Charles Emmanuel IV of Sardinia
Encyclopedia
Charles Emmanuel IV was King of Sardinia
from 1796 to 1802. He abdicated in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel I
. Charles Emmanuel was a great-great-great-grandson of Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland
and would have became king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
in 1807, had it not been for the event known as the Glorious Revolution
which had occurred over a century earlier. Therefore from this date, he was instead recognised as the legitimate Jacobite Pretender
.
Carlo Emanuele Ferdinando Maria di Savoia was born in Turin
, the eldest son of Victor Amadeus III of Savoy, King of Sardinia and of his wife Infanta Maria Antonietta of Spain
.
From his birth until his own succession to the throne of Sardinia in 1796 Charles Emmanuel was styled "Prince of Piedmont".
In 1775 Charles Emmanuel married Marie Clotilde of France, the daughter of Louis, Dauphin of France and Princess Marie-Josèphe of Saxony
, and sister of King Louis XVI of France
. Although the union was arranged for political reasons, Charles Emmanuel and his wife became devoted to each other. Their attempts to have children, however, were unsuccessful.
At the death of his father (14 October 1796), Charles Emmanuel succeeded as King of Sardinia. The kingdom included not only the island of Sardinia, but also significant territories in northwest Italy
including all of Piedmont.
At his succession to the throne in 1796, Sardinia had been forced to conclude the disadvantageous Treaty of Paris (1796)
with the French Republic
, giving the French army free passage through Piedmont. On December 6, 1798, the French under Joubert
occupied Turin and forced Charles Emanuel to abdicate all his territories on the Italian mainland and to withdraw to the island of Sardinia, which stayed out of the reach of the French army. The following year he tried unsuccessfully to regain Piedmont. He and his wife lived in Rome
and in Naples
as guests of the wealthy Colonna family.
On 7 March 1802 Charles Emmanuel's wife Marie Clothilde died. He was so moved by her death that he decided to abdicate, June 4, 1802 in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel. Charles Emmanuel retained the personal title of King. He lived in Rome
and in the nearby town of Frascati
.
In Frascati
he was a frequent guest of Henry Benedict Stuart
, Cardinal Duke of York, last member of the Royal House of Stuart
, who was his cousin. He was descended from Henrietta Anne Stuart, the youngest daughter of Charles I
, whereas Henry Benedict Stuart was descended from James II
who was the second son of Charles I
.
When Henry died in 1807, Charles Emmanuel became the senior heir-general of King Charles I of England and Scotland
, and was thus regarded by Jacobites
as King Charles IV of England, Scotland, France and Ireland. There is no documentary evidence that Charles Emmanuel ever attempted to make a public claim to the title of King of England or Scotland.
Indeed, in 1815 at the age of sixty-four Charles Emmanuel took simple vow
s in the Society of Jesus
(the Jesuits). He was never ordained to the priesthood, but lived the rest of his life at the Jesuit novitiate in Rome.
Charles Emmanuel died at the Palazzo Colonna
in Rome on 6 October 1819. He is buried in the Church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale
.
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
from 1796 to 1802. He abdicated in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel I
Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia
Victor Emmanuel I was the Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia from 1802 to 1821, and Jacobite Pretender from 1819 until his death.-Biography:...
. Charles Emmanuel was a great-great-great-grandson of Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and would have became king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
in 1807, had it not been for the event known as the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
which had occurred over a century earlier. Therefore from this date, he was instead recognised as the legitimate Jacobite Pretender
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
.
Biography
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...
, the eldest son of Victor Amadeus III of Savoy, King of Sardinia and of his wife Infanta Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonietta of Spain
Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain was an Infanta of Spain and the youngest daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. She was the wife of Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia whom she married in 1750...
.
From his birth until his own succession to the throne of Sardinia in 1796 Charles Emmanuel was styled "Prince of Piedmont".
