Editing House of Savoy (section)

=== Massacres ===
In April 1655, based on perhaps false reports of resistance by the [[Waldensians]], a [[Protestant]] religious minority, to a plan to resettle them in remote mountain valleys, [[Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy|Charles Emmanuel II]] ordered their general massacre, which became known as the [[Piedmontese Easter]]. The massacre was so brutal it aroused indignation throughout Europe. [[Oliver Cromwell]], then ruler in England, began petitioning on behalf of the Waldensians, writing letters, raising contributions, calling a general fast in England, and threatening to send military forces to the rescue. The massacre prompted [[John Milton]]'s famous sonnet, "[[On the Late Massacre in Piedmont]]".

In 1898, the [[Bava Beccaris massacre]] in Milan involved the use of cannons against unarmed protesters (including women and the elderly) during riots over the rising price of bread. King [[Umberto I]] of the House of Savoy congratulated General [[Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris]] for the massacre and decorated him with the medal of Great Official of Savoy Military Order, greatly outraging a large part of the public opinion. As a result, Umberto I was assassinated in July 1900 in [[Monza]] by [[Gaetano Bresci]], the brother of one of the women massacred in the crowd, who had traveled back to Italy from the United States for the assassination. The king had previously been the target of failed assassination attempts by anarchists [[Giovanni Passannante]] and [[Pietro Acciarito]].