Anna Canalis di Cumiana
Encyclopedia
Anna Carlotta Teresa Canalis di Cumiana (23 April 1680 – 13 April 1769) was the morganantic spouse of Victor Amadeus II, King of Sardinia. She was created Marchioness of Spigno.
in 1680, she was a daughter of Francesco Maurizio Canalis, Count of Cumania and his wife Monica Francesca San Martino d'Agliè. Receiving an education as a nun
at the Convent of the Visitation in Turin, she was introduced to the ducal court of Savoy
in 1695. She was made a lady-in-waiting
to Marie Jeanne of Savoy, mother of the ruling Victor Amadeus II. She was styled as Mademoiselle de Cumania.
She was married on 21 April 1703 to Ignazio Francesco Novarina, the Count of San Sebastiano by whom she had seven children. The marriage was organised by Marie Jeanne under whose household she was part of and who had noticed her sons wondering eye looking in the direction of the beautiful and unmarried Anna.
The couple's first child is widely believed to have been fathered by Victor Amadeus but San Sebastiano accepted paternity. Victor Amadeus and Anna were in correspondence and quickly became a confident in place of his adoring wife Anne Marie. Leaving the court in 1723 with her husband who had had a good career, she was quickly left a widow at her husband's death on 25 September 1724. Left with limited means, Victor Amadeus called her back to court where she was made a lady in waiting to Polyxena, Princess of Piedmont, wife of Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont and heir apparent
of Victor Amadeus II. She was later created the Lady of the Bedchamber
to Polyxena.
. Still attractive in her forties, Victor Amadeus had long been in love with her and as a wedding gift, created her Marchioness of Spigno
. The title was a fiefdom
of the Holy Roman Empire
which had been acquired through the spoils of the War of the Spanish Succession
and the land of Spigno had previously been owned by an illegitimate brother of Victor Amadeus.
The couple made their marriage public on 3 September 1730 much to the dismay of the court. A month later, Victor Amadeus announced his wish to abdicate the throne and did so in a ceremony at the Castle of Rivoli
on the day of his marriage. His son succeeded him as Charles Emmanuel III.
Taking the style of King Victor Amadeus, he and Anna moved into the château de Chambéry
outside the capital. The couple took a small retinue of servants and Victor Amadeus was kept informed of matters of state. Under the influence of Anna, in 1731 having suffered a stroke
, Victor Amadeus decided he wanted to resume his tenure on the throne and informed his son of his decision. Arrested by his son, he was transported to the Castle of Moncalieri
and Anna was taken to a house for reformed prostitutes at the Castle of Ceva
but was later allowed to return to the Castle of Rivoli
where her husband was moved. She was returned to him on 12 April. The stroke seemed to have affected Victor Amadeus in a way which caused him to later turn violent to his wife blaming her for his misfortunes.
King Victor Amadeus died in September 1732 and was imprisoned in the Convent of San Giuseppe di Carignano. She later moved to the Convent of the Visitation in Pinerolo
where she died aged 88. Her son, a member of the court later left in disgrace and succeeded to the Marquisate of Spigno. She was buried at Pinerolo in a grave without a headstone.
Lady of the court
Born at the Palazzo Canalis, TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
in 1680, she was a daughter of Francesco Maurizio Canalis, Count of Cumania and his wife Monica Francesca San Martino d'Agliè. Receiving an education as a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
at the Convent of the Visitation in Turin, she was introduced to the ducal court of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
in 1695. She was made a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Marie Jeanne of Savoy, mother of the ruling Victor Amadeus II. She was styled as Mademoiselle de Cumania.
She was married on 21 April 1703 to Ignazio Francesco Novarina, the Count of San Sebastiano by whom she had seven children. The marriage was organised by Marie Jeanne under whose household she was part of and who had noticed her sons wondering eye looking in the direction of the beautiful and unmarried Anna.
The couple's first child is widely believed to have been fathered by Victor Amadeus but San Sebastiano accepted paternity. Victor Amadeus and Anna were in correspondence and quickly became a confident in place of his adoring wife Anne Marie. Leaving the court in 1723 with her husband who had had a good career, she was quickly left a widow at her husband's death on 25 September 1724. Left with limited means, Victor Amadeus called her back to court where she was made a lady in waiting to Polyxena, Princess of Piedmont, wife of Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont and heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
of Victor Amadeus II. She was later created the Lady of the Bedchamber
Lady of the Bedchamber
This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...
to Polyxena.
