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Charles I de Savoie
5th Duc de Savoie
(1468–90)

Other names: the Warrior

Biographical

5th Duc de Savoie 1482–90†
Titular King of Cyprus 1485–90†
Titular King of Jerusalem 1485–90†
Titular King of Armenia 1485–90†
Principe di Piemonte 1482–90†
Titular Prince of Achaia 1482–90†
Duc de Chablais 1482–90†
Duca d'Aosta 1482–90†
Marchese di Ivrea 1482–90†
Marchese di Susa 1482–90†
Marchese in Italia 1482–90†
Marchese di Saluzzo (annexation) 1487–90†
Conte di Carmagnola 1487–90†
Comte de Nice 1482–90†
Comte de Villars 1482–90†
Comte di Maurienne 1482–90†
Comte di Chablais 1482–90†
Comte de Romont 1482–90†
Baron de Vaud 1482–90†
Baron de Gex 1482–90†
Signore de Vercelli 1482–90†
Signore di Pinerolo 1482–90†
Seigneur de Bugey 1482–90†
Titular seigneur de Fribourg 1482–90†

Charles was only fourteen years old when he succeeded his brother. He found Piedmont in the hands of his uncle Philip, Count of Bresse, who was unwilling to relinquish the government. But the opposition of that prince was overcome, and Charles the young Duke, who was under the guardianship of Louis XI, and with his support, he was able to triumph over all his adversaries. After Louis XI's death in 1483, Savoy was at last released from the bondage in which France had held it for nearly thirty years. Charles VIII became king, and the Marquis of Saluzzo broke his allegiance to Savoy, putting himself under the protection of France. Duke Charles routed his enemy in repeated encounters, and took many of the towns and the capital itself of Saluzzo between 1486 and 1489. But Charles VIII now put forth his authority as liege sovereign of the Marquisate, and was even on the point of marching an army against Savoy, when Duke Charles, resolving to throw himself upon his justice and magnanimity, went with a suite of 1400 horses to France, met the King at Tours, and their difference was referred to arbitration. Duke Charles returned to his lands, but fell ill at Pinerolo, of poison, as some suppose, administered to him by an emissary of the Marquis of Saluzzo, and died. He was betrothed to his first cousin Louise de Savoie (†1530) in 1473. Queen Charlotte of Cyprus ceded her crowns of Cyprus, Jerusalem and Armenia to him and his successors by an agreement formulated in 1482.

His epitaph reads:

Anno Domini MCCCCLXXXX die xiii Martii, obiit Illustrissimus D, D. Carolus Dux Sabaudie & Princeps Pedemontium.

Place of birth: Carignano
Place of death: Pinerolo
Place of burial: Chiesa degli Agostini, Pinerolo

Son of Amédée IX de Savoie and Princesse Yolande de France. He married Bianca Palaiologina in 1485, and had issue.

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