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Thomas I

Coat of Arms of the Counts of Savoy

Thomas I or Tommaso I (1178 – March 1, 1233) was Count of Savoy from 1189-1233. He was the son of Humbert III of Savoy and Beatrice of Viennois. His birth was seen as miraculous; his monkish father had despaired of having a male heir after three wives. Count Humbert sought counsel from St. Anthelm, who blessed Humbert three times, and it was seen as a prophecy come true when Thomas was born shortly after Anthelm himself died on June 26, 1178. He was named in honor of St. Thomas Becket.

Thomas possessed the martial abilities, energy, and brilliance that his father lacked, and Savoy enjoyed a golden age under his leadership. He had taken over effective rule of Savoy by August 1191, and despite his youth he began the push north-west into new territories. In the same year he granted Aosta Valley the "Carta delle Franchigie", recognising the right to administrative and political autonomy. This right was maintained up until the eve of the French Revolution. Later he conquered Vaud, Bugey, and Carignano. He supported the Hohenstaufens, and was known as "Thomas the Ghibelline" due to his career as Imperial Vicar of Lombardy.

In 1195 he ambushed the party of Count William I of Geneva, which was escorting the count's daughter, Marguerite, to France for her intended wedding to King Philip II of France. Thomas carried off Marguerite and married her himself, producing some eight sons and six daughters.

1. Amedeo, his immediate successor
2. Umberto, d. between March and November 1223
3. Tommaso, lord and then count in Piedmont and founder of a line that became the Savoy-Achaea
4. Aimone, d. August 30, 1237, Lord of Chablais
5. Guglielmo, Bishop of Valence and Dean of Vienne
6. Amadeo of Savoy, Bishop of Maurienne
7. Pietro, who resided much in England, became Earl of Richmond, and ultimately in 1263 became the disputed count of Savoy
8. Filippo, archbishop of Lyon, who resigned, through marriage became Count Palatine of Burgundy and ultimately in 1268 became the disputed count of Savoy
9. Bonifacio who became archbishop of Canterbury
10. Beatrice of Savoy, d. 1265 or 1266, married in December 1219 to Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence (1209-1245) and was mother of four Queens-consort
11. Alasia of Savoy, abbess of the monastery of St Pierre in Lyon
12. Ágatha of Savoy, abbess of the monastery of St Pierre in Lyon
13. Margherita of Savoy, d. 1273, married in 1218 to Hartmann I of Kyburg
14. Avita of Savoy