Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thomas Francis |
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Portrait by Anthony van Dyck
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| Prince of Carignano | |||||
| Tenure | 1620 – 22 January 1656 | ||||
| Successor | Emmanuel Philibert | ||||
| Born | 21 December 1596 Turin, Duchy of Savoy |
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| Died | 22 January 1656 (aged 59) Turin, Duchy of Savoy |
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| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Princess Christine Charlotte Princess Louise Emmanuel Philibert, Prince of Carignano Prince Amedeo Prince Joseph Emmanuel Eugene Maurice, Count of Soissons Prince Ferdinand *Any additional issue must be proven. |
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| House | Savoy (Carignano branch) | ||||
| Father | Charles Emmanuel I | ||||
| Mother | Caterina Micaela of Austria | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||
Thomas Francis of Savoy, 1st Prince of Carignano (Italian: Tommaso Francesco di Savoia, Principe di Carignano; French: Thomas François de Savoie, Prince de Carignan; 21 December 1596 – 22 January 1656) was an important Italian military leader. He started the Carignano branch of the House of Savoy. This family branch later became kings of Piedmont-Sardinia (from 1831 to 1861) and then kings of Italy (from 1861 until 1946).
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Thomas was born in Turin, Italy. He was the youngest of five sons of Duke Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy. His mother was Caterina Micaela of Austria, who was the daughter of King Philip II of Spain. Sadly, his mother died when he was very young.
In the past, younger sons of dukes often received large areas of land called "appanages." These lands would give them their own power and income. However, Thomas's father, Duke Charles Emmanuel I, had many children—21 in total, though only nine were legitimate. The Duke wanted to keep his lands strong and avoid family fights over territory. Because of this, Thomas did not receive a large piece of land or much wealth.
Instead, in 1625, Thomas married Marie de Bourbon. Marie was a very important French noblewoman. Her brother, Louis, Count of Soissons, was a powerful figure who later rebelled against the French government.
Life in France
Because of Marie's high rank in France, Thomas and Marie decided to live in Paris. Marie was a "princess of the blood," meaning she was closely related to the French King Louis XIII. This gave her a very high social standing.
Thomas, as the son of a ruling duke, was given a special place at the French court. He was ranked as the most important among the "foreign princes." He even outranked other powerful French noble families. He was also made "Grand Maître" of the king's household, a very important job.
Marie was supposed to inherit a Swiss area called Neuchâtel. However, the king made sure that a different relative inherited it instead. This meant Thomas did not gain more land or power from that inheritance. Marie did eventually inherit her brother's main property in France, the county of Soissons. This became a separate branch of the family for their French descendants.
Military Career
Thomas Francis was a military commander for much of his life. He fought in several important wars.
Fighting for Spain
Thomas first served in the army of his father, the Duke of Savoy, in 1630. This was during a war against France. Later, he and his brother Maurice joined the Spanish army. This happened because they were unhappy with how their homeland, Piedmont, was dealing with France. The Spanish welcomed Thomas because he was related to both the French and Spanish royal families. However, the Spanish did not fully trust him. He even had to send his wife and children to Madrid as a guarantee of his loyalty.
In 1635, France declared war on Spain. Thomas fought for Spain in the Spanish Netherlands. He led an army against French forces. On May 22, 1635, at Les Avins, his army was defeated by the French. He managed to gather his remaining troops and retreat.
In 1636, Thomas was part of a large Spanish and Imperial (Holy Roman Empire) army that invaded France. The invasion was very successful at first and caused panic in Paris. However, Thomas and the main commander decided it was too risky to push all the way to Paris, so they stopped their advance.
In 1638, Thomas helped defend the city of Saint-Omer in Spanish Flanders against a French siege. He managed to get more soldiers into the city. He then set up his army nearby, making it impossible for the French to continue their siege. The French eventually gave up.
Piedmontese Civil War
After 1638, Thomas sought support from Spain to act against the Regent of Piedmont, Christine Marie. In early 1639, he invaded Piedmont with Spanish forces. Many towns welcomed him. He took control of Turin using a clever trick. However, the French still held the city's main fortress.
In 1640, Thomas held Turin during a long and complex siege. After many talks with the Regent and the French, Thomas made peace with both sides in 1642. He then changed sides and began fighting with the French against the Spanish.
Fighting for France
From 1642 to 1643, Thomas commanded Piedmontese forces alongside the French. They fought against the Spanish along the border between Piedmont and Milan. When the French commander was called home, Thomas became the overall commander of the allied forces. He was given this high command because of his royal birth.
In 1644, Thomas led the joint armies again, capturing the towns of Santya and Asti. In 1645, he captured Vigevano. He also successfully stopped a Spanish attack at the River Mora.
In 1646, Thomas led a French expedition to capture forts in Tuscany, Italy. He then planned to advance to Naples, drive out the Spanish, and become king there. However, the expedition started late. When he besieged Orbetello, the French fleet supporting him was defeated by the Spanish. He was forced to end the siege and retreat. This retreat was difficult, and the French leader, Cardinal Mazarin, thought Thomas was not a good commander after this.
In 1648, Thomas was put in charge of an army sent by sea to Naples. However, the revolt in Naples had already ended. So, the expedition found no support when it landed and had to leave, which was a complete failure.
After his return, Thomas found that the Regent Christine had taken control of the fortresses that had been given to him. These lands were supposed to return to the Duke when he became an adult, which happened in 1648. Thomas had no choice but to accept this. Soon after, he moved to Paris.
Later Years and Death
During a period of unrest in France called the Fronde, Thomas became close to Cardinal Mazarin. Mazarin was like him, an Italian outsider at the French court. Thomas was seen as an important supporter of Mazarin. In 1654, Thomas was again made "Grand Maitre" of France.
The war between France and Spain continued in northern Italy. In late 1654, Thomas was appointed as a joint commander of the allied forces. His wife was kept in France almost as a guarantee of his good behavior.
In 1655, Thomas led an invasion of the Duchy of Milan. He was already sick with malaria. He tried to besiege the city of Pavia, but the attack went very badly. He had to take direct control of the siege, but even then, it had to be given up after almost two months.
Thomas returned to Turin after the 1655 campaign. He died there in January of the next year. He died from malaria, a common illness in the marshy areas of the Po valley.
Family and Children
Thomas and Marie de Bourbon had seven children:
- Princess Christine Charlotte of Savoy (born and died in 1626)
- Princess Louise Christine of Savoy (1627–1689), who married Ferdinand Maximilian of Baden-Baden.
- Prince Emmanuel Philibert Amadeus of Savoy (1628–1709), who became the 2nd Prince of Carignano. He lived in Italy and held important positions. He married Princess Maria Angela Caterina d'Este. He was deaf and mute, which surprised his family.
- Prince Amedeo of Savoy (1629, died young)
- Prince Joseph Emmanuel of Savoy (1631–1656), Count of Soissons.
- Prince Eugene Maurice of Savoy (1635–1673), Count of Soissons and Count of Dreux. He married Olympia Mancini.
- Prince Ferdinand of Savoy (1637, died young)
