Information about House Of Savoy

Italian Royalty
House of Savoy

Victor Emmanuel II Children    Princess Marie Clothilde    Umberto I (born 1844)    Amadeo I, King of Spain (born 1845)    Maria Pia, Queen of Portugal (born 1847)     Vittoria (born 2 December 1848)    Emanuele Alberto (born 16 March 1851), Count of Mirafiori and Fontanafredda. Grandchildren    Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta    Vittorio Emanuele, Count of Turin    Luigi, Duke of Abruzzi    Umberto, Conte of Salemi Great Grandchildren    Amedeo, Duke of Aosta    Amedeo, King of Croatia Great Great Grandchildren    Margherita, Archduchess of Austria-Este    Princess Maria Christina    Amedeo, Duke of Aosta Great Great Great Grandchildren    Princess Bianca    Aimone, Duke of Apulia    Princess Mafalda Umberto I Children    Victor Emmanuel III Victor Emmanuel III Children    Princess Yolanda    Princess Mafalda    Umberto II    Giovanna, Queen of Bulgaria    Princess Maria Umberto II Children    Princess Maria Pia    Victor Emmanuel, Prince of Naples    Princess Maria Gabriella    Princess Maria Beatrice Grandchildren    Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice and Piedmont Great Grandchildren    Princess Vittoria    Princess Luisa

The House of Savoy (Italian: Casa Savoia) is a dynasty of nobles who traditionally had their domain in Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, a state which, in 1861, became the Kingdom of Italy. Thus, the house was the Italian reigning house until 1946. They once had claims on the modern canton of Vaud in Switzerland, but their access to it was cut by Geneva during the Protestant Reformation, after which it was conquered by Bern. Though originally a poor duchy, later heirs to the throne were diplomatically skilled, and gained control over strategic mountain passes in the Alps. This caused the great powers such as France, England, and Spain to take the dukes' opinions into account.

The monarchy ended with the 1946 referendum by which Italians chose the republic as the form of state (see also birth of the Italian Republic). Under the Constitution of the Italian Republic, male descendants of the House of Savoy were forbidden from entering Italy. This provision was removed in 2002.

The house descended from Humbert I, Count of Sabaudia (Umberto I "Biancamano"), (1003–1047 or 1048), and includes the Counts of Savoy, the Dukes of Savoy, the Kings of Sardinia, and the Kings of Italy. Piedmont was later joined with Sabaudia, and the name evolved into "Savoy" (Italian "Savoia"). Umberto was probably a native of the area. The people of Savoy were descended from the Celts and Romans. There are many Italians in the area (thus the name "Umberto Biancamano") along with French near the French border.

The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy in Turin and the neighbourhood are protected as a World Heritage Site.

List of rulers

Counts of Savoy

Main article: County of Savoy

Main Branch

• Humbert I "Biancamano" ("White hand") : 1003-1047 or 1048
• Amedeus I : 1048-1051 or 1056
• Otto : 1051 or 1056 - 1060
• Peter I : 1060-1078
• Amedeus II : 1060-1080
• Umbert II : 1080-1103
• Amedeus III : 1103-1148
• Umbert III : 1148-1189
• Thomas I : 1189-1233
• Amedeus IV : 1233-1253
• Boniface : 1253-1263
• Peter II : 1263-1268
• Philip I : 1268-1285
• Amedeus V : 1285-1323
• Edward I : 1323 - 1329
• Aimone : 1329-1343
• Amedeus VI : 1343-1383
• Amedeus VII : 1383-1391
• Amedeus VIII : as Count of Savoy 1391-1416

Dukes of Savoy

Main article: Duchy of Savoy

• Amedeus VIII : as Duke of Savoy 1416-1440
• Louis : 1440-1465
• Amedeus IX : 1465-1472
• Philibert I : 1472-1482
• Charles I : 1482-1490
• Charles (II) John Amedeus : 1490-1496
• Philip II : 1496-1497
• Philibert II : 1497-1504
• Charles III : 1504-1553
• Emmanuel Philibert : 1553-1580
• Charles Emmanuel I : 1580-1630
• Victor Amedeus I: 1630-1637
• Francis Hyacinth : 1637-1638
• Charles Emmanuel II : 1638-1675
• Victor Amedeus II : 1675 - 1720, 1730-1732, as 1st king of Sardinia 1720-1730

Kings of Sardinia

Main article: Kingdom of Sardinia

• Victor Amedeus II : 1720-1730
• Charles Emmanuel III : 1730-1773
• Victor Amedeus III : 1773-1796
• Charles Emmanuel IV : 1796-1802
• Victor Emmanuel I : 1802-1821
• Charles Felix : 1821-1831

Savoy-Carignano Branch

• Charles Albert : 1831-1849
• Victor Emmanuel II : 1849-1861

Kings of Italy

Main article: Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)

• Victor Emmanuel II : 1861-1878
• Humbert I : 1878-1900
• Victor Emmanuel III : 1900-1946
• Humbert II : 1946

Rulers of other countries

• King Amadeus I of Spain (son of Victor Emmanuel II of Italy) : 1871-1873
• (ostensibly) King Tomislav II of the Independent State of Croatia (grandson of Amadeus I of Spain) : 1941-1943

Heads of the House of Savoy since 1946:

• Humbert II : 1946-1983

As of July 7, 2006, the leadership of the House of Savoy is now contested by two cousins:

• Crown Prince Victor Emmanuel, Prince of Naples, who claimed the title of King of Italy: December 15, 1969-present^[1]
• Duke Amedeo of Aosta, who now claims the title of the Duke of Savoy: July 7, 2006-present

