Vittorio Amedeo I., Duke of Savoy
(
Italian:
Vittorio Amedeo I di Savoia, 8 May 1587 – 7 October 1637) was the Duke of Savoy from 1630 to 1637. He was also titular
King of Cyprus and
Jerusalem. He was also known as the
Lion of Susa.
Biography
He was born in
Turin to
Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy and
Catherine Micaela of Spain. He spent much of his childhood at the Spanish court in
Madrid. When his brother prince Filippo Emanuele died, he became legitimate heir to the duchy and received the loyalty swore of the court at
Racconigi on
21 January 1607.
After a crisis with relationships with Spain, he was married to
Henry IV of France's daughter
Christine Marie.
Coat of Arms of the Dukes of Savoy after Victor Amadeus I.
Victor Amadeus became Duke of Savoy after his father's death in 1630. Charles Emmanuel's policies had brought a great instability in the relationships with both France and Spain, and troops were needed to defend the Duchy. As money was lacking to recruit mercenaries or train indigenous soldiers, Victor Amadeus signed a peace treaty with Spain. With the
Treaty of Cherasco, Savoy was given back
Pinerolo, although, according to a secret point of the agreement, that important stronghold was to remain with France in exchange for
Geneve.
Subsequently, under the direction of
Cardinal Richelieu, Victor Amadeus attempted to create an anti-Spanish league in
Italy. He achieved two victories against the Spanish: In 1636 in the
Battle of Tornavento and on September 8 1637 in the
battle of Mombaldone.
On
25 September of that year, Victor Amadeus fell ill after a dinner offered by the
Duke of Créqui. Carried to Turin, he died here on
7 October.
Ancestors
Marriage and issue
He married
Christine Marie of France (1606-1663), Regent of the Duchy from 1637 to 1663 and a daughter of
Henry IV of France and
Marie de' Medici. They had children including:
- Prince Louis Amadeus of Savoy (Turin, 1622 - Turin, 1628)
- Princess Catherine Beatrice of Savoy (Turin, 6 November 1636 - Turin, 26 August 1637) twin of the above
