Thomas II DE SAVOIE Count of Savoy, Aosta & Moriana

   Research Notes:

Signore del Piemonte, Marchese di Torino e Ivrea, Ct of Flanders and Hainaut, Vicario imperiale del Piemonte, Principe di Capua

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The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines records that "tertius [filiorum comitis Thome de Sabaudia] Thomas" was "cassatus de episcopatu Laurensi et archiepiscopatu Lugdunensis". A charter dated 1224 records an agreement between "Thomæ com. Sabaud " and the bishop of Sion, witnessed by "ipse Thomas comes, Amedeus primogenitus illius, Comitissa uxor Thomæ, eorum quatuor filii clerici…Willelmus, Thomas, Petrus et Bonifacius". Canon at Lausanne 1224/27. Provost of Valence 1227. Canon at Lyon cathedral. "M. comitissa Sabaudie et marchisa in Ytalia et…Amedeus, Aymo, W. electus Valentinus, Thomas, Petrus, Bonifacius et Philippus filii Thome Comitis Sab. et marchionis in Ytalia" confirmed donations to Hautecombe abbey by charter dated 26 Feb 1231. He resigned his ecclesiastical appointments in 1233. The testament of "Amedei comitis Sab. et marchionis Italie", dated 23 Sep 1235, appoints "Thomam fratrem suum" as his heir "in comitatu et marchionatu" in default of male children. This document by-passes Thomas´s older brother Aimon. He succeeded as THOMAS Count of Flanders and Hainaut in 1237, by right of his first wife, but returned to Savoy after she died. The second testament of "Amedeus comes Sabaudie", dated 19 Jul 1238, repeats the nomination of "Thomam fratrem suum" as his heir, substituting "Philippum, huic autem Petrum fratres suos" if Thomas died without male heirs. An indication of the precarious financial position of the counts of Savoy is provided by a third testament, dated 2 Nov 1240, made by Thomas´s son "Amadeus com Sab. et marchio in Italia" who repeated the nomination of "Thomæ, Flandriæ comiti, fratri suo" as his heir to "totius comitatus sui Sabaudiæ marchionatus Italiæ et ducatus Chablasii" if he died without male children, on condition that he satisfied all the debts of "Thomæ comitis patris et Humberti fratris ipsorum". This charter suggests that financial considerations may have played their part in Thomas´s appointment as heir, over his older brother Aymon, in light of Thomas´s profitable marriage with the Ctss of Flanders. His brother appointed him Conte [Marchese] del Piemonte in 1247, reserving for himself the sovereignty over the territory. The testament of "Thomæ de Sabaudia comitis" is dated 26 Jun 1248 and appoints as his heirs successively, in default of having his own children, "Petrum, Philippum electem Lugdunensem, Beatricem Provinciæ comitissam sororem suam…filium masculum Amadei comitis Sabaudiæ…Bonifacium Archiepiscopum Cantuariæ…Eduardum primogenitum Henrici Angliæ regis ex Eleonora regina, ipsius Thomæ nepte genitum". Emperor Friedrich II granted Moncalieri, Castelvecchio and other properties to Thomas in Nov 1248 and also appointed him imperial vicar in Italy. He succeeded his brother in 1253 as THOMAS II Comte de Savoie, as regent or co-ruler with his nephew. "Edmondo Re di Sicilia figlio d'Enrico Re d'Inghilterra" invested "Conte Tomaso di Savoia di Lui Zio" as Principe di Capua by order dated "nella fiesta di S. Dionigio 1254". This must have been a short-lived and purely honorary appointment as Edmund's appointment as king of Sicily was not confirmed. Matthew of Paris reports that Comte Thomas died by poison. The testament of "Thomas de Sabaudia comes" dated 26 Jun 1248 names "fratribus meis Philippo Lugdunensi Electo et Petro de Sabaudia…sororem meam Beatricem comitissam Provinciæ…filio masculo…fratris mei Amedei comitis Sabaudiæ…fratri meo Bonifacio Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi…Edmundum filium…domini Henrici regis Angliæ et neptis meæ Alienoræ Reginæ Angliæ" as his heirs and remembers the souls of "bonæ memoriæ Thoma quondam comite Sabaudiæ patre meo…fratribus meis Umberto…Aymone et Vuillermo quondam electo Valentinensi".

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SAVOY.htm#ThomasIIdied1259B

   Marriage Information:

Thomas married Jeanne DE FLANDRE Countess of Flanders & Hainaut, daughter of Cte Baudouin IX (VI) DE HAINAUT and Marie DE CHAMPAGNE, on 2 Apr 1237. (Jeanne DE FLANDRE Countess of Flanders & Hainaut was born in 1188 in Valenciennes, Hainault, France and died on 5 Dec 1244 in Marquette near Lille, Hainault, France.)

   Marriage Notes:

Married without Papal dispensation despite consanguinity within the prohibited degrees.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SAVOY.htm#ThomasIIdied1259B

   Marriage Information:

Thomas also married Beatrice DI FIESCHI, daughter of Teodoro DI FIESCHI Count of Lavagna and Simona, after Jun 1251. (Beatrice DI FIESCHI was born in Villa Fieschi, Lavagna, Italy and died on 8 Jul 1283.)

   Marriage Notes:

Matthew Paris dates this marriage to 1251 and specifies that the bride (unnamed) was the niece of Pope Innocent IV who arranged her marriage with Thomas de Savoie, ex-Count of Flanders. This marriage was arranged as part of the process of reconciliation between Thomas's brother, Amédée IV Comte de Savoie, and Pope Innocent IV following the death of Emperor Friedrich II in 1250. Her dowry consisted of the castles of Rivoli and Viana with Vallesuessia.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORTHERN%20ITALY%201100-1400.htm#Beatricedied1283