Piedmontese Waldensian Massacre

Timeline

1. 1655Turin · PiedmontDuke Charles Emmanuel II of Savoy issued a proclamation in early 1655 requiring Waldensians living outside designated areas to convert to Catholicism or move to higher valleys; the midwinter migration caused many civilian deaths and laid the groundwork for the subsequent military crackdown.
2. 1655Waldensian valleys of Piedmont (Luserna Valley, Pellice Valley, etc.) · PiedmontSavoyard troops and French Catholic mercenaries raided Waldensian villages on the eve of Easter, slaughtering men, women, and children; estimated deaths ranged from 1,700 to 4,000. Survivors fled to the high Alps, many dying of cold and hunger. The event is known as the Piedmont Easter (Pasque piemontesi).
3. 1655London · EnglandNews reaching England enraged Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, who sent a stern diplomatic note to the Duke of Savoy and launched a nationwide Protestant fundraising campaign for relief. Secretary of State John Milton was ordered to draft diplomatic correspondence and composed the sonnet On the Late Massacre in Piedmont. In August 1655 Savoy and the Waldensians signed the Treaty of Pinerolo, restoring some religious toleration rights.