Thomas, 2nd Duke of Genoa

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Prince Tommaso Alberto Vittorio of Savoy (Turin, February 6, 1854 - Turin, April 15, 1931), 2nd Duke of Genoa, also known as Thomas Albert Victor of Savoy-Carignan, was an Italian royal prince, nephew of the King of Sardinia, who on 18 February 1861 became the first King of a united Italy. His cousin and brother-in-law Umberto I and his nephew Victor Emmanuel III became subsequent kings of Italy.

Thomas was born in Turin as the second child and only son of Prince Ferdinand of Savoy, 1st Duke of Genoa, the second son of Charles Albert, King of Sardinia (1798-1849, abdicated 1848) and his wife Maria Theresa of Austria-Tuscany (1801-55). Thomas' mother was Princess Elizabeth of Saxony (1830-1912), daughter of King John I of Saxony (1801-73) and Princess Amalie of Bavaria (1801-77). Barely a year after his birth, on 10 February 1855 his father died and Thomas inherited his title, becoming the 2nd Duke of Genoa.

With the accession of Victor Emmanuel II to the throne of Italy in 1861, Thomas, in common with all of the family members, became a prince of Italy.

During World War I the king, Victor Emanuel III, assumed the duties of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and named the Duke of Genoa as Luogotenente, in which position he managed the civil affairs of the kingdom throughout the war.

Duke Thomas' elder sister Margherita of Savoy-Genoa (1851-1926) married King Umberto I of Italy. Her only child was king Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, who reigned starting from his father's murder in 1900.

Thomas died in 1931, leaving six adult children.

[edit] Family and children

In 1883 at Nymphenburg, Bavaria, he was married to Princess Maria Isabella of Bavaria (1863-1924), the eldest daughter of the late Prince Adalbert of Bavaria (1828-1875) and Infanta Amelia Philippina of Spain, Duchess of Bavaria (1834-1935), daughter of the Duke of Cadiz.

Their marriage produced the following children:

Ferdinando (1884-1963), Prince of Udine, 3rd Duke of Genoa. Married Maria Luisa Alliaga Gandolfi dei conti di Ricaldone. Childless.
Filiberto (1895-1990), Duke of Pistoia, 4th Duke of Genoa. Married princess Lydia von Arenberg. Childless.
Bona Margherita (1896-1971). Married Prince Konrad of Bavaria (1883-1969), son of Prince Leopold of Bavaria and Archduchess Gisela of Austria. Had children.
Adalberto (1898-1982) Duke of Bergamo. Unmarried and childless.
Adelaide (April 25, 1904 - February 8, 1979). Married Leone Massimo (January 25, 1896 - March 4, 1979), Prince of Arsoli etc.
Eugenio (March 13, 1906 - December 8, 1996), Duke of Ancona, 5th Duke of Genoa. Married Princess Lucia of Bourbon-Sicily (July 9, 1908 - November 3, 2001). They emigrated to Sao Paolo, Brazil. One daughter:
- Maria Isabella Elena Immacolata Barbara Anna Pace of Savoy Genoa (born 1943). Married Alberto Frioli di Rezzano (divorced), four children.