Philip II, Duke of Savoy

Philip II (5 February 1438 – 7 November 1497), surnamed the Landless, was the Duke of Savoy for a brief reign from 1496 to 1497.[1]

Philip II
Duke of Savoy
Reign	16 April 1496 – 7 November 1497
Predecessor	Charles II
Successor	Philibert II
Born	5 February 1438 Château de Chambéry, Savoy, France
Died	7 November 1497 (aged 59) Château de Chambéry, Savoy, France
Spouse	Marguerite de Bourbon Claudine de Brosse
Issue	Louise, Countess of Angoulême Philibert II, Duke of Savoy Charles III, Duke of Savoy Philippe, Duke of Nemours Philiberta, Duchess of Nemours René of Savoy (illegitimate) Antonia of Savoy (illegitimate)
House	House of Savoy
Father	Louis of Savoy
Mother	Anne of Cyprus
Religion	Roman Catholic

Biography

Philip was the granduncle of the previous duke Charles II, and the youngest surviving son of Duke Louis of Savoy and Anne of Cyprus. However, he was not the heir general of the previous duke, there being several females before him in the line of succession. To ensure male inheritance to the Savoy line, his eldest son Philibert was married to his cousin, the only sister of the deceased young Duke. However, the plan did not succeed: the girl died at age twelve. (Philip had already died in the meantime.) The children of the daughters of Philip's eldest brother Duke Amedeo IX of Savoy were next in line, and were entitled to the inheritance of the line of heirs-general, including Cyprus and Jerusalem. Despite the fact that Cyprus and Jerusalem did not bar succession in female line, Philip took those claims and used those titles as well. His male successors in Savoy also continued to do so, thus giving their ducal title a higher, royal titulary.

He spent most of his life as a junior member of the ducal family. His original apanage was the district of Bresse,[2] close to the French and Burgundian border, but it was lost and therefore Philip received his sobriquet "the Landless", or "Lackland".

Family

First marriage

He married Margaret of Bourbon (5 February 1438 – 1483)[3] and had:

1. Louise (1476–1531), married Charles d'Orléans, Count of Angoulême,[2] had children including:
   1. Francis I of France[4] whose daughter Margaret of Valois married to Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy.[4]
   2. Marguerite of Navarre (1492–1549); Queen consort of King Henry II of Navarre[4]
2. Girolamo (1478)
3. Philibert II (1480–1504)[5]

Coat of Arms of the Dukes of Savoy

Second marriage

He married Claudine de Brosse of Brittany (1450–1513),[6] daughter of Jean II de Brosse and Nicole de Châtillon, and they had:

1. Charles III (1486–1553) who succeeded his half-brother as Duke of Savoy
2. Louis (1488–1502)
3. Philip (1490–1533), duke of Nemours
4. Assolone (1494)
5. Giovanni (1495)
6. Philiberta (1498–1524),[6] married Julian II di Medici (1479–1516), duke of Nemours[7]

Illegitimate issue

He also had eight illegitimate children by two mistresses.

With Libera Portoneri:

1. René of Savoy (1468-31 March 1525), served as Governor of Nice and Provence, known as the Grand Bastard of Savoy and father-in-law of Anne, 1st Duc de Montmorency
2. Antonia of Savoy, married Jean II, Lord of Monaco
3. Peter of Savoy, Bishop of Geneva

With Bona di Romagnano:

1. Claudina (Claudia) of Savoy (d. 2 May 1528), married to Jacob III, Count of Horne (d. 15 August 1531).
2. Philippina (Philippa) of Savoy, married Lorenzo de' Medici
3. Margherita (Margaret) of Savoy
4. Giovanna (Johanna) of Savoy
5. Michele (Michael) of Savoy, a priest

Philip is an ancestor, through an illegitimate daughter of Honorat II of Savoy, of Joséphine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Philip II, Duke of Savoy

16. Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy 8. Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy 17. Bonne of Bourbon 4. Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy 18. John, Duke of Berry 9. Bonne of Berry 19. Joanna of Armagnac 2. Louis, Duke of Savoy 20. John II of France 10. Philip the Bold 21. Bonne of Bohemia 5. Mary of Burgundy 22. Louis II of Flanders 11. Margaret III, Countess of Flanders 23. Margaret of Brabant 1. Philip II, Duke of Savoy 24. Hugh IV of Cyprus 12. James I of Cyprus 25. Alix of Ibelin 6. Janus of Cyprus 26. Duke Philip of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 13. Helvis of Brunswick-Grubenhagen 27. Helisia of Dampierre 3. Anne of Cyprus 28. James I, Count of La Marche 14. John I, Count of La Marche 29. Jeanne of Châtillon 7. Charlotte de Bourbon 30. John VI, Count of Vendôme 15. Catherine of Vendôme 31. Jeanne of Ponthieu

References

1. Vester 2013, p. ix.
2. Knecht 1982, p. 1.
3. Jackson-Laufer 1999, p. 231.
4. Knecht 1982, p. xvi.
5. Hand 2016, p. 220.
6. Cholakian & Cholakian 2006, p. 317.
7. Kemp 2006, p. 344.

Sources

• Cholakian, Patricia Francis; Cholakian, Rouben Charles (2006). Marguerite de Navarre. Columbia University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Hand, Joni M. (2016). Women, Manuscripts and Identity in Northern Europe, 1350-1550. Routledge.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)220
• Jackson-Laufer, Guida Myrl (1999). Women Rulers Throughout the Ages: An Illustrated Guide. ABC-CLIO.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Kemp, Martin (2006). Leonardo Da Vinci. Oxford University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Knecht, R.J. (1982). Francis I. Cambridge University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Vester, Matthew, ed. (2013). Sabaudian Studies: Political Culture, Dynasty, and Territory (1400–1700). Truman State University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)