Charles II, Duke of Savoy
Encyclopedia
Charles II or Charles John Amadeus (Carlo Giovanni Amedeo in Italian
) (23 June 1489, Turin
, Piedmont
– 16 April 1496), was the Duke of Savoy from 1490 to 1496 but his mother Blanche of Montferrat
(1472-1519) was the actual ruler as a Regent. In 1485 his father Charles I
had received the hereditary rights to the Kingdoms of Jerusalem, Cyprus and Armenia
, which were inherited by young Charles.
During his reign, Charles VIII of France
invaded Savoy
, Piedmont
, and Italy and conquered Naples; and the House of Savoy established its residence in Turin
, which hold that place until the unification of Italy.
Born in Turin
, Duke Charles died in Moncalieri
at about seven, falling by his bed. His duchy was therefore inherited by his granduncle Philip II
(reigned 1496-1497), the male heir of the Savoy line
. Charles's heir-general was his underage sister Violante Ludovica, who was married to Philip's eldest son Philibert the Handsome. Violante however died in 1499, 12 years old and childless, leaving the 18-year-old Philibert (who had succeeded his elderly father as Duke in 1497) a widower. Charles's and Violanta's next heir general was their first cousin Princess Charlotte of Naples
(1479-1506), daughter of their aunt Anna of Savoy. The next year, Charlotte married Nicolas Guy de Montfort, Count of Laval (Guy XV). Their female descendants claimed the Kingdom of Jerusalem, although de jure their claims to the Kingdom of Cyprus
, Jerusalem
and Armenia
(as well as the rights to the main line of House of Valois) belong to the line of the heir general, not to the line of Philip of Savoy
.
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
) (23 June 1489, Turin
Turin
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...
, Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
– 16 April 1496), was the Duke of Savoy from 1490 to 1496 but his mother Blanche of Montferrat
Blanche of Montferrat
Blanche of Montferrat or Bianca di Montferrato , was the Duchess of Savoy and titular Queen consort of Cyprus, Jerusalem, and Armenia as the wife of Charles I of Savoy...
(1472-1519) was the actual ruler as a Regent. In 1485 his father Charles I
Charles I of Savoy
Charles I , surnamed the Warrior, was the Duke of Savoy from 1482 to 1490 and titular king of Cyprus, Jerusalem, and Armenia from 1485 to 1490....
had received the hereditary rights to the Kingdoms of Jerusalem, Cyprus and Armenia
Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489. It was ruled by the French House of Lusignan.-History:...
, which were inherited by young Charles.
During his reign, Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
invaded 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....
, Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, and Italy and conquered Naples; and the House of Savoy established its residence in Turin
Turin
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...
, which hold that place until the unification of Italy.
Born in Turin
Turin
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...
, Duke Charles died in Moncalieri
Moncalieri
Moncalieri is a town and comune of approximately 58,000 inhabitants about eight kilometers directly south of downtown Turin , in Piedmont, Italy. It is notable for its castle, built in the 12th century and enlarged in the 15th century, which later became the favorite residence of Maria Clotilde...
at about seven, falling by his bed. His duchy was therefore inherited by his granduncle Philip II
Philip II, Duke of Savoy
Philip II , surnamed the Landless was the Duke of Savoy for the brief reign from 1496 to 1497.-Biography:...
(reigned 1496-1497), the male heir of the Savoy line
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...
. Charles's heir-general was his underage sister Violante Ludovica, who was married to Philip's eldest son Philibert the Handsome. Violante however died in 1499, 12 years old and childless, leaving the 18-year-old Philibert (who had succeeded his elderly father as Duke in 1497) a widower. Charles's and Violanta's next heir general was their first cousin Princess Charlotte of Naples
Charlotte of Naples
Charlotte of Naples , also known as Charlotte of Aragon and Princess of Taranto, was the eldest daughter and eventual heiress of Federigo IV, King of Naples...
(1479-1506), daughter of their aunt Anna of Savoy. The next year, Charlotte married Nicolas Guy de Montfort, Count of Laval (Guy XV). Their female descendants claimed the Kingdom of Jerusalem, although de jure their claims to the Kingdom of Cyprus
Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489. It was ruled by the French House of Lusignan.-History:...
, Jerusalem
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
and Armenia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
(as well as the rights to the main line of House of Valois) belong to the line of the heir general, not to the line of Philip of Savoy
Philip of Savoy
Philip I, known as Philip of Savoy was the lord of Piedmont from 1282 until his death and prince of Achaea between 1301 and 1307. He was the son of Thomas III of Piedmont and Guyonne de Châlon....
.