Aymon
de Savoie
16th Comte de Savoie
(1291–1343)
Other names: the Pacific
Biographical
16th Comte de Savoie 1329–43†
Duc de Chablais 1329–43†
Duca d'Aosta 1329–43†
Marchese di Susa 1329–43†
Marchese in Italia
1329–43†
Comte de Maurienne 1329–43†
Conte d'Asti 1329–43†
Seigneur de Bresse 1329–43†
Signore di Ivrea 1329–43†
Signore di Vercelli
Seigneur de Baugé
Gonfalonier of the Church 1329
Canon at York
Papal chaplain to Pope Boniface VIII 1298
Canon at Paris 1295
Canon at Lyon
Prior of Villemoutier
Aymon was first intended for the church, and he took the minor orders,
but afterwards, he gave up the clerical profession, and was made a baron,
and fought in the wars of his father against the Dauphin of Vienne and
the counts of the Genevois. When his elder brother, Edward, Count of Savoy,
died in 1329 without male issue, Aymon's right to the succession was contested
by John, Duke of Brittany, who had married Edward's only daughter, but
as a male heir, Aymon was eventually chosen. He was at first little inclined
to accept the proffered dignity, which, in the existing circumstances
of the country, harassed by enemies and weakened by a signal defeat suffered
by Vienne in 1325, was a charge more onerous than profitable, but, being
urged by the deputies, he at last repaired to Chambéry, where he was proclaimed
count. Savoy continued at war with Vienne, but eventually made peace through
the mediation of Philippe de Valois, King of France. Aymon afterwards
sent an auxiliary force to join the troops of King Philip, who was at
war with Edward III of England, and in 1340 he joined the French camp,
where he was instrumental in bringing about a truce between the French
and the English. He also sent troops to the assistance of Azzo Visconti,
Lord of Milan, who was attacked by a powerful band of condottieri, who
were defeated by the timely arrival of support from Savoy. Aymon had few
possessions on the Italian side of the Alps as his father had given Piedmont
and Vaud away in fief to other family members, and therefore the direct
dominion of the count of Savoy was restricted to Savoy proper, with the
exception of Faucigny, and the Genevois, which were under their respective
lords, to the valleys of Susa and Aosta, on the Italian side of the Alps,
and to the countries of Bresse and Bugey on the French side of the Ehune
and of the Jura mountains. Aymon was the first count of Savoy who created
the office of chancellor, in imitation of that of France, with the task
of enforcing the execution of the laws, and to have a censorial authority
over all other judges and magistrates in the dominions of Savoy. In 1329
he also established a supreme council of justice at Chambéry, to hear
appeals from the local courts. By an edict of 1336 he made all the
judges of his dominions liable to be summoned before the public assizes
by any private individual who had any complaint or charge against them.
In 1339 Pope Benedict XII issued a bull in favour of Count Aymon in which
he established the rule that whenever a count of Savoy happened to be
present at the coronation of a pope, he should take rank immediately after
the kings. After his death, he obtained in history the denomination of
'the Pacific' because he strove to keep his country at peace, and to heal
the wounds inflicted by former wars. His marriage to Iolanda Palaeologus
of Montferrat brought to the house of Savoy their claim to the marquisate
Montferrat which, some two centuries later, they eventually succeeded
in annexing to its dominions.
Place of birth: Bourg-en-Bresse
Place of marriage: Casale Monferrato
Place of death: Château de Montmélian
Place of burial: Abbey of Hautecombe,
Savoy
Son of Amédée
V de Savoie and Sibylle de Baugé. He married Iolanda Palaiologina
in 1330, and had issue. He also had illegitimate issue.
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