Amadeus IV of Savoy, Count of Savoy

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus_IV,_Count_of_Savoy

Amadeus was born in Montmélian, Savoie. 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 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.

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. These territories were on the frontiers of Savoy lands, designed to encourage the brothers to expand the county rather than diminish it.

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. 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. 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. 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.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.

He married twice, and each marriage produced children.

He married first Marguerite of Burgundy, daughter of Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy.

1. Beatrice of Savoy (d. 1258), married firstly in 1233 Manfred III of Saluzzo (d. 1244), married secondly on 21 April 1247 Manfred of Sicily

2. Margaret of Savoy (d. 1254), married firstly on 9 December 1235 Boniface II of Montferrat, married secondly Aymar III, Count of Valentinois

He married second Cecilia of Baux, "Passerose", daughter of Barral of Baux

1. Boniface, Count of Savoy

2. Beatrice of Savoy (1250-23 February 1292) married Peter of Chalon and Infante Manuel of Castile.

3. Eleonor of Savoy, married in 1269 Guichard de Beaujeu

4. Constance of Savoy, died after 1263


Buried:
Grave location, biography, church photo and portrait:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=84121965

Amadeus married Marguerite (Margaret) of Burgundy. Marguerite (daughter of Hugh III of Burgundy, Duke of Burgundy and Beatrice of Albon, Countess of Albon and Dauphine of Viennois ) was born 1192, County of Burgundy, France; died 1243. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrice_of_Savoy,_Marchioness_of_Saluzzo

She was a daughter of Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy and his first wife Marguerite of Burgundy and was a member of the House of Savoy by birth and by her first marriage she became the Marchioness 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. 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:

1. Alice (c. 1236-before 12 Jul 1311), married Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract and had children.

2. Thomas (1239?1296), succeeded Manfred as Marquess.

3. Agnes (1245-after 4 August 1265), born after her father's death, married John, son of Eustace de Vesci, no children.

4. Margaret (born 1245), born after her father's death, twin of Agnes

Only two years after Manfred's death on 8 May 1246, Beatrice was betrothed a second time to Manfred, an illegitimate son of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor by his mistress and possible wife Bianca Lancia. Her marriage was arranged to recognize an alliance between Beatrice's father and Frederick. 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 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. Beatrice died before 1259. Her husband became King of Sicily in 1258 and went on to marry Helena Angelina Doukaina and fathered children with her.

Beatrice married Manfred III di Saluzzo, Marquess of Saluzzo. Manfred died 1244. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_I,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo

He was the fourth Marquess of Saluzzo from 1244 to his death. He succeeded his father Manfred III. 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.

Saluzzo included the territory lying between the Alps, the Po and the Stura, and was extended on several occasions. In the Middle Ages it had a checkered existence, often being in conflict with powerful neighbors, chiefly the Counts (later Dukes) of Savoy.

He was a prime enemy of Charles of Anjou and his Italian pretentions. 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.

He married Luisa of Ceva.

He was succeeded by his son Manfred IV. Thomas also had a daughter, Alice of Saluzzo, who married Richard Fitzalan, 8th Earl of Arundel.

Buried:
Grave location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=150859017

Tommaso married Luigia di Ceva, Marquise of Saluzzo. Luigia died 22 August 1291/1293, Italy; was buried , Abbazia di Santa Maria di Staffarda, Revello, Provincia di Cuneo, Piemonte, Italy. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_of_Saluzzo,_Countess_of_Arundel

She was an Italian-born noblewoman and an English countess. She was a daughter of Thomas I of Saluzzo, and the wife of Richard Fitzalan, 8th Earl of Arundel. 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.

Alesia was born on an unknown date in Saluzzo (present-day Province of Cuneo, Piedmont); the second eldest daughter of Thomas I, 4th Margrave of Saluzzo, and Luigia di Ceva (died 22 August 1291/1293), daughter of Giorgio, Marquis of Ceva and Menzia d'Este. Alesia had fifteen siblings. Her father was a very wealthy and cultured nobleman.

Saluzzo included the territory lying between the Alps, the Po and the Stura, and was extended on several occasions. In the Middle Ages it had a checkered existence, often being in conflict with powerful neighbors, chiefly the Counts (later Dukes) of Savoy.

Sometime before 1285, Alice married Richard Fitzalan, feudal Lord of Clun and Oswestry in the Welsh Marches, the son of John Fitzalan, 7th Earl of Arundel and Isabella Mortimer. Richard would succeed to the title of Earl of Arundel in 1289, thus making Alice the 8th Countess of Arundel. Her marriage had been arranged by the late King Henry III's widowed Queen consort Eleanor of Provence.

Richard and Alice's principal residence was Marlborough Castle in Wiltshire, but Richard also held Arundel Castle in Sussex and the castles of Clun and Oswestry in Shropshire. Her husband was knighted by King Edward I in 1289, and fought in the Welsh Wars (1288?1294), and later in the Scottish Wars. The marriage produced four children:

1. Edmund Fitzalan, 9th Earl of Arundel (1 May 1285- 17 November 1326 by execution), married Alice de Warenne, by whom he had children.

2. John Fitzalan, a priest

3. Alice Fitzalan (died 7 September 1340), married Stephen de Segrave, 3rd Lord Segrave, by whom she had children.

4. Margaret Fitzalan, married William le Botiller, by whom she had children.

5. Eleanor Fitzalan, married Henry de Percy, 1st Baron Percy, by whom she had children.

Alice died on 25 September 1292 and was buried in Haughmond Abbey, Shropshire. Her husband Richard died on Sep 3, 1301 and was buried alongside Alice. In 1341, provision was made for twelve candles to be burned beside their tombs. The Abbey is now a ruin as the result of a fire during the English Civil War.

Her many descendants included the Dukes of Norfolk, the English queen consorts of Henry VIII, Sir Winston Churchill, Diana, Princess of Wales, and the current British Royal Family.

Buried:
Grave location, biography, and abbey photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=84169971

Alesia married Richard FitzAlan, 8th Earl of Arundel. Richard was born 3 February 1266/7, Arundel West Sussex, England; died 9 March 1301/2, Arundel West Sussex, England; was buried , Haughmond Abbey Shrewsbury Shropshire Unitary Authority Shropshire, England. [Group Sheet]