When Victor Amadeus came to the throne in 1773 he started working on bureaucratic and military aspects of the reign. He was suspicious of anything innovative. However, he did implement several public works as well as paying a great deal of attention to his administration and armed forces. He approved and set up two new important cultural state institutions on the advice of the bourgeoisie and aristocracy alike. He started works of improvements in the port of
Nice, and had dams in the Arce and the road of the Côte built.At the outbreak of the
French Revolution, Victor Amadeus III allowed his two sons-in-law, the Counts of Artois and Provence and the Princesses
Marie Adélaïde and
Victoire to stay in his kingdom under his protection. After four years of fighting, the French under
Napoleon Bonaparte had finally beaten the Piedmontese army in the
Battle of Montenotte (12 April 1796), the
Battle of Millesimo (13–14 April 1796) and the
Battle of Mondovi (21 April 1796). On 26 April the French proclaimed the
Republic of Alba in the occupied territories. Two days later, with the
Armistice of Cherasco, the republic was ceded back to Victor Amadeus. He was forced to sign the
Treaty of Paris on 15 May, abandoning the
First Coalition against the French Republic. The terms of the treaty required him to cede the fortresses of
Cuneo,
Ceva,
Alessandria and
Tortona to France, and allow free passage of the latter's armies towards Italy. He was also compelled to cede Nice and
Savoy. He died on 16 October 1796 at the
Castle of Moncalieri having suffered an attack of
apoplexy. Victor Amadeus died leaving an economically damaged kingdom and two key provinces – Savoy and Nice – devastated, having suffered at the hands of French revolutionary forces. He was buried at the
Basilica of Superga in Turin. ==Legacy==