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Blanche de Savoie
Signora di Monza
(1336–87)

Biographical

Signora di Monza 1375–80
Signora di Abbiategrasso 1375–80
Signora di San Colombano 1375
Signora di Graffignana 1375
Signora di Binasco 1375
Signora di Coazzano 1375
Signora di Gentilino 1375
Signora di Cortenuova 1375
Signora di Vigevano 1380

After the death of their parents, Blanche and her brother, Amedée, were placed under the tutorship of Amedée III of Geneva, and Louis of Savoy. It seems that negotiations started for Blanche to marry Edward the Black Prince, son of Edward III of England, but the plan was abandoned. Then, an attempt was made in 1347 for her to marry Humbert II, dauphin of Viennois, but that too was unsuccessful. After the peace treaty of 1348 between Savoy and the Visconti, the union between Blanche and Galeazzo Visconti, lord of Milan, was arranged. After her marriage, Blanche had some important roles in Milan, particularly, with ecclesiastical matters. By dispensing favours, she was able to extend her influence at the Visconti court. She persuaded her husband to move to Pavia to escape the conflict with his brother, Bernabò, and in 1365 they moved to the castle there. She took part in mediating between Amedeo VI of Savoy and Gian Galeazzo over the conflict with Pope Gregory XI. She shared some correspondence with the Pope who encouraged her to persuade her husband to obey the Church. In 1375 Blanche was invested with a number of fiefdoms by her son. He then granted them to his wife in 1380, and Blanche received others in their place. Galeazzo's relations with his brother, Bernabò, had deteriorated, and he had suffered a long illness, said to be caused by spells from Bernabò's wife, Regina della Scala. Taking advantage of his illness, Bernabò attempted to take the castle of Porta Giovia, and possibly even to remove Blanche herself. His plan failed, and he was imprisoned by Blanche's son, Gian Galeazzo; his downfall said to be orchestrated by Blanche. Through her will she bequeathed grants to various religious groups, including the Poor Clares, and some Augustinian and minority communities in Pavia, and also to assist with the building of a hospital for impoverished nobles.

Place of birth: Chambéry?
Place of marriage: Rivoli
Place of death: Pavia
Place of burial: Santa Chiara, Pavia

Daughter of Aymon de Savoie and Iolanda Palaiologina. She married Galeazzo II Visconti in 1350, and had issue.

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