Life and Reign

Thomas I was the fourth marquess of Saluzzo from 1244 to his death. He succeeded his father Manfred III

Manfred III of Saluzzo

Manfred III was the third marquess of Saluzzo, from 1215 to his death. He was the son of Boniface of Saluzzo and Maria di Torres of Sassari . Since his father died in 1212, he succeeded his grandfather Manfred II as marquess on the latter's death in 1215. His paternal grandmother Azalaïs or...

. Under the reign of Thomas, Saluzzo blossomed, achieving a greatness which had eluded his ancestors. He crafted a state the borders of which remained unchanged for over two centuries. He extended the march to include Carmagnola

Carmagnola

Carmagnola is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located 29 km south of Turin. As of July 11, 2007, it had a population of 27,043 and an area of 96.4 km²....

. He was often at odds with Asti

Asti

Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...

 and he was a prime enemy of the Charles of Anjou and his Italian pretentions. During his tenure, he made Saluzzo a free city, giving it a podestà

Podestà

Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...

 to govern in his name. He defended his castles and roccaforti (strongholds) vigorously and built many new ones in the cities.

He married Luisa of Ceva.

He was succeeded by his son Manfred

Manfred IV of Saluzzo

Manfred IV was the fifth marquess of Saluzzo from 1296, the son and successor of Thomas I.Manfred forced the commune of Saluzzo to sign a contract regulating the relations between the city, its podestà, and the marquess.Manfred also continued his father's extension of the margravial territory,...

. Thomas also had a daughter, Alice of Saluzzo

Alice of Saluzzo

Alice of Saluzzo, Countess of Arundel , also known as Alesia di Saluzzo, was an Italian-born noblewoman and an English countess. She was a daughter of Thomas I of Saluzzo, and the wife of Sir Richard Fitzalan, 8th Earl of Arundel. Alice was one of the first Italian women to marry into an English...

, who married Richard Fitzalan, 8th Earl of Arundel

Richard FitzAlan, 8th Earl of Arundel

Richard FitzAlan, 8th Earl of Arundel was an English Norman medieval nobleman.- Lineage :...

.