Beatrice of Savoy

Who was Beatrice of Savoy?

Beatrice of Savoy was the daughter of Amadeus IV the Count of Savoy and his second wife, Cecilia of Baux. She was a member of the House of Savoy by birth, by her second marriage she became known as Lady of Villena.

Beatrice was a full sister to Boniface, Count of Savoy, as well as two sisters Eleanor and Constance. She had two older half-sisters from her father's first marriage, an elder Beatrice and Margaret.

Upon the death of her father in 1253, Beatrice received an amount of money as an inheritance. Upon the death of her ten year-old brother Count Boniface, he was succeeded by their uncle as Peter II, Count of Savoy. Upon Peter's death, Beatrice had to renounce her claim on Savoy along with the consent of her mother in favor of the succession of her other uncle as Philip I, Count of Savoy, in the article she is referred to as Contesson possibly to distinguish her from her older half-sister of the same name. A charter dated 11 August 1266 by Pope Clement IV presumably tells of Count Philip donating property to his niece "B" most likely referring to Beatrice.

Beatrice was firstly betrothed to James, second son of James I of Aragon however, the contract was broken on 11 August 1266. Ten years after the betrothal was broken, James became King of Majorca.