Amadeus V, Count of Savoy
Encyclopedia
Amadeus V surnamed the Great for his wisdom and success as a ruler, was the Count of Savoy from 1285 to 1323. He established Chambéry
as his seat. He was the son of Thomas II of Savoy and Beatrice Fieschi.
, and succeeded his childless paternal uncle Philip I, Count of Savoy as Count of Savoy in 1285. Amadeus was a younger brother of Thomas III of Piedmont
, who had died in 1282. Thomas had been succeeded by his eldest son Philip I of Piedmont who had a stronger claim to the County than Amadeus. However Philip was about seven years old and at the time unable to press a claim.
Amadeus managed to secure the support of his nephew by offering Philip control of Turin
and Pinerolo
. Amadeus also secured the loyalty of his younger brother Louis by offering him Vaud
as an hereditary barony.
On 1 October 1285, Amadeus was declared protector of Geneva
after negotiations with the Bishop of Geneva. The hereditary title belonged to Amadeus II, Count of Geneva who was in conflift with the Bishop.
Through his marriage to Sybilla, Countess of Bugey
and Bresse
, he was able to incorporate these Burgundian districts into his states. Later expansion saw his dominions further increased.
In 1295, Amadeus acquired the Chambéry fortress from its previous owner Hugh of La Rochette. He chose Chambéry as his main residence and in the following decorated it with paintings.
Among his successes was the Treaty of Annemasse which the Count of Geneva
and the Dauphin of Viennois accepted subservient roles to him as his vassal
s. The treaty was the result of military victories over the both of them. In 1301, Amadeus also settled his dispute over control of Valais
with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion.
His reign, however, also saw friction between the County of Savoy and the Duchy of Austria
. He pursued an alliance with the Kingdom of France
and received Maulévrier
in Normandy
as a result of initial good relations.
The eventual recovery of Lyon
by the Kings of France alerted Amadeus to their expansionistic tendencies towards the regions by the Alps
. He sought a powerful ally against potential hostility in Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
. Henry was married to Margaret of Brabant
, sister-in-law of Amadeus. The relation through marriage probably helped the alliance. Henry awarded Amadeus with the title of imperial vicar
for the Kingdom of Italy
and at least titular claim over the Asti
region.
In 1315, Amadeus assisted the Knights Hospitaller
in the defense of Rhodes
against the Turks.
and had 8 children:
He married, secondly, Maria of Brabant
who was a daughter of John I, Duke of Brabant
and Margaret of Flanders
. Her maternal grandparents were Guy of Dampierre
and his first wife Matilda of Bethune. They had 4 children:
Chambéry
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
as his seat. He was the son of Thomas II of Savoy and Beatrice Fieschi.
Biography
Amadeus was born at Le Bourget-du-LacLe Bourget-du-Lac
Le Bourget-du-Lac is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies near the Lac du Bourget and from Chambéry.-External links:*...
, and succeeded his childless paternal uncle Philip I, Count of Savoy as Count of Savoy in 1285. Amadeus was a younger brother of Thomas III of Piedmont
Thomas III of Piedmont
Count Thomas III , called Thomas of Savoy or de Savoie, was the lord of Piedmont and a claimant to the county of Savoy from 1268.He was the eldest son of Thomas II of Savoy and Beatrice di Fieschi, niece of Pope Innocent IV....
, who had died in 1282. Thomas had been succeeded by his eldest son Philip I of Piedmont who had a stronger claim to the County than Amadeus. However Philip was about seven years old and at the time unable to press a claim.
Amadeus managed to secure the support of his nephew by offering Philip control of Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and Pinerolo
Pinerolo
Pinerolo is a town and comune in north-western Italy, 40 kilometres southwest of Turin on the river Chisone.-History:In the Middle Ages, the town of Pinerolo was one of the main crossroads in Italy, and was therefore one of the principal fortresses of the dukes of Savoy. Its military importance...
. Amadeus also secured the loyalty of his younger brother Louis by offering him Vaud
Vaud
Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
as an hereditary barony.
On 1 October 1285, Amadeus was declared protector of Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
after negotiations with the Bishop of Geneva. The hereditary title belonged to Amadeus II, Count of Geneva who was in conflift with the Bishop.
Through his marriage to Sybilla, Countess of Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
and Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
, he was able to incorporate these Burgundian districts into his states. Later expansion saw his dominions further increased.
In 1295, Amadeus acquired the Chambéry fortress from its previous owner Hugh of La Rochette. He chose Chambéry as his main residence and in the following decorated it with paintings.
Among his successes was the Treaty of Annemasse which the Count of Geneva
Count of Geneva
The County of Geneva, largely corresponding to the later Genevois province, originated in the tenth century, in the Burgundian Kingdom of Arles which fell to the Holy Roman Empire in 1032.-History:...
and the Dauphin of Viennois accepted subservient roles to him as his vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
s. The treaty was the result of military victories over the both of them. In 1301, Amadeus also settled his dispute over control of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion.
His reign, however, also saw friction between the County of Savoy and the Duchy of Austria
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria , one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the nucleus of the Habsburg Monarchy and the predecessor of the Austrian Empire...
. He pursued an alliance with the Kingdom of France
France in the Middle Ages
France in the Middle Ages covers an area roughly corresponding to modern day France, from the death of Louis the Pious in 840 to the middle of the 15th century...
and received Maulévrier
Maulévrier
Maulévrier is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
as a result of initial good relations.
The eventual recovery of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
by the Kings of France alerted Amadeus to their expansionistic tendencies towards the regions by the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. He sought a powerful ally against potential hostility in Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg...
. Henry was married to Margaret of Brabant
Margaret of Brabant
Margaret of Brabant , was the daughter of John I, Duke of Brabant and Margaret of Flanders. She was the wife of Count Henry of Luxemburg and after his coronation in 1308, she became Queen of Germany.-Family:...
, sister-in-law of Amadeus. The relation through marriage probably helped the alliance. Henry awarded Amadeus with the title of imperial vicar
Imperial vicar
An imperial vicar was a prince charged with administering all or part of the Holy Roman Empire on behalf of the Emperor. Later, an imperial vicar was invariably one of two princes charged by the Golden Bull with administering the Holy Roman Empire during an interregnum.The Holy Roman Empire had no...
for the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (medieval)
The Kingdom of Italy was a political entity under control of Carolingian dynasty of Francia first, after the defeat of the Lombards in 774. It was finally incorporated as a part of the Holy Roman Empire in 962....
and at least titular claim over the Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
region.
In 1315, Amadeus assisted the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
in the defense of Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
against the Turks.
Family and children
He first married Sybille of BâgéSybille of Bâgé
Sybille, Lady of Bâgé , was a Countess Consort of Savoy; married in 1272 to Amadeus V, Count of Savoy.Issue:# Bonne of Savoy, married John I of Viennois, dauphin of Viennois and Hugh of Burgundy, lord of Montbauson# John of Savoy...
and had 8 children:
- Bonne of Savoy, married twice: 1) John I of Viennois, dauphin of Viennois, 2) Hugh of Burgundy, lord of Montbauson
- John of Savoy
- Beatrice of Savoy, called Beatrice of BâgéBeatrice of BâgéBeatrice of Savoy, , better known as Béatrice de Bâgé was born at Bâgé-le-Châtel, in Provence Fance, the second daughter of Count Amadeus V of Savoy and Sybille of Bâgé, she was a member of the House of Savoy.- Education :...
, married twice: 1) Giacomo de Candia, Lord of Bresse, Baron of Loese and Count of Ventimiglia, with issue François de CandieFrançois de CandieFrançois de Candia, 1st Vidominus or Vidame de Geneva was lawyer, diplomat and a nobleman of the House of Candia; also known as François de Genève...
, and 2) Manfred III of SaluzzoManfred III of SaluzzoManfred III was the third marquess of Saluzzo, from 1215 to his death. He was the son of Boniface of Saluzzo and Maria di Torres of Sassari . Since his father died in 1212, he succeeded his grandfather Manfred II as marquess on the latter's death in 1215. His paternal grandmother Azalaïs or... - Edoardo
- Eleonor of Savoy, married three times: 1) William of Chalon, Count of Auxerre and Tonnerre, 2) Dreux IV of Mello, and 3) John I, count Forez - their children included Marguerite of Mello, who married John II of Chalon-ArlayJohn II of Chalon-ArlayJohn II, lord of Chalon-Arlay was a member of the house of Chalon-Arlay. He succeeded his father Hugh I of Chalon-Arlay to this title, and was himself succeeded by his son Hugh II of Chalon-Arlay-Life:...
- Margaret of Savoy, d. 1349, married to John I of Montferrat
- Agnes of Savoy, d. 1372, married to William III of GenevaGenevaGeneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
- Aimone
He married, secondly, Maria of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
who was a daughter of John I, Duke of Brabant
John I, Duke of Brabant
John I of Brabant, also called John the Victorious was Duke of Brabant , Lothier and Limburg .-Life:...
and Margaret of Flanders
Margaret of Flanders (d. 1285)
Margaret of Flanders was the daughter of Guy of Dampierre, and wife of John I, Duke of Brabant.They were married in 1273. She was the mother of:# Godfrey Margaret of Flanders (died July 3, 1285) was the daughter of Guy of Dampierre, and wife of John I, Duke of Brabant.They were married in 1273....
. Her maternal grandparents were Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre was the count of Flanders during the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302.Guy was the second son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders. The death of his elder brother William in a tournament made him joint Count of Flanders with his mother...
and his first wife Matilda of Bethune. They had 4 children:
- Maria of Savoy
- Catherine of Savoy, d. 1336, married to Leopold I (duke of Austria and Styria)
- Anna of SavoyAnna of SavoyAnna of Savoy, born Giovanna, was a Byzantine Empress consort, as the second wife of Andronikos III Palaiologos.-Family:She was a daughter of Amadeus V, Count of Savoy and his second wife Maria of Brabant. Her maternal grandparents were John I, Duke of Brabant and Margaret of Flanders...
, d. 1359, married to Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III PalaiologosAndronikos III PalaiologosAndronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1328 to 1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia... - Beatrice of Savoy (1310–1331), married in 1327 to Henry VI, Duke of CarinthiaHenry I of BohemiaHenry VI of Carinthia from the House of Meinhardin was King of Bohemia in 1306 and again from 1307 until 1310 as well as Count of Tyrol and Duke of Carinthia and Carniola from 1295 until his death.-Life:...
, count of Tirol
Ancestry
External links
- His listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley. The project "involves extracting and analysing detailed information from primary sources, including contemporary chronicles, cartularies, necrologies and testaments."