Antipope Felix V
Encyclopedia
Amadeus VIII was the son of Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy
and Bonne of Berry
. He was surnamed the Peaceful and was the Count of Savoy
from 1391 to 1416 and was elevated by Emperor Sigismund
to the Duke of Savoy in 1416. Amadeus was also the antipope
Felix V, elected by the Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence
, from November 1439 to April 1449.
After the death of his father in 1391, his mother acted as a regent, because of his youth.
In 1418 his distant cousin Louis of Savoy-Achaea, his brother-in-law, the last male of the elder branch of House of Savoy
, died, leaving Amadeus as his heir-general, thus finally uniting the male-lines of the House of Savoy.
He increased his dominions, encouraged several attempts to negotiate an end to the Hundred Years' War
, and, after the death of his wife, retired from his position as Duke to become a hermit
. Elected by the Council of Basel as an alternative Pope in opposition to Pope Eugene IV
, Amadeus served as Felix V, regarded as an antipope, before stepping down to accept a Cardinal's hat.
Amadeus' image in history is marred by the account of him as a pontiff concerned with money, to avoid disadvantaging his heirs, found in the Commentaries of Pius II. Nor is there evidence that he intrigued to obtain the papal office, sending the bishops of Savoy to Basel for this purpose.
(Note on numbering: When numbering of the Popes began to be used, Antipope Felix II
was counted as one of the Popes of that name. The second true Pope Felix
is thus known by the number III, and the third true Pope Felix was given the number IV. It also affected the name taken by Amadeus, who would have been the fourth Pope Felix.)
, Duke of Burgundy
and granddaughter of John II of France
and had nine children:
Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy
Amadeus VII , surnamed the Red Count, was Count of Savoy from 1383 to 1391.He married Bonne of Berry, daughter of John, Duke of Berry who was the younger brother of Charles V of France. They had three children: Amedeo VIII;Bonne Amadeus VII (1360, Avigliana, Piedmont – November 1, 1391),...
and Bonne of Berry
Bonne of Berry
Bonne of Berry was the daughter of John, Duke of Berry and Joanna of Armagnac. Through her father, she was a granddaughter of John II of France.-First marriage:...
. He was surnamed the Peaceful and was the Count of Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
from 1391 to 1416 and was elevated by Emperor Sigismund
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
to the Duke of Savoy in 1416. Amadeus was also the antipope
Antipope
An antipope is a person who opposes a legitimately elected or sitting Pope and makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were typically those supported by a...
Felix V, elected by the Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence
Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1431 in Basel, Switzerland, and became known as the Council of Ferrara after its transfer to Ferrara was decreed by Pope Eugene IV, to convene in 1438...
, from November 1439 to April 1449.
After the death of his father in 1391, his mother acted as a regent, because of his youth.
In 1418 his distant cousin Louis of Savoy-Achaea, his brother-in-law, the last male of the elder branch of House 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...
, died, leaving Amadeus as his heir-general, thus finally uniting the male-lines of the House of Savoy.
He increased his dominions, encouraged several attempts to negotiate an end to the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, and, after the death of his wife, retired from his position as Duke to become a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
. Elected by the Council of Basel as an alternative Pope in opposition to Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV , born Gabriele Condulmer, was pope from March 3, 1431, to his death.-Biography:He was born in Venice to a rich merchant family, a Correr on his mother's side. Condulmer entered the Order of Saint Augustine at the monastery of St. George in his native city...
, Amadeus served as Felix V, regarded as an antipope, before stepping down to accept a Cardinal's hat.
Amadeus' image in history is marred by the account of him as a pontiff concerned with money, to avoid disadvantaging his heirs, found in the Commentaries of Pius II. Nor is there evidence that he intrigued to obtain the papal office, sending the bishops of Savoy to Basel for this purpose.
(Note on numbering: When numbering of the Popes began to be used, Antipope Felix II
Antipope Felix II
Antipope Felix II was installed as Pope in 355 after the Emperor Constantius II banished the reigning Pope, Liberius, for refusing to subscribe the sentence of condemnation against Saint Athanasius. In May 357 the Roman laity, which had remained faithful to Liberius, demanded that Constantius, who...
was counted as one of the Popes of that name. The second true Pope Felix
Pope Felix III
Pope Saint Felix III was pope from March 13, 483 to january 3, 492. His repudiation of the Henoticon is considered the beginning of the Acacian schism.-Biography:...
is thus known by the number III, and the third true Pope Felix was given the number IV. It also affected the name taken by Amadeus, who would have been the fourth Pope Felix.)
Family and children
He married Mary of Burgundy (1380–1422), daughter of Philip the BoldPhilip the Bold
Philip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
, Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
and granddaughter of John II of France
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
and had nine children:
- Margaret of Savoy (1405–1418)
- Anthony of Savoy (1407)
- Anthony of Savoy (1408)
- Margaret of Savoy (1410–1479) married to:
- Louis IIILouis III of NaplesLouis III was titular King of Naples 1417–1426, Count of Provence, Forcalquier, Piedmont, and Maine and Duke of Anjou 1417–1434, and Duke of Calabria 1426–1434....
, titular king of NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
; - Louis IV, Count Palatine of the RhineLouis IV, Count Palatine of the RhineLouis IV, Count Palatine of the Rhine was an Elector Palatine of the Rhine from the House of Wittelsbach in 1436 - 1449....
; - Ulrich V, Count of WürttembergUlrich V, Count of WurttembergUlrich V of Württemberg called "der Vielgeliebte" , Count of Württemberg. He was the younger son of Count Eberhard IV and Henriette of Mömpelgard.-Life:...
.
- Louis III
- Marie of Savoy (1411-1469)Marie of Savoy (1411-1469)Marie of Savoy was a daughter of Count Amadeus VIII of Savoy and Mary of Burgundy. She married Filippo Maria Visconti, the Duke of Milan in 1428. They had no issue....
, married Filippo Maria ViscontiFilippo Maria ViscontiFilippo Maria Visconti was ruler of Milan from 1412 to 1447.-Biography:Filippo Maria Visconti, who had become nominal ruler of Pavia in 1402, succeeded his assassinated brother Gian Maria Visconti as Duke of Milan in 1412. They were the sons of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Gian Maria's predecessor, by...
, duke of Milan. - Amadeus of Savoy, Prince of Piemonte (1412–1431)
- Louis of Savoy (1413–1465), his successor
- Bonne of Savoy (1415–1430)
- Philip of Savoy, Count of Genève (1417–1444), unmarried