Guillaume de Savoie

From Medlands:

GUILLAUME de Savoie ([1201]-poisoned Viterbo 1 Nov 1239, bur 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"[367]. Elected Bishop of Valence 1224. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines records that "alter filiorum eius [comitis Thome de Sabaudia] Guilelmus" was elected bishop of Valence[368]. "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[369]. He was named in the Feb 1233 testament of his brother Pierre[370]. The Annals of Dunstable record that “electus Valenciæ, avunculus reginæ nostræ” arrived in England in 1237 and was made the king´s principle adviser (“consiliarius regis principalis”) and granted the honor of Richmond[371]. Matthew of Paris records that he was adviser to Henry III King of England but left the country after quarrelling with the barons, but was permitted to return by the king[372], which represents the earliest reference in this source to the problems caused by relations of Queen Eléonore. The king proposed his election as Bishop of Winchester in 1238, but the church council elected Ralph Neville, whose election was quashed by the Pope after intervention by the king[373]. He was elected Bishop of Liège in 1238. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines records the election “in crastino sancti Iohannis” in 1238 of the new bishop of Liège, where “primicerius Metensis Iacobus...prepositus Leodiensis et frater ducis de Nanceio” supported the candidacy of “preposito Ottoni Aquensi”, while “archdyaconus...Galtherus frater comitis de Retest” supported “fratri comitis Flandrie...electo Valentie Guillelmo”. The same source records that “ille de Traiecto vel de Aquis” was elected first by “Conradum Coloniensem electum et per Conradum filium imperatoris et per ipsum imperatorem”, while “electus Valencie” was visiting Cremona where he also received “regalia sua ab imperatore”. Both candidates then went to Rome where the Pope annulled the election of “pontifex Traiectensem Ottonem” and confirmed “electum Valentie Guillelmum” as bishop of Liège[374]. Matthew Paris records the death "die omnium Sanctorum…venenatus Viterbii" in 1239 of "Guillelmus de Sabaudia electus Valentinus"[375]. The Chronicle of Hautecombe records the death in 1239 of "dominus Guillermus de Sabaudia electus Valencie" and his burial "III Non Mai" (presumably in 1240)[376]. The Aegidii Aurævallensis Gesta Episcoporum Leodiensium records the death “in partibus Transalpinis” in Oct 1239 of Bishop Guillaume and his burial “in civitate Florentia”[377]. The testament of "Philippi de Sabaudia electi Lugdunensis", dated 26 May 1256, names "Petrus de Sabaudia frater et Beatrix comitissa Provinciæ" as his heirs, chooses burial at Hautecombe, and founds an anniversary at Valence for the soul of "defuncti fratris sui Willelmi, electi illius ecclesiæ"[378].