Humbert III of Savoy

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Humbert III, the Blessed

Coats of Arms of the early Counts of Savoy

For other persons named Humbert, see Humbert (disambiguation).

Humbert III (1135–1189), surnamed the Blessed, was Count of Savoy from 1148 to 1189. His parents were Amadeus III of Savoy and Mahaut (or Mafalda, or Matilda) of Albon, the sister of Guy IV of Dauphinois. His memorial day is March 4.

According to Cope^[1], "Humbert III, who reigned from 1149 to 1189...was a man of irresolute spirit who was disconsolate at being born a prince and preferred the seclusion of a monastery. He only renounced his chosen state of celibacy so as to give his land an heir."

His first wife died young; his second marriage ended in divorce. Humbert gave up and became a Carthusian monk. However, the nobles and common people of Savoy begged him to marry yet again, which he reluctantly did. This third wife gave him two more daughters, and Humbert attempted to return to the monastic life yet again. Finally he was prevailed upon to marry for a fourth time, and this wife, Beatrice, produced the son who would ultimately succeed him.

[edit] He married four times

1. Faidiva (Italian) daughter of Alphonse I of Toulouse

2. Gertrude of Flanders, whom he divorced and confined. She was freed thanks to Robert, bishop of Cambrai and returned to the court of her brother, Philip of Flanders

3. Clemenza of Zähringen (married 1164), daughter of Conrad I of Zähringen. They had 2 daughters: