Humbert Ier of Savoy

Humbert Ier of Savoy , known as Humbert with the White Hands (in Italy Umberto Ier of Savoy Biancamano ), was born between 970 and 980 in Maurienne, and died the July 19th, 1047. It was count de Savoie of 1027 with 1047 and the founder of the Maison of Savoy.

According to a legend his/her true father would be certain a Bérold , prince Saxon, who had fled the Holy roman Empire to take refuge in the kingdom of Provence after being accused of impossible love with the woman of the emperor. This Bérold was downward famous Witikind, the valiant antagonist, then friendly of Charlemagne, but this legend would have been manufactured towards the end of the 16th century, for the princes of the Maison of Savoy in order to prove their origin saxonne and thus their right to gird, as princes d' Allemagne, the imperial crown. Would another legend like that he is the son of Gerald of Geneva (942-?)

Count de Salmourenc (Viennese) in 1003, count de Nyon in 1018, count d' Aoste in 1024, it seems to have profited from the favor of the last king of Burgundy-Provence (perhaps his brother-in-law or father-in-law) Rodolphe III known as the “Lazy one” then of the successor of this last Conrad II Salic the, which became then Roman Emperor.

Humbert, faithful lieutenant of the emperor Conrad II Salic the, was named, at the time of the succession of Burgundy, ordering walk of Maurienne (marquis) in 1033 to subject the rebellious bishop of Maurienne, which, supported by Eudes II, count de Blois, of Troyes and of Meaux, wanted to be freed from the imperial authority. With some troops which it had raised in Piedmont, Humbert, organized a long seat of the town of Saint-Jean-with-Maurienne, residence of the bishop, then took it by storm and entirely made it shave.

The Conrad emperor, annexed the évêché of Maurienne to that of Turin, and the episcopal see of Saint-Jean-with-Maurienne was interdict until in 1061. It rewarded its faithful lieutenant by creating it sovereign count for Savoy ( comes in agro Savojensi ), and titrated it (nonknown dates) count of Maurienne, however this first concession, extended only to part of Maurienne and some of its small valleys. Later Humbert became also count of the Tarentaise, count of the Val of Aoste, count of Bugey, count of Chablais and count de Sermorens (1038).

Humbert settled with the castle-extremely of Coal-scuttles, built about the middle of the 9th century and which dominated the town of Aiguebelle, the capital of the county, and defended the Vallée of Maurienne. It was located at a strategic place, the steps of the Vallée of Rochette and of what is today the Savoy Propre and the Haute-Savoie. This feudal manor house remained until worms the middle of the 13th century the ordinary residence of the first counts de Savoie.

The count Humbert actively occupied himself to improve the fate of the population, his nickname of to the white hands (Albimanus) seems to be appeared at the 14th century and meant not that it had the white hands , but that he was a generous man, according to others, name could come from a deformation of to the white mountainous walls referring to the snow-covered mountains.

Interrogations exist on the real identity of his wife:

  1. Ancilie of Aoste (or Ancilia , Ancilla , Auxilia ), girl of the laic vice-chancellor of the Abbey of Saint-Maurice d' Agaune, who seems most probable;
  2. Ancilie de Lenzbourg (or Ancillie de Lensbourg ), (974-?), girl of Arnold Von Schannis , Master of ceremony of the house of Burgundy;
  3. Ancilie de Nyon , girl of Anselme de Nyon .

His wife gave him five children, of which:

  • Amédée Ier of Savoy, called the Tail (1016 - 1051), 2nd count de Savoie and of Maurienne;
  • Berthold of Savoy or Bouchard or Burckard (before 1023 - 1065 or 1068), coadjutor of Aoste, prior of St-Maurice d' Agaune, archbishop of Lyon;
  • Aymon of Savoy, abbot Benedictine of St-Maurice d' Agaune, bishop of Sion (before 1023 - 1053 or 1054);
  • Othon Ier of Savoy (v. 1023-1078), marquis in Italy (v. 1045), 3rd count de Savoie and of Maurienne (1069);
  • Adelaide of Turin (v. 1025), ép. of Guigues the Old man (1020 - 1075), count d' Albon and of Grésivaudan.

Humbert died in Hermillon the July 19th, 1047 and was regretted of her people. Under its reign, originating in its grounds, lived:

  • Holy Anselme (1033-1109), which became archbishop of Canterbury;
  • the monk Gerald Allobroge (about 980 - 1061), which was pope under the name of Nicolas II;
  • Holy Bernard de Menthon, preacher and founder of the old people's homes of large and the small Saint-Bernard.

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