they were still outstanding in the New Year.548 Faced with a stale-
mate, the cantons could only propose another diet at Luzern in January 1535.549
At that diet, Savoy’s envoys contended that Bern was willing to acknowledge the
duke’s (and the bishop’s) rights if only he would tolerate evangelical preaching in
Geneva. Bern thought this was an offer which the city council should accept, for
in return Duke Charles would confirm Geneva’s liberties.550 Geneva’s reply was
539 Monter, Calvin’s Geneva. 53; SABE, Teutsche Missiven-Buch 23 U, p. 269 (12 Aug. 1534).
The following month the city council declared the office of prince-bishop vacant.
540 EA IV, 1c, 378–9 (no. 200: 1) (Aug. 1534); 398–9 (no. 214: I) (Sept. 1534).
541 SABE, Teutsche Missiven-Buch 23 U, p. 269 (12 Aug. 1534); pp. 277–83 (23 Aug. 1534).
542 EA IV, 1c, 400–1 (no. 214: IV, a, b, c, d, e) (Oct. 1534).
543 EA IV, 1c, 432–3 (no. 232: II) (Nov. 1534).
544 EA IV, 1c, 425 (no. 226: II) (Nov. 1534).
545 EA IV, 1c, 431–2 (no. 232: I) (Nov. 1534).
546 EA IV, 1c, 433–4 (no. 232: IV) (Nov. 1534). Although Fribourg had severed its connections,
it was still permitted to take part in the negotiations ‘from old friendship’, as Bern put it. SABE,
Teutsche Missiven-Buch 23 U, pp. 387–91 (12 Dec. 1534).
547 EA IV, 1c, 371 (no. 194: to ss) (Aug. 1534).
548 EA IV, 1c, 452 (no. 240: p) (Jan. 1535).
549 EA IV, 1c, 435–6 (no. 232: VII; X) (Dec. 1534).
550 EA IV, 1c, 448–50 (no. 239) (Jan. 1535).