Philip I of Piedmont

Coat of arms of the principality of Achaea.

Coat of arms of the lordship and principality of Piedmont.

Philip I, known as Philip of Savoy (French: Philippe de Savoie, Italian: Filippo di Savoia-Acaia) (1278 – September 25, 1334) 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.

Philip's first marriage was celebrated in Rome on February 12, 1301 to Isabella of Villehardouin, Princess of Achaea.^[1] By that marriage, he became Prince of Achaea, though he had already been lord of Piedmont by inheritance from his father in 1282. As prince, Philip ventured to reconquer all of Lacedaemonia from the Greeks. He was, however, an authoritative prince and this put him at odds with the baronage of his realm. He tried to placate the barons of Morea, but was forced to accept a parliament in 1304. The Greek peasantry, crushed by taxes, then revolted in turn. In 1307, King Charles II of Naples, the suzerain of Achaea, confiscated the principality and gave it to his son, Prince Philip I of Taranto.

In 1312, Philip married Catherine de la Tour du Pin (died 1337), daughter of Humbert I of Viennois^[2] and had issue:

• James of Piedmont^[3]
• Eleanor married Manfred V of Saluzzo and had issue.
• Beatrice married Humbert de Thoire and had issue.
• Agnes married John de la Chambre and had issue.
• Joan married Aymer of Valentinois and had issue.
• Margarita married Renaud de Forez, lord of Malaval
• Amadeus, Bishop of Maurienne from 1349-1376
• Thomas, Bishop of Turin from 1351-1360
• Edward, Archbishop of Tarentaise from 1386-1395
• Aimone, married Mencia de Ceva, died 1398
• Alice, married Manfred of Carretto in 1324 and later married Antelme of Miolans. Alice died in 1368.
• Isabelle, married John, viscount of Maurienne^[2]

Notes

1. The Frankish States in Greece, 1204-1311, Jean Longnon, A History of the Crusades, Vol. II, ed. Kenneth M. Setton, (Wisconsin University Press, 1969), 265-266.
2. Cox 1967, p. 376-377.
3. Cox 1967, p. 23.

References

• Cox, Eugene L. (1967). The Green Count of Savoy. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. LCCN 67-11030.