Umberto III, Count of Savoy

Coats of Arms of the early Counts of Savoy

Umberto III (1135, Avigliana, Piedmont – 1189), surnamed the Blessed, was Count of Savoy from 1148 to 1189. His parents were Amadeus III of Savoy and Mahaut (or Mafalda, or Matilda) of Albon, the sister of Guy IV of Dauphinois. His memorial day is March 4.

According to Cope

Umberto III, who reigned from 1149 to 1189...was a man of irresolute spirit who was disconsolate at being born a prince and preferred the seclusion of a monastery. He only renounced his chosen state of celibacy so as to give his land an heir.

His first wife died young; his second marriage ended in divorce. Umberto gave up and became a Carthusian monk. However, the nobles and common people of Savoy begged him to marry yet again, which he reluctantly did. This third wife gave him two more daughters, and Umberto attempted to return to the monastic life yet again. Finally he was prevailed upon to marry for a fourth time, and this wife, Beatrice, produced the son who would ultimately succeed him.

In 1188 he founded the Monastery of Sant'Antonio di Ranverso.

Family

Umberto married four times:

• Faidiva of Toulouse (Italian) (d. abt 1154) daughter of Alphonse I of Toulouse

• Gertrude of Flanders (m. abt 1155), whom he divorced and confined. She was freed thanks to Robert, bishop of Cambrai and returned to the court of her brother, Philip of Flanders

• Clementia of Zähringen (married 1164), daughter of Conrad I of Zähringen. They had 2 daughters:
  • Sofia, (1165–1202), married Azzo VI of Este
  • Alicia, (1166–1178), betrothed to John of England

• Beatrice of Viennois and had 1 son:
  • Tommaso (born 1178)

External links

• Umberto at Patron Saints Index
• Medieval Lands Project on Umberto III of Savoy

References

Umberto III the Blessed House of Savoy Born: 1135 Died: 1189
Regnal titles
Preceded by Amadeus III	Count of Savoy 1148–1189	Succeeded by Thomas I