See also: Lists of incumbents, List of Presidents of the Italian Republic

Name, motto, titles

Name of the dynasty: Reale Casa di Savoia

Motto: FERT

The Motto is believed an acronym of

• "Foedere Et Religione Tenemur" (We will be kept together by the [constitutional] pact and by religion)

but others suggest:

• "Fortitudo Eius Rhodum Tenuit" (His strength preserved Rhodes). This refers to Duke Amadeo V "the Great" (1249-1323), who fought against the Saracens at the siege of Rhodes in 1310.
• "Fortitudo Ejus Rempublicam Tenet" (His bravery preserves the Republic)
• "Fides Est Regni Tutela" (Faith is the protection of the kingdom)
• The proposed origin from "Femina Erit Ruina Tua" (Woman will be your ruin) is obviously only a satire.
• Another famous spurious satire is "Frappez, Entrez, Rompez Tout!", roughly translated from the French as "Knock, get in, then break everything!" It is supposedly a French witticism mocking the freebooting foreign policies of Duke Vittorio Amadeo II.

Titles of the Crown of Sardinia

VITTORIO AMEDEO III, per la grazia di Dio Re di Sardegna, Cipro, Gerusalemme e Armenia; Duca di Savoia, Monferrato, Chablais, Aosta, e Genevese; Principe di Piemonte ed Oneglia; Marchese d'Italia Saluzzo, Susa, Ivrea, Ceva, Maro, Oristano, Sezana; Conte di Moriana, Geneva, Nizza, Tenda, Asti, Alessandria, Goceano; Barone di Vaud e di Faucigny; Signore di Vercelli, Pinerolo, Tarantasia, Lumellino, Val di Sesia; Principe e Vicario perpetuo del Sacro Romano Imperio in Italia.

The English translation is: Victor Amadeus III, by the Grace of God, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem and Armenia, Duke of Savoy, Montferrat, Chablais, Aosta and Genoa, Prince of Piedmont and Oneglia, Marquess in Italy, of Saluzzo, Susa, Ivrea, Ceva, Maro, Oristano, Sezana, Count of Maurienne, Geneva, Nice, Tende, Asti, Alessandria, Goceano, Baron of Vaud and Faucigny, Lord of Vercelli, Pinerolo, Tarantasia, Lumellino, Val di Sesia, Prince and perpetual Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire in Italy.

Titles of the Crown of Italy

Victor Emmanuel II, by the Grace of God and the Will of the Nation, King of Italy, King of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem, Armenia, Duke of Savoy, count of Maurienne, Marquis (of the Holy Roman Empire) in Italy; prince of Piedmont, Carignan, Oneglia, Poirino, Trino; Prince and Perpetual vicar of the Holy Roman Empire; prince of Carmagnola, Montmellian with Arbin and Francin, prince bailliff of the Duchy of Aosta, Prince of Chieri, Dronero, Crescentino, Riva di Chieri e Banna, Busca, Bene, Brà, Duke of Genoa, Monferrat, Aosta, Duke of Chablais, Genevois, Duke of Piacenza, Marquis of Saluzzo (Saluces), Ivrea, Susa, del Maro, Oristano, Cesana, Savona, Tarantasia, Borgomanero e Cureggio, Caselle, Rivoli, Pianezza, Govone, Salussola, Racconigi con Tegerone, Migliabruna e Motturone, Cavallermaggiore, Marene, Modane e Lanslebourg, Livorno Ferraris, Santhià Agliè, Centallo e Demonte, Desana, Ghemme, Vigone, Count of Barge, Villafranca, Ginevra, Nizza, Tenda, Romont, Asti, Alessandria, del Goceano, Novara, Tortona, Bobbio, Soissons, Sant'Antioco, Pollenzo, Roccabruna, Tricerro, Bairo, Ozegna, delle Apertole, Baron of Vaud e del Faucigni, Lord of Vercelli, Pinerolo, della Lomellina, della Valle Sesia, del marchesato di Ceva, Overlord of Monaco, Roccabruna and 11/12th of Menton, Noble patrician of Venice, patrician of Ferrara.

These titles were used during the unified Kingdom of Italy which lasted from 1860-1946[1].

Dynastic orders

The House of Savoy has held two dynastic orders since 1434, which were brought into the Kingdom of Italy as national orders. Although the Kingdom of Italy ceased to exist in 1946, King Umberto II did not abdicate his role as fons honorum over the two dynastic orders over which the family has long held sovereignty and grand mastership. The following are the dynastic orders of the Royal House of Savoy. Today, HRH Victor Emmanuel, Prince of Naples is hereditary Sovereign and Grand Master of these orders.

• Ordine Supremo della SS. Annunziata (The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation)
• Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro (The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus)

Recently, all three of Victor Emmanuel's sisters (HRH Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma, HRH Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, and HRH Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy) resigned from both of these dynastic orders, alleging that memberships in the orders had been sold to unworthy candidates, a newfound practice they could not abide. ^[2]

In addition to these, the House of Savoy claims sovereignty over the Civil Order of Savoy, and the Order of Merit of Savoy, which are merit orders of the Royal House.

See also

• Eugene of Savoy
• Duke of Aosta
• List of nicknames of European Royalty and Nobility
• Counts of Villafranca

References

Further reading

• Cox, Eugene L. The Eagles of Savoy: The House of Savoy in Thirteenth-Century Europe. Princeton University Press, 1974.

External links

1. Official website of the Royal House of Savoy
2. Brief history of the House with a picture of coat-of-arm
3. Genealogy of recent members of the House
4. House of Savoy fansite
5. The Heads of House of Savoy