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Birth:          20 Mar 1177 Aiguebelle, Savoy
Death:          1 Mar 1233 Aoste, Isere, France
Burial:         St. Michael de la Cluse, Aoste, Italy

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas,_Count_of_Savoy
Thomas (Tommaso I; 1178 – 1 March 1233) was Count of Savoy from 1189 to 1233. He 
is sometimes numbered "Thomas I" to distinguish him from his son of the same name, 
who governed Savoy but was not count.

Thomas was born in Aiguebelle, the son of Humbert III of Savoy and Beatrice of 
Viennois. His birth was seen as miraculous; his monkish father had despaired of 
having a male heir after three wives. Count Humbert sought counsel from St. Anthelm, 
who blessed Humbert three times, and it was seen as a prophecy come true when 
Thomas was born shortly before Anthelm himself died on 26 June 1178. He was named 
in honour of Saint Thomas Becket.

Thomas was still a minor when his father died on 4 March 1189, and a council of 
regency was established, composed of his mother Beatrice, his father's cousin 
Boniface I of Montferrat, and the Bishop of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. He had reached 
his majority by August 1191. Thomas possessed the martial abilities, energy, and 
brilliance that his father lacked, and Savoy enjoyed a golden age under his 
leadership. Despite his youth he began the push northwest into new territories. In the 
same year he granted Aosta Valley the "Charte des Franchises", recognising the right 
to administrative and political autonomy. This right was maintained until the eve of the 
French Revolution. Later he conquered Vaud, Bugey, and Carignano. He supported 
the Hohenstaufens, and was known as "Thomas the Ghibelline" because of his career 
as Imperial Vicar of Lombardy.
Career[edit]

Thomas worked throughout his career to expand the control and influence of the 
County of Savoy. One of the key tools that he used was his large number of children, 
who he worked to get into positions of influence in neighboring regions. In part, this 
was done by getting many of his sons into episcopal offices in surrounding territories, 
in a time when bishops had temporal as well as spiritual authority.[1] In addition to 
Guglielmo and Bonifacio, who made their careers in the clergy, their brother Thomas 
started out as a canon at Lausanne and became prévôt of Valence by 1226.[2] Pietro 
was also a canon at Lausanne and served as acting bishop there until he was 
replaced in 1231.[3] In 1219 he worked to get his daughter Beatrice married to the 
fourteen-year-old Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence. This established a close 
relationship between the two adjoining counties which would help cement Savoy 
control over trade between Italy and France.[4]

Thomas also fought many battles to expand his control. In 1215, his troops fought in 
an alliance with Milan against Monferrato, destroying the town of Casale.[5] In 1222, 
he captured Cavour.[6]

Thomas also worked through diplomatic and economic means to expand his control. 
The county of Savoy long enjoyed control over critical passes through the Alps. In his 
quest to gain more control over Turin, Thomas made an agreement with their rival Asti 
to reroute their French trade around Turin through Savoyard lands in a treaty on 15 
September 1224. In 1226, Emperor Frederick II came to northern Italy and named 
Thomas Imperial Vicar of Lombardy. In this role, he mediated in a Genoese rebellion 
and a dispute between the town of Marseille and their bishop.[7] Thomas also made a 
policy of granting franchises and charters to towns on key trade routes which enabled 
the merchant class to develop more wealth and built support for his rule.[8]

Thomas died at Moncalieri, Savoy.

Family and children[edit]

In 1195 he ambushed the party of Count William I of Geneva, which was escorting the 
count's daughter, Margaret of Geneva, to France for her intended wedding to King 
Philip II of France. Thomas carried off Marguerite and married her himself, producing 
some eight sons and six daughters.
1.Amedeo, his immediate successor
2.Umberto, d. between March and November 1223
3.Tommaso, lord and then count in Piedmont and founder of a line that became the 
Savoy-Achaea
4.Aimone, d. 30 August 1237, Lord of Chablais
5.Guglielmo (William of Savoy), Bishop of Valence and Dean of Vienne
6.Amadeo of Savoy, Bishop of Maurienne
7.Pietro, who resided much in England, became Earl of Richmond, and ultimately in 
1263 became the disputed count of Savoy
8.Filippo, archbishop of Lyon, who resigned, through marriage became Count Palatine 
of Burgundy and ultimately in 1268 became the disputed count of Savoy
9.Bonifacio who became archbishop of Canterbury
10.Beatrice of Savoy, d. 1265 or 1266, married in December 1219 to Ramon 
Berenguer IV, Count of Provence (1209-1245) and was mother of four Queens-consort
11.Alasia (Alice) of Savoy (1209-1277), abbess of the monastery of St Pierre in Lyon 
(1250-1277) Information found on the French Wikipedia website. 
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_de_Savoie
12.Ágatha of Savoy, abbess of the monastery of St Pierre in Lyon (1277) following her 
sister's death (d. ?)
13.Margherita of Savoy, d. 1273, married in 1218 to Hartmann IV of Kyburg
14.Avita of Savoy (1215-92) who married Baldwin de Redvers, 7th Earl of Devon and 
Robert Aguillon (d.1286).

He had illegitimate children too:
Aymon, who was Count of Larches, married Beatrice of Grisel
Thomas, "the big", who was count of Lioches
Giulio

Parents
____ Humbert (Umberto) III "The Saint" (4 Aug 1136 - 4 Mar 1189)
DE MACON (DE VIENNE) Beatrice (Beatrix) (ABT 1161 - 8 Apr 1230)

Siblings
____ Thomas I (20 Mar 1177 - 1 Mar 1233)

Marriage To DE GENEVA AND FAUCIGNY Margaret (Marguerite) (Beatrix ) (Nicole) (ABT 1175 - 8 Apr 1257)
    m. 1196 

Notes

Parents
____ William (Guillaume) I (1130 - 25 Jul 1195)
DE FAUCIGNY Beatrice (Beatrix) (ABT 1138 - )

Children by DE GENEVA AND FAUCIGNY Margaret (Marguerite) (Beatrix ) (Nicole) ABT 1175 - 8 Apr 1257
____ Amadeo IV (ABT 1197 - 24 Jun 1253)
DE SAVOY Beatrice (ABT 1198 - Dec 1266)

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