Charles I, Duke of Savoy

Coat of Arms of the Counts of Savoy

Charles I (28 March 1468 Carignano, Piedmont – 13 March 1490 Pinerolo), surnamed the Warrior, was the Duke of Savoy from 1482 to 1490 and titular king of Cyprus, Jerusalem, and Armenia from 1485 to 1490.

He was son of Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy and Yolande de Valois, daughter of king Charles VII of France.

Charles was related in two ways to the childless Queen Charlotte of Cyprus, titular Queen of Armenia and Jerusalem. Not only was she his father Amadeus' first cousin, in such a way that her rights would naturally descend to this line, but also she was the widow of Charles's paternal uncle Louis of Savoy, Count of Geneva (d. 1482). Charlotte however was without a kingdom, having been exiled in the 1460s from her own legitimate kingdom of Cyprus by her illegitimate half-brother.

This double relationship would serve Charles well, as in 1485, when he was 17, she surrendered her rights in Cyprus, Armenia, and Jerusalem to young Charles, her next legitimate heir in line from King Janus of Cyprus and Armenia. The kingdom itself was held by the republic of Venice, but the Savoy dynasty continued to claim it.

Family

He married Blanche Palaiologina (Bianca di Montferrato) (1472–1519), daughter of William VIII, Marquess of Montferrat, who after Charles's death was the regent of the Duchy of Savoy from 1490 to 1496. They had two surviving children.

1. Yolande Louise of Savoy (1487–1499), married Philibert II of Savoy.
2. Charles John Amadeus of Savoy (1489–1496).

Ancestry

Family of Charles I, Duke of Savoy

16. Amadeus VII, Count of Savoy               8. Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy                       17. Bonne of Berry               4. Louis, Duke of Savoy                             18. Philip the Bold               9. Mary of Burgundy                       19. Margaret III, Countess of Flanders               2. Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy                                   20. James I of Cyprus               10. Janus of Cyprus                       21. Helvis of Brunswick-Grubenhagen               5. Anne of Cyprus                             22. John I, Count of La Marche               11. Charlotte of Bourbon-La Marche                       23. Catherine of Vendôme               1. Charles I, Duke of Savoy                                         24. Charles V of France               12. Charles VI of France                       25. Joanna of Bourbon               6. Charles VII of France                             26. Stephen III, Duke of Bavaria               13. Isabeau of Bavaria                       27. Taddaea Visconti               3. Yolande of Valois                                   28. Louis I, Duke of Anjou               14. Louis II of Naples                       29. Marie of Blois               7. Marie of Anjou                             30. John I of Aragon               15. Yolande of Aragon                       31. Violante de Bar

Charles I, Duke of Savoy House of Savoy Born: 29 March 1468 Died: 13 March 1490
Preceded by Philibert I	Duke of Savoy 1482–1490	Succeeded by Charles II
Preceded by Charlotte	— TITULAR — King of Armenia, Cyprus and Jerusalem 1485–1490