- Humbert III of Savoy
Humbert III (1135–1189), surnamed the Blessed, was Count of
Savoy from 1148 to 1189. His parents wereAmadeus III of Savoy and Mahaut (or Mafalda, or Matilda) of Albon, the sister of Guy IV of Dauphinois. His memorial day isMarch 4 .According to Cope [Cope, Christopher.
"The Lost Kingdom of Burgundy"] , "Humbert 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. Humbert 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 Humbert 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.
He married four times
* Faidiva (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 toRobert, bishop of Cambrai and returned to the court of her brother, Philip of Flanders* Clemenza of
Zähringen (married 1164), daughter ofConrad I of Zähringen . They had 2 daughters:
** Sofia, (1165-1202), marriedAzzo IV of Este
** Alicia, (1166-1178), betrothed toJohn of England * Beatrice of
Viennois and had 1 son:
** Tommaso (born 1178)External links
* [http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainth30.htm Humbert at "Patron Saints Index"]
* [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SAVOY.htm#HumbertIIIdied1189 FMG on Humbert III of Savoy]References
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