The Dufour Affair

In 1508 a Savoy official Jean Dufour produced a forged will purporting to have been drawn up by Duke Charles I in 1489, which assigned staggering sums to Bern and Fribourg as a reward for their help against the marquis of Saluzzo in 1486. Why Dufour waited so long to reveal his forgery and what his motives were remain unclear, but the effect was dramatic. Although there were sceptical voices in Bern, both city councils hurried to accept the supposed legacy. In 1511 Dufour produced a second testament, promising 400,000 fl to all the cantons, and a third raised the sum to 800,000 fl. Though these sums were later reduced, they caused Savoy severe financial embarrassment. Of equal significance, however, were the close links revealed with the two cities, where Dufour acquired citizenship, pensions, and handsome lodgings. The duchy of Savoy was relegated to a client of Bern and Fribourg.