Marriage to King Victor Amadeus
In August 1728 Victor Amadeus's consort Anne Marie d'Orléans died after a series of heart attacks. Two years later he married Anna in a private ceremony on 12 August 1730 in the Royal Chapel in Turin having obtained permission from Pope Clement XIIPope Clement XII
Pope Clement XII , born Lorenzo Corsini, was Pope from 12 July 1730 to 6 February 1740.Born in Florence, the son of Bartolomeo Corsini, Marquis of Casigliano and his wife Isabella Strozzi, sister of the Duke of Bagnuolo, Corsini had been an aristocratic lawyer and financial manager under preceding...
. Still attractive in her forties, Victor Amadeus had long been in love with her and as a wedding gift, created her Marchioness of Spigno
Spigno Monferrato
Spigno Monferrato is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 80 km southeast of Turin and about 45 km southwest of Alessandria.-History:...
. The title was a fiefdom
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
which had been acquired through the spoils of the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
and the land of Spigno had previously been owned by an illegitimate brother of Victor Amadeus.
The couple made their marriage public on 3 September 1730 much to the dismay of the court. A month later, Victor Amadeus announced his wish to abdicate the throne and did so in a ceremony at the Castle of Rivoli
Castle of Rivoli
thumb|300px|The unifinished façade by [[Filippo Juvarra]].thumb|300px|Remains of the connection between Juvarra's section and the Manica Lunga.The Castle of Rivoli is a former Residence of the Royal House of Savoy in Rivoli...
on the day of his marriage. His son succeeded him as Charles Emmanuel III.
Taking the style of King Victor Amadeus, he and Anna moved into the château de Chambéry
Chambéry
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
outside the capital. The couple took a small retinue of servants and Victor Amadeus was kept informed of matters of state. Under the influence of Anna, in 1731 having suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, Victor Amadeus decided he wanted to resume his tenure on the throne and informed his son of his decision. Arrested by his son, he was transported to the Castle of Moncalieri
Castle of Moncalieri
The Castle of Moncalieri is a palace in Moncalieri , Piedmont, in northern Italy. It is one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1997.-History:...
and Anna was taken to a house for reformed prostitutes at the Castle of Ceva
Ceva
Ceva, the ancient Ceba, is a small Italian town in the province of Cuneo, region of Piedmont, 49 km east of Cuneo. It lies on the right bank of the Tanaro on a wedge of land between that river and the Cevetta stream.-History:...
but was later allowed to return to the Castle of Rivoli
Castle of Rivoli
thumb|300px|The unifinished façade by [[Filippo Juvarra]].thumb|300px|Remains of the connection between Juvarra's section and the Manica Lunga.The Castle of Rivoli is a former Residence of the Royal House of Savoy in Rivoli...
where her husband was moved. She was returned to him on 12 April. The stroke seemed to have affected Victor Amadeus in a way which caused him to later turn violent to his wife blaming her for his misfortunes.
King Victor Amadeus died in September 1732 and was imprisoned in the Convent of San Giuseppe di Carignano. She later moved to the Convent of the Visitation in Pinerolo
Pinerolo
Pinerolo is a town and comune in north-western Italy, 40 kilometres southwest of Turin on the river Chisone.-History:In the Middle Ages, the town of Pinerolo was one of the main crossroads in Italy, and was therefore one of the principal fortresses of the dukes of Savoy. Its military importance...
where she died aged 88. Her son, a member of the court later left in disgrace and succeeded to the Marquisate of Spigno. She was buried at Pinerolo in a grave without a headstone.
Issue
- Paola Novarina (b.1708)
- Paolo Federico Novarina (b.1710)
- Carlo Novarina (1711)
- Giacinta Novarina (b.1712)
- Clara Novarina (b.1714)
- Pietro Novarina, Marquis of Spigno (b.1715) married Adeleaide Cisa di Grésy and had issue;
- Luigi Novarina (b.1718) married Matilde Scarampi del Camino;
- Biagio Novarina (b.1722)
Sources
- The Gentleman's and London magazine: or monthly chronologer, 1741-1794, J. Exshaw., 1741
- Symcox, Geoffrey: Victor Amadeus II: absolutism in the Savoyard State, 1675-1730, University of California Press, 1983, ISBN 9780520049741
- Vitelleschi, Marchese: The romance of Savoy, Victor Amadeus II. and his Stuart bride Volume II, Harvard College Library, New York, 1905