Peter of Savoy, Earl of Richmond
Encyclopedia
Peter II called the Little Charlemagne, was the Count of Savoy from 1263 until his death. He built the Savoy Palace
in London
.
Peter was the seventh of nine sons of Thomas I of Savoy
and Marguerite of Geneva
, and the uncle of Eleanor of Provence
, queen-consort of Henry III of England
. He was born in Suze, Drôme
.
in 1241 and gave him the land between the Strand
and the Thames, where Peter built the Savoy Palace
in 1263, on the site of the present Savoy Hotel
. It was destroyed during the Peasants' Revolt
of 1381. Though Peter was referred to by contemporary chroniclers as the earl of Richmond, the title seems not to appear in any official documents. By his will Richmond was left to his niece the queen, Eleanor, who transferred it to the crown.
Boston
(a borough by 1279), on the river Witham
, had over many years become an important port for Lincoln
. The town was held by the dukes of Brittany until about 1200. In 1241, Peter obtained at the same time as he had Richmond the manor of Boston. It was restored to John I, Duke of Brittany
, on Peter's death. Donington
manor is also thought to have been passed from John de la Rye to Peter of Savoy about 1255 when a charter was granted for a market to be held at the Manor on Saturdays. A similar grant was made for the holding of a Fair on the 15 August, in the same year also to be held at the manor. A separate charter was issued to Peter to hold a market on a Monday and granted on the 8 April 1255 by the King.
In 1246 the king granted Peter the castle of Pevensey
. Peter sided with the Simon de Montfort
, Earl of Leicester
, in the Second Barons' War
; but he eventually left England for France with the queen.
When Peter's nephew Boniface, Count of Savoy, died without heirs in 1263, the question of the succession to Savoy lay unanswered. Besides Peter, there was another possible claimant, the fifteen-year-old Thomas III of Piedmont
(1248–82), the eldest son of Peter's elder brother Thomas, Count of Flanders
. Peter returned to Savoy and was recognised as count over his nephew. This led to a dispute between Savoy and Piedmont that was to outlast Peter and Thomas.
Peter came into conflict with Rudolf of Habsburg, and Rudolf occupied Peter's lands in the canton of Vaud
, including the Château of Chillon
. Peter returned from Piedmont in time to lead his troops in retaking the chateau and his lands in 1266.
Already elderly, he died without a male heir in the Château de Chillon and was succeeded by his remaining brother Philip, former Archbishop of Lyon.
of Faucigny
, who bore him a daughter, Beatrice (c. 1237 – 21 November 1310). She married firstly Guigues VII of Viennois and secondly Gaston VII of Béarn
.
Savoy Palace
The Savoy Palace was considered the grandest nobleman's residence of medieval London, until it was destroyed in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. It fronted the Strand, on the site of the present Savoy Theatre and the Savoy Hotel that memorialise its name...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Peter was the seventh of nine sons of Thomas I of Savoy
Thomas I of Savoy
Thomas I or Tommaso I was Count of Savoy from 1189-1233. He was the son of Humbert III of Savoy and Beatrice of Viennois. His birth was seen as miraculous; his monkish father had despaired of having a male heir after three wives. Count Humbert sought counsel from St...
and Marguerite of Geneva
Marguerite of Geneva
Marguerite of Geneva was the daughter of William I, Count of Geneva and Beatrice de Faucigny. She was supposed to become the third wife of Philip II of France but was abducted by Thomas I of Savoy in 1195, while on her way to Paris...
, and the uncle of Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
, queen-consort of Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
. He was born in Suze, Drôme
Suze, Drôme
Suze is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
.
Biography
He travelled first with Eleanor to London. Henry made Peter Earl of RichmondEarl of Richmond
The now-extinct title of Earl of Richmond was created many times in the Peerage of England. The earldom of Richmond was held by various Bretons, Normans, the royal families of Plantagenet, Capet, Savoy, Tudor and Stuart.-History:...
in 1241 and gave him the land between the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
and the Thames, where Peter built the Savoy Palace
Savoy Palace
The Savoy Palace was considered the grandest nobleman's residence of medieval London, until it was destroyed in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. It fronted the Strand, on the site of the present Savoy Theatre and the Savoy Hotel that memorialise its name...
in 1263, on the site of the present Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
. It was destroyed during the Peasants' Revolt
Peasants' Revolt
The Peasants' Revolt, Wat Tyler's Rebellion, or the Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major event in the history of England. Tyler's Rebellion was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the...
of 1381. Though Peter was referred to by contemporary chroniclers as the earl of Richmond, the title seems not to appear in any official documents. By his will Richmond was left to his niece the queen, Eleanor, who transferred it to the crown.
Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
(a borough by 1279), on the river Witham
Witham
Witham is a town in the county of Essex, in the south east of England with a population of 22,500. It is part of the District of Braintree and is twinned with the town of Waldbröl, Germany. Witham stands between the larger towns of Chelmsford and Colchester...
, had over many years become an important port for Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
. The town was held by the dukes of Brittany until about 1200. In 1241, Peter obtained at the same time as he had Richmond the manor of Boston. It was restored to John I, Duke of Brittany
John I, Duke of Brittany
John I the Red , known as John the Red due to the colour of his beard, was Duke of Brittany, from 1237 to his death...
, on Peter's death. Donington
Donington
Donington is the name of a number of places in England:* Donington, Lincolnshire, a large village in South Holland, Lincolnshire* Donington, Shropshire, a civil parish in Shropshire, England* Donington on Bain, a village in Lindsey, Lincolnshire...
manor is also thought to have been passed from John de la Rye to Peter of Savoy about 1255 when a charter was granted for a market to be held at the Manor on Saturdays. A similar grant was made for the holding of a Fair on the 15 August, in the same year also to be held at the manor. A separate charter was issued to Peter to hold a market on a Monday and granted on the 8 April 1255 by the King.
In 1246 the king granted Peter the castle of Pevensey
Pevensey
Pevensey is a village and civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The main village is located 5 miles north-east of Eastbourne, one mile inland from Pevensey Bay. The settlement of Pevensey Bay forms part of the parish.-Geography:The village of Pevensey is located on...
. Peter sided with the Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...
, Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
, in the Second Barons' War
Second Barons' War
The Second Barons' War was a civil war in England between the forces of a number of barons led by Simon de Montfort, against the Royalist forces led by Prince Edward , in the name of Henry III.-Causes:...
; but he eventually left England for France with the queen.
When Peter's nephew Boniface, Count of Savoy, died without heirs in 1263, the question of the succession to Savoy lay unanswered. Besides Peter, there was another possible claimant, the fifteen-year-old 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....
(1248–82), the eldest son of Peter's elder brother Thomas, Count of Flanders
Thomas, Count of Flanders
Thomas II was the Lord of Piedmont from 1233 to his death, Count of Flanders jure uxoris from 1237 to 1244, and regent of the County of Savoy from 1253 to his death, while his nephew Boniface was fighting abroad...
. Peter returned to Savoy and was recognised as count over his nephew. This led to a dispute between Savoy and Piedmont that was to outlast Peter and Thomas.
Peter came into conflict with Rudolf of Habsburg, and Rudolf occupied Peter's lands in the canton of 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,...
, including the Château of Chillon
Chateau of Chillon
The Château de Chillon is located on the shore of Lake Léman in the commune of Veytaux, at the eastern end of the lake, 3 km from Montreux, Switzerland...
. Peter returned from Piedmont in time to lead his troops in retaking the chateau and his lands in 1266.
Already elderly, he died without a male heir in the Château de Chillon and was succeeded by his remaining brother Philip, former Archbishop of Lyon.
Family
In 1236 Peter married to AgnesAgnes of Faucigny
Agnes of Faucigny was suo jure Dame of Faucigny and Countess of Savoy by virtue of her marriage in 1236 to Peter II, Count of Savoy....
of Faucigny
Faucigny
Faucigny is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.Historically, Faucigny was a region in Savoy which included the area of the modern département of Haute Savoie and the municipalities of Chamonix, Argentière, and Les Houches.-Geography:In the...
, who bore him a daughter, Beatrice (c. 1237 – 21 November 1310). She married firstly Guigues VII of Viennois and secondly Gaston VII of Béarn
Gaston VII of Béarn
Gaston VII de Montcada , called Froissard, was the twentieth Viscount of Béarn from 1229. He was the son and heir of William II Raymond and Garsenda, daughter of Alfonso II of Provence and Garsenda of Forcalquier...
.