SAVOY, HOUSE OF, a dynasty which ruled over the ter ritory of Savoy and Piedmont for nine centuries, and now reigns over the kingdom of Italy. The name of Savoy (Sabaudia) was known to the Romans during, the decline of the empire. In the 5th century the territory was conquered by the Burgundians, and formed part of their kingdom ; nearly a hundred years later it was occupied by the Franks. It was included in Charlemagne's empire and was divided by him into counties, which evolved there, as elsewhere, into hereditary fiefs; but after the break-up of Charlemagne's empire, the Burgundian kingdom revived and Savoy was again absorbed in it. After the collapse of that mon archy its territories passed to the German kings, and Savoy was divided between the counts of Provence, of Albon, of Gex, of Bresse, of the Genevois, of Maurienne, the lords of Habsburg, of Zahringen, etc., and several prelates.
founder of the house of Savoy was Umberto Biancamano (Humbert the White-handed) , a feudal lord, who in 5003 was count of Salmourenc in the Viennois, ii 1017 of Nyon on the Lake of Geneva, and in 1024 of the Va d'Aosta on the eastern slope of the Western Alps. In 1034 obtained part of Maurienne as a reward for helping King Conroe the Salic to make good his claims on Burgundy. He also obtainer the counties of Savoy, Belley, part of the Tarantaise, and the Chablais. With these territories Umberto commanded three o the great Alpine passes, viz., the Mont Cenis and the two St Bernards. His son Oddone married Adelaide, eldest daughter an heiress of Odelrico Manfredi, marquess of Susa, a descendant ei Arduino of Ivrea, king of Italy, who ruled over the counties Turin, Auriate, Asti, Bredulo, Vercelli, etc., corresponding rough13 to modern Piedmont and part of Liguria (1045). Umberto die( some time after 1056 and was succeeded by his son, Amadeus I.
at whose death the country passed to Oddone. Oddone ruled over territories on both sides of the Alps. He died in 5060, and wax succeeded by his widow, Adelaide ; but before her death in 1091 his son, Peter I., became count, and subsequently the latter':
brother, Amadeus II. Under Humbert II. (Io8o) occurred the first clash with the Piedmontese communes, but he and his suc cessors, Amadeus III. (who died on his way home from the crusades) and Thomas I. ( 5189), adopted a policy of conciliation towards them.
Thomas, who reigned until 1222, acquired extensions of ter ritory in the Bugey, Vaud and Romont to the west of the Alps, and Carignano, Pinerolo, Moncalieri and Vigone to the east; he also exercised sway over Geneva, Albenga, Savona and Saluzzo. At his death these territories were divided among his sons, Thomas II. obtaining Piedmont, Aimone the Chablais, Peter and Philip other fiefs, and Amadeus IV., the eldest, Savoy and a general overlordship over his brothers' estates. Thomas II., during the wars in Piedmont, was made prisoner by the citizens of Turin, but was afterwards liberated.
(1285-1323), son of Thomas II., reunited the county of Savoy (his own territory), the principality of Piedmont, ruled by his nephew Philip, prince of Achaea (a title acquired through his wife, Isabella of Villehardouin, heiress of Achaea and the Morea), and Vaud, ruled by his brother Louis. But although this division was formally recognized in 1295. Amadeus suc ceeded in enforcing his own supremacy over the whole country and in regaining by war, purchase or treaty, the fiefs lost by his pre decessors. He fought against the dauphins of Viennois, the counts of Genevois, the people of Sion and Geneva, the marquesses of Saluzzo and Montferrat, and the barons of Faucigny, acted as peacemaker between France and England, accompanied the Emperor Henry VII. of Luxemburg on his expedition to Italy, reorganized the finances of the realm and reinforced the Salic law of succession. He was succeeded by his sons, Edward (1323– 1329), known as "the Liberal," on account of his extravagance, and Aimone, the Peaceful
who strove to repair the harm done to the state's exchequer by his predecessor and proved one of the best princes of his line.