The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-30

LIN NNhNa VI NNN 10y b0N"
ing wrested Provence and much Of the sea-
board from snvoyard rule. the wisdom of
steadily extending their territory in the direc-
ton OF Italy commended itself to the Princes
OF Savoy. and led them. ultimately. To occupy
those Cis-Alpine dominlons over which their
descendants reign to-day.
I. t#
The fret historical mention OF Savoy, or. ne
IL was then called. sapaudia, or Sabaudia. CO.
ours in A. d. l49. when the Burgundians. after
many wars aud some r~cverses. established
themselves. with the consent OF the Romans.
in tho southeasto OF aaul. The country OF Sa-
voy was subsequently, incorporated In tho
larger kingdom formed by the ~Burgundians
between the Rhone. the Saone and the Alps, and
fell with II under the'dominion Of the Frank
kings In 534. For some years after the death
OF CharlemdRhe 1914. the fortunes OF Savoy
were involved In those OF Burgundy. It
formed a part otthe so-called kingdom Of Up
per Burgundy created by Rudolph, Marquis OF
Savoy, who was crowned In 1888. at st, Maurice.
in the Canton Valais. In 1888 his king
dom was merged in that OF Lower Bur-
gundy and became extinct n century
later on the death without heirs of King
Rudolph III. During the ngitated reign OF the
aforementioned sovereign the founders Of two
great families came into the foreground OF
history. One OF these was 0delrico Manfredi.
Count OF Turin and Marquis OF Italy. whose
successors were also known as MarQuises OF
Susa. The second was Umberto dele Blanche
mani, or Humbert Of the White Hand. the pro-
genitor Of the House Of Savoy. The names of
the latter's parents. the land that gave him
birth. AMI the language that he spoke are all
matters TOR conjecture. According to one
chroniclep. he derived his surname from the
81 AL.A - - -. An-I-z-.k LHNl- 49,
ceivable; according to another. he owe It to
his ~scrupulously upright behavior. AS a mat
ter Of fact. The surname OF Biancamano is not
mentioned until after the year 1910. or
some 800 years after Humbert's death.
All We really know about Humbert Is
that, about the year 1908, he appears
as a stanch adherent Of the German
Emperor. and that in 1896 the title of Count
OF Savoy was bestowed upon him by Conrad
the Salic. Desiring more effective props for
his nascent dynasty than imperial favor. Count
Humbert brought about a marriage for his son
0ddone with Adelaide. Countess Of Turin. the
daughter and sole heiress OF 0delrico Manfredi
H.. Marquis Of Susa. Adelaide inherited from
her father numerous lands and townships in
the provinces Of Vercelli. Ivrea. Asti, Albenga.
Alba, VentimiRlia. Parma. Piacenza, Pavia,
and Acqui. When to these possessions were
added those OF Nyon. Aosta, Moriana. Savoy.
Belley. Chablais. and Tarantasia. which Hum
bert bequeathed to his son, 1t will be seen how
large o region was brought under the rule Of
one family and how firm aJbasis was laid for a
future kingdom. AAdelaide had been twice
previously married. but had borne no
children to either of her former hus-
bands. The fruit OF her third mar
rage. which took place about 1046. was
three sons and two daughters. Left a widow
at 45. she devoted the rest Of her life to the
consolidation OF her own and her husbands
possessions. which In her hands gained so
much weight and influence that her descend
ants took rank among the important poten-
tates OF Europe. One OF her daughters, AIDE
laide. was married to Rudolph of Suabia, and
the other. Bertha. became the wife OF Henry
~. Emperor OF Germany. 1t was through his
mother-in-law's dominions that Henry passed
in 1919 on his way to Canossa, where he was to
sue for pardon to Gregory VII. The influence
of the Countess Adelaide is said to have been
OF great avail in effectinG a reconciliation be-
tween the Pope and the Emperor. She died in
1901, after practically ruling Savoy for moro
than thirty years. and was followed by two Of
her sons in succession, Peter /. and Amadeus
H.. who playedno considerable part in history.
In her progress toward security and full de-
velopment, Savoy may be said to have passed
through six stormy periods: The epoch just
mentioned OF the strife between the Pope
and the Empire touching the right Of in
vestiture the conflict between the Empire
and the italian Communes; the struggle be-
tween feudalism and the m insti-
buttons that arose in every part OF Pied
mont the troubles In which France be-
came involved with the Visconti and the
SforZa: the wars between France and Spain
that followed the decay OF Milan. and finally.
the struggle between the traditions Of the an
Glen regime and the French Revolution.
The Princes OF savoy early adopted n colt
~ciliatory policy toward the Communes; this was
initiated by Humbert II. in 1880. and was
theoretically carried out by Thomas /. in 1178.
Most OF their successors maintained this atti-
tude. which was not adopted In other parts of
Italy. whore. on the contrary. the SiRpoties
put down the Communes. only to be them
selves extInRuished by q tyrant or lord, who
thereafter reiRned despotically. The blending
OF popular and dynastic interests produced ex-
c~eptional unity and strength. and enabled the
relatively small States Of Savoy and Piedmont
to make head successfully against the power OF
Germany. France and Spain. and to acquire at
last control Of the whole italian peninsula.
Count Thomas l.. son OF Humbert III, "thO
Saint" succeeded TO the family diKnities in
1889. Hts achievements and those of his sons
gave a prestige to the name Of Savoy which It
never thereafter completely lost. This Count
was the 1rst Of his race to hold the post Of
| uI... T.nHa,fnI L. TALL - a. -LIxl l..