In 1775 Charles Emmanuel married Marie Clotilde of France, the daughter of Louis, Dauphin of France and Princess Marie-Josèphe of Saxony
Marie-Josèphe of Saxony
Maria Josepha of Saxony was a Duchess of Saxony and the Dauphine of France. She became Dauphine at the age of fifteen through her marriage to Louis de France, the son and heir of Louis XV...
, and sister of King Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
. Although the union was arranged for political reasons, Charles Emmanuel and his wife became devoted to each other. Their attempts to have children, however, were unsuccessful.
At the death of his father (14 October 1796), Charles Emmanuel succeeded as King of Sardinia. The kingdom included not only the island of Sardinia, but also significant territories in northwest Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
including all of Piedmont.
At his succession to the throne in 1796, Sardinia had been forced to conclude the disadvantageous Treaty of Paris (1796)
Treaty of Paris (1796)
The Treaty of Paris of May 15, 1796 was a treaty between the French Republic and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia during the War of the First Coalition....
with the French Republic
French First Republic
The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...
, giving the French army free passage through Piedmont. On December 6, 1798, the French under Joubert
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert was a French general. He joined the royal French army in 1784 and rose rapidly in rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon Bonaparte recognized his talents and gave him increased responsibilities...
occupied Turin and forced Charles Emanuel to abdicate all his territories on the Italian mainland and to withdraw to the island of Sardinia, which stayed out of the reach of the French army. The following year he tried unsuccessfully to regain Piedmont. He and his wife lived in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
as guests of the wealthy Colonna family.
On 7 March 1802 Charles Emmanuel's wife Marie Clothilde died. He was so moved by her death that he decided to abdicate, June 4, 1802 in favour of his brother Victor Emmanuel. Charles Emmanuel retained the personal title of King. He lived in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and in the nearby town of Frascati
Frascati
Frascati is a town and comune in the province of Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is located south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills close to the ancient city of Tusculum. Frascati is closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific...
.
In Frascati
Frascati
Frascati is a town and comune in the province of Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is located south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills close to the ancient city of Tusculum. Frascati is closely associated with science, being the location of several international scientific...
he was a frequent guest of Henry Benedict Stuart
Henry Benedict Stuart
Henry Benedict Stuart was a Roman Catholic Cardinal, as well as the fourth and final Jacobite heir to publicly claim the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Unlike his father, James Francis Edward Stuart, and brother, Charles Edward Stuart, Henry made no effort to seize the throne...
, Cardinal Duke of York, last member of the Royal House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, who was his cousin. He was descended from Henrietta Anne Stuart, the youngest daughter of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, whereas Henry Benedict Stuart was descended from James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
who was the second son of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
.
When Henry died in 1807, Charles Emmanuel became the senior heir-general of King Charles I of England and Scotland
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, and was thus regarded by Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
as King Charles IV of England, Scotland, France and Ireland. There is no documentary evidence that Charles Emmanuel ever attempted to make a public claim to the title of King of England or Scotland.
Indeed, in 1815 at the age of sixty-four Charles Emmanuel took simple vow
Simple vow
In Roman Catholic canon law, a simple vow is any vow, public or private, individual or collective, concerned with an action or with abstaining from an action, if that vow has not been recognized by the Church as a solemn vow....
s in the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
(the Jesuits). He was never ordained to the priesthood, but lived the rest of his life at the Jesuit novitiate in Rome.
Charles Emmanuel died at the Palazzo Colonna
Palazzo Colonna
The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings in central Rome, Italy, at the base of the Quirinal Hill, and adjacent to the church of Santi Apostoli...
in Rome on 6 October 1819. He is buried in the Church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale
Sant'Andrea al Quirinale
The Church of Saint Andrew's at the Quirinal is a Roman Catholic titular church in Rome, built for of the Jesuit seminary on the Quirinal Hill....
.
Ancestors
Titles and styles
- 24 May 1751 – 16 October 1796 His Royal Highness the Prince of Piedmont
- 16 October 1796 – 4 June 1802 His Majesty the King of Sardinia
- 4 June 1802 – 6 October 1819 His Majesty King Charles Emmanuel