Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: 9CZK-TNP
• Appointments / Titles: Between 1233 and 1253; Count of Savoy

Notes:

Amadeus IV (1197 – 11 June 1253)[1] was Count of Savoy from 1233 to 1253.

Amadeus was born in Montmélian, Savoy. The legitimate heir of Thomas I of Savoy and Margaret of Geneva, he had however to fight with his brothers for the inheritance of Savoy's lands after their father's death. His brothers Pietro and Aimone spurred a revolt in Aosta Valley against Amadeus, but he was able to crush it with the help of Manfred III of Saluzzo and Boniface II of Montferrat, who were his sons-in-law. Together with his brother, Thomas, he fought against the communes of Turin and Pinerolo, but with uncertain results.

He was succeeded by his young son Boniface.

Career
Head of the family
As the eldest son of Thomas I of Savoy, Amadeus inherited the county and associated lands on his father's death in 1233. However, his brothers Peter and Aymon demanded that he divide the territories and give them their share. In July 1234, he and his brother William convened a family meeting at Château de Chillon. While both sides arrived with armed troops, William was able to negotiate a treaty between the brothers. This treaty kept the lands intact, but recognized the authority of the younger brothers within certain regions under Amadeus.[2] These territories were on the frontiers of Savoy lands, designed to encourage the brothers to expand the county rather than diminish it. When his brother Thomas left his career in the church in 1235, Amadeus granted him similar territories.[3]

Before he had a son, Amadeus changed his mind many times regarding his will. Initially, he had made his sons-in-law his heirs, but in 1235, he rewrote his will in favour of his brother Thomas. In December of that year, it went back to having his sons-in-law as heirs, until Amadeus was preparing for the siege. Then he rewrote the will in favour of Thomas. In March 1239, his daughters convinced him to return it to their favour. On 4 November 1240, Thomas returned and persuaded him to rewrite the will in his brother's favour again. When Thomas left, once again the will was reversed.[4] His final will was written in 1252, leaving the title and nearly everything to his son, Boniface, and naming his brother Thomas as regent and second in line for the title.[5]

Among European powers
Amadeus faced many challenges in balancing the demands of the greater powers in Europe at that time. Henry III of England wrote to Amadeus in 1235 to seek his consent and blessing to marry the Count's niece, Eleanor of Provence[6] In 1238, Amadeus went to the court of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, in Turin, where he was knighted by the Emperor. Then with his brothers, he led troops as part of the siege of Brescia.[7] In July 1243, Amadeus and his brother Thomas were ordered by Enzo of Sardinia to join him in a siege of Vercelli, which had recently switched allegiances from the Empire to the Pope. Not only was the attack on the city unsuccessful, but Amadeus and his brother were excommunicated for it.[8] When the brothers wrote to the new Pope Innocent IV to appeal the excommunication, he granted their request.

In late 1244, when Pope Innocent IV fled from Rome, Amadeus met him in Susa and escorted him through the passes to Chambéry, and then provided his brother Philip as escort for the Pope downriver to Lyon. However, Amadeus was then willing to open the same passes to the imperial army. He also signed a treaty with Henry III on 16 January 1246 which gave rights of passage through the passes to the English in exchange for an annual payment of 200 marks. That same month, Amadeus joined a force which went to Provence to rescue his niece, Beatrice of Provence from the forces of Frederick and escort her to her marriage to Charles of Anjou[9] By May 1247, Frederick was ready to move against the Pope. He had gathered his army in Turin, and ordered those still loyal to him in the kingdoms of Arles and France to meet at Chambéry (the capital of Savoy). However, the revolt of Parma pulled Frederick back from this plan. That same summer, Amadeus blocked an attempt by the Pope to send 1500 soldiers to the Lombard League. On 8 November 1248, Frederick asked Amadeus and his brother Thomas to go to Lyon and start negotiations for peace. However, their efforts were unsuccessful and war continued until the death of Frederick.[10]

Family and children
He married twice, and each marriage produced children

c. 1217,[11] he married Marguerite of Burgundy, daughter of Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy.
Beatrice of Savoy (d. 1258), married firstly in 1233 Manfred III of Saluzzo (d. 1244),[12] married secondly on 21 April 1247 Manfred of Sicily
Margaret of Savoy (d. 1254), married firstly on 9 December 1235 Boniface II of Montferrat,[13] married secondly Aymar III, Count of Valentinois
on 18 Dec 1244, he married Cecilia of Baux, "Passerose", daughter of Barral of Baux[14]
Boniface, Count of Savoy
Beatrice of Savoy (1250 – 23 February 1292) married Peter of Chalon and Infante Manuel of Castile.
Eleonor of Savoy, married in 1269 Guichard de Beaujeu
Constance of Savoy, died after 1263

Amadeus married Burgundy, Marguerite of in 1217. Marguerite was born in UNKNOWN; died in DECEASED. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Appointments / Titles: Countess of Provence
• Appointments / Titles: Princess of Savoy
• Death: 17 May 1259, Saluzzo, Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy

Notes:

Beatrice of Savoy (before 4 March 1223 – 10 May before 1259) was a daughter of Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy and his first wife Marguerite of Burgundy.[1][page needed] She was a member of the House of Savoy by birth and by her first marriage she was Marchioness consort of Saluzzo.

Beatrice was the elder of two daughters; her younger sister Margaret was married to Boniface II, Marquess of Montferrat. After the death of their mother, their father married Cecile of Baux and had further children including Boniface, Count of Savoy and a younger Beatrice.

Beatrice was first betrothed not long after her birth on 4 March 1223 to Manfred III, Marquess of Saluzzo. However, the contract was broken off but was then renewed on 2 October 1227; a contract signed on that date refers to the dowry of Beatrice.[2] The couple were married in March 1233. They were married for eleven years until Manfred's death in 1244, leaving Beatrice with two children and pregnant with twins. They had the following children:

Alice (c. 1236 – before 12 Jul 1311), married Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract and had issue
Thomas (1239–1296), succeeded Manfred as Marquess
Agnes (1245 – after 4 August 1265), married John, son of Eustace de Vesci, no issue
Margaret (born 1245), born posthumously, twin of Agnes

Only two years after Manfred's death on 8 May 1246, Beatrice was betrothed a second time to a Manfred, an illegitimate son of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor by his mistress and possibly wife Bianca Lancia. Her marriage was arranged to recognize an alliance between Beatrice's father and Frederick.[3] The couple were married by proxy in March 1247 and the marriage contract was signed on 21 April 1247. Manfred and Beatrice had one daughter, Constance (1249-1302) who went on to marry Peter III of Aragon and became mother of Alfonso III of Aragon, James II of Aragon and Elizabeth of Aragon.

In a testament from Beatrice's father dated 24 May 1253, the succession rights of Beatrice were bypassed in favor of her younger half-brother; the testament fails to mention Beatrice's second husband, possibly indicating a breakdown in the marriage.[4] Beatrice died before 1259. Her husband became King of Sicily in 1258 and went on to marry Helena Angelina Doukaina and father children with her.

Beatrice married de Saluzzo, Marquess Manfredi III in Mar 1233 in Italy. Manfredi (son of de Saluzzo, Boniface and of Torres, Maria) was born in 1210 in Saluzzo, Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy; died in 1244 in Saluzzo, Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy; was buried in 1244 in Sicilia, Italy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: LRSM-MTQ
• Appointments / Titles: Between 1244 and 1296, Saluzzo, Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy; 4th Marquess of Saluzzo

Notes:

Thomas I (1239–1296) was the fourth Marquess of Saluzzo from 1244 to his death. He was the son of Manfred III and Beatrice of Savoy.[1] He succeeded his father Manfred III. He was also the grandson of Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy.[1]

Biography
Under the reign of Thomas, Saluzzo blossomed, achieving a greatness which had eluded his ancestors. He crafted a state the borders of which remained unchanged for over two centuries. He extended the march to include Carmagnola. He was often at odds with Asti and he was a prime enemy of Charles of Anjou and his Italian pretensions. During his tenure, he made Saluzzo a free city, giving it a podestà to govern in his name. He defended his castles and roccaforti (strongholds) vigorously and built many new ones in the cities.

Armando Tallone, Tomaso I Marchese di Saluzzo, 1916
Marriage & issue
He married Luisa of Ceva. They had:

Manfred IV, succeeded his father[1]
Alice of Saluzzo, who married Richard Fitzalan, 8th Earl of Arundel[2]

Family/Spouse: de Ceva, Luigia. Luigia (daughter of de Ceva, Giorgio and d'Este, Elisa Alessine Menzia) was born in 1240 in Ceva, Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy; died on 29 Aug 1293 in Piemonte, Italy; was buried on 22 Aug 1293 in Revello, Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: MKZ1-482
• Appointments / Titles: 1289; Countess of Arundel

Notes:

Alesia married Richard Fitzalan, the future earl of Arundel, sometime before 1285. Her marriage was arranged by the late King Henry III's widowed Queen consort, Eleanor of Provence. Alice was one of the first Italian women to marry into an English noble family. She assumed the title of Countess of Arundel in 1289.

Richard had several castles, but his and Alice's principal residence was Marlborough Castle in Wiltshire. Together they had four known children: Edmund Fitzalan, John Fitzalan, a priest, Alice Fitzalan and Margaret Fitzalan. Many sources shown an alleged fifth child, Eleanor Fitzalan.

Alisona married FitzAlan, Lord Richard before 1285. Richard (son of FitzAlan, Lord John and de Mortimer, Countess Isabella) was born on 10 Feb 1267 in Arundel, Sussex, England; died on 17 Mar 1302 in Sussex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]