ABSTRACT
From a political and institutional perspective, political representation in the Sard (Sardinian) Kingdom was conditioned throughout the modern period by its status as a kingdom within the Crown of Aragon. The hostilities that led to the conquest gave way a process of political and institutional homogenisation with the rest of the Crown.
On the eve of the dynastic crisis caused by the War of the Succession, the island relied on solid legal, political and institutional foundations, with the parliament exerting political representation in a heavily hispanised kingdom. This system, as stipulated in the clauses of the cession, would remain in force under Savoyard sovereignty. Despite the resistance of the Estates, the political strength of the autochthonous institutions would be eventually weakened by the absolutist ambitions of the new dynasty.
Resistance was marked by heterogeneous elements of a different political nature. During the revolution of the late 18th century, Sard patriots called upon the legitimacy of the representative institutions they had parliament exerting political representation in a heavily hispanised kingdom. This system, as stipulated in the clauses of the cession, would remain in force under Savoyard sovereignty. Despite the resistance of the Estates, the political strength of the autochthonous institutions would be eventually weakened by the absolutist ambitions of the new dynasty.
Resistance was marked by heterogeneous elements of a different political nature. During the revolution of the late 18th century, Sard patriots called upon the legitimacy of the representative institutions they had inherited from the Crown of Aragon. It was the swan song of these representative institutions, which had retained their legal validity and political strength in a territory that was geographically and politically distant from the other members of the Crown of Aragon.
