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Carlo Emanuele II, Duke of Savoie
1637-1675, (1634-1675)
Born 20 June 1634
Died 12 June 1675
Married (1) 4 March 1663 Paris Le Louvre (by proxy)
Francoise Madeleine d'Orleans, Mademoiselle de Valois,
daughter of Gaston de France, Duc d'Orleans and Marguerite de Lorraine
Born 13 October 1648 St.Germain-en-Laye
Died 14 January 1664 Torino
Buried Torino Cathedral
Married (2) 20 May 1665
Princess Maria