Peter II, count of Savoy "the Little Charlemagne"

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_II,_Count_of_Savoy

Peter II (c. 1203 – 15 May 1268), called the Little Charlemagne, was Count of Savoy from 1263 until his death in 1268. He was also holder of the Honour of Richmond, Yorkshire, England and briefly, from 1241 until 1242, castellan of Dover Castle and Keeper of the Coast (later called Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports). In 1243 he was granted land by the Thames in London where he later built the Savoy Palace. .. ... .... .....

From Medlands:
PIERRE de Savoie (castle of Susa [1203]-Pierre Châtel [14] May 1268, bur 16 May 1268 Abbaye de Hautecombe). A charter dated 1224 records an agreement between "Thomæ com. Sabaud " and the bishop of Sion, witnessed by "ipse Thomas comes, Amedeus primogenitus illius, Comitissa uxor Thomæ, eorum quatuor filii clerici…Willelmus, Thomas, Petrus et Bonifacius"[380]. Canon at Lausanne in Nov 1226. Provost at Aosta from before 2 May 1227. Provost at Geneva Apr 1229. Coadjutor at Lausanne. "M. comitissa Sabaudie et marchisa in Ytalia et…Amedeus, Aymo, W. electus Valentinus, Thomas, Petrus, Bonifacius et Philippus filii Thome Comitis Sab. et marchionis in Ytalia" confirmed donations to Hautecombe abbey by charter dated 26 Feb 1231[381]. The first testament of "Petrus filius quondam Thome comitis Sabaudie" dated Feb 1234 (N.S.) appoints the children to be born from his marriage to "Annete filia nob. viri Ay. Dni Fuciniaci" and names "Dni Wi electi Valent. et Ay de Sabaudia fratrum"[382]. A charter dated 23 Jul 1234 records an agreement between "Amedeum comitem Sabaudie" and "Aymonem et Petrum fratres ipsius" in settlement of a dispute concerning their paternal inheritance[383]. He resigned his ecclesiastical appointments in 1236. He was seized and imprisoned in [1237] by the sons of Guillaume II Comte de Genève, for which Pierre was later compensated with the castle of Arlod and 20,000 marks of silver (reduced to 10,000 marks in 1250). The second testament of "Amedeus comes Sabaudie", dated 19 Jul 1238, repeats the nomination of "Thomam fratrem suum" as his heir, substituting "Philippum, huic autem Petrum fratres suos" if Thomas died without male heirs[384], although it is unclear why the youngest brother Philippe should have been given precedence over Pierre in this document. Matthew of Paris records that Henry III King of England, married to his niece Eléonore de Provence, gave him the honour of Richmond 20 Apr 1240, invited him to England towards the end of the same year and knighted him 5 Jan 1241[385]. On the death of his brother Aymon in 1242, he received the towns of Milden and Romont[386]. "Peter de Sabaudia" was granted the "honour of Richemund" dated 20 Apr 1240[387]. Although known popularly as Earl of Richmond, this title was never accorded him officially. King Henry III made him numerous grants between 1241 and 1249, including creating him Constable of the castles of Lewes and Rochester and Warden of the Cinque Ports, and granting him a house in London, on the site of which the Savoy Hotel was later built[388]. "The king´s uncle Peter de Sabaudia" was granted numerous manors in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire in the honour of Richmond, with the right to assign them to "any of his brothers or kinsmen", dated 6 May 1241[389]. A charter dated 1244 confirmed the peace agreement reached between the bishop of Lausanne and "Amadeus comes Sabaudie et in Italia marcho et…Petrus de Sabaudia…frater suus"[390]. "Peter de Sabaudia the king´s uncle" was granted "houses on the Thames…in the street called la Straunde" [presumably located on the site later occupied by the Savoy Hotel] dated 12 Feb 1246[391]. Matthew of Paris records in 1246 that Pierre de Savoie brought foreign girls to England as brides for English nobles, which was widely criticised in England[392]. He invaded Dauphiné in 1250, forcing the Seigneur de la Tour du Pin to become his vassal. An arbitral judgment dated 16 Feb 1254 settled a dispute between "Conte Amedeo di Savoia…Tomaso suo fratello, il Conte Bonifacio suo figlio pupillo, e Pietro di Savoia Zio di questo" under which the last-named claimed the fifth part of assets which belonged to "Conte Tomaso suo Padre, Aymone, e Guglielmo suoi fratelli, della di Lui Madre, e di di due Sorelle morte ab intestato", under which Chillon, Conthey, Saillon and lands in Chablais and Valais were awarded to Pierre[393]. The testament of "Petri de Sabaudia", dated 8 Jun 1255 at London, names "Beatrix filia sua…Eleonora Angliæ regina…Philippum electrum Lugdunensem fratrem suum, Agneti…Fuciniacensi uxori suæ", and names Henry III King of England as his executor[394]. Back in England, he at first supported the barons in their dispute with King Henry, but changed sides and reconciled the king with his son in 1260, helping to induce Henry to disregard the Provisions of Oxford in 1261. He was obliged to leave England in 1262 due to the growing hostility towards foreigners, his English lands were confiscated but later restored to him by the king[395]. He succeeded his nephew in 1263 as PIERRE II "le Petit-Charlemagne" Comte de Savoie. His great-nephew, Richard Earl of Cornwall, confirmed Comte Pierre as Imperial Vicar in Italy after his installation as King of the Romans in 1263[396]. The testament of "Beatricis relictæ Raimundi Berengarii comitis Provinciæ", dated 14 Jan 1264, confirms her previous testaments appointing "…fratrum suorum Bonifacii archiepiscopi Cantuar. et Petri comitis Sabaudiæ" as her heirs[397]. Comte Pierre campaigned against the Bishop of Sion in 1265/66, and against Rudolf I Graf von Habsburg in 1265/67. Comte Pierre increased the family's domains considerably through conquests in western Switzerland, mainly at the expense of the Comte de Genève. He also increased his authority over many local seigneuries by appointing local châtelains and baillis who reported directly to him[398]. The testament of "Conte Pietro di Savoia", dated Sep 1264, chose his burial "in abbatial S. Mauricii Agaunensi" if he died at sea or "in ecclesia Londinensi" if he died in England, appointed "filiam suam Beatricem uxorem Guigonis Dalphini" as his heir, named "neptem suam Alienoram Angliæ reginam…Philippo electo Lugdun. fratri suo…filius quondam Thomæ de Sabaudia alterius fratris sui…major natu aliorum filiorum dicti Thomæ…Agneti conjugi suæ", and appointed "Philippi elect. Lugdun. fratris sui, Soffredi de Amaysino" as his executors[399]. Under another testament dated 7 May 1268, "Petrus comes Sabaudia" chose burial "in Alta Comba", appointed "filiam nostrum B. Dalphinam de Vienneisio" as his heir, granted bequests to "nepotibus nostris filiis Dom. Thome de Sabaudie…fratres nostri…domine nostre Alienore Regine Anglie…comitatum Richemundensem…in comitatu…Sabaudie…fratrem nostrum Philippum de Sabaudia comitem Burgundie…uxori nostre Agneti domine Fucigniaci…domine Margarete comitisse de Quiburgo…sorori nostre…B. filiam Amedei comitis…fratris nostri quondam…" as well as numerous bequests to religious institutions[400]. Under a codicil to his testament dated 14 May 1268, "Petrus comes Sabaudia" dated 7 May 1268 appointed "fratri nostro Philippo de Sabaudia comiti Burgundie…[et] filiam nostrum B. Dalphinam de Vienneisio" as his heirs, and named "comitis Foren. et Dni de Turre et Dni de Jez" as his fief-holders[401].

m (Betrothed Feb 1234, after 25 Jun 1236) AGNES de Faucigny, daughter and heiress of AYMON [II] Seigneur de Faucigny & his first wife Béatrix de Bourgogne[-Comte] (-11 Aug 1268, bur Faucigny, Abbaye de Contamine). The testament of "Aymo dominus Fuciniaci" is dated Feb 1234, appoints "Agnetem filiam suam", betrothed to "Petro de Sabaudia filio condam Thome Comit. Sabaud.", as his heir in default of male heirs, and reserves the dowry of "alterius filiarum suarum Beatricis"[402]. She succeeded her father in 1253 as Dame de Faucigny. The testament of "Petri de Sabaudia", dated 8 Jun 1255 at London, names "Beatrix filia sua…Eleonora Angliæ regina…Philippum electrum Lugdunensem fratrem suum, Agneti…Fuciniacensi uxori suæ", and names Henry III King of England as his executor[403]. The testament of "Agnetis dominæ Fuciniaci" dated 17 Oct 1262 appoints "Petrum de Sabaudia maritum suum…et Beatricem filiam suam uxorem Guigonis Dalphini Viennensis" as her heirs[404]. A second testament of "Agnetis dominæ Fuciniaci conjugis Petri de Sabaudia" dated 16 Nov 1262 elects her burial "in ecclesia Contaminæ", and appoints "Beatricem filiam suam uxorem Guigonis Dalphini, Vienn. et Albon. comitis" as her heir in one third of her property and her husband as heir in the other two thirds[405]. The testament of "Beatricis relictæ Raimundi Berengarii comitis Provinciæ", dated 14 Jan 1264, adds bequests to "…Agneti comitissæ Sabaudiæ dominiæ Fuciniaci…"[406]. The testament of "Conte Pietro di Savoia", dated Sep 1264, named "…Agneti conjugi suæ"[407]. Under another testament dated 7 May 1268, "Petrus comes Sabaudia" granted bequests to "…uxori nostre Agneti domine Fucigniaci…"[408]. The testament of "Agnetis dominæ Fuciniaci", dated 9 Aug 1268, appointed "Beatricem comitissam Viennensem et Albonensem filiam suam" as her heir, chose her burial "in ecclesia Contaminæ in Fuciniaco", and made bequests to "dominæ Beatrici dominæ de Thoria et Villario sorori suæ et filiis suis…Simoni de Joinville dom. de Jaiz fratri suo"[409].

Comte Pierre & his wife had one child:  

• a) BEATRIX de Savoie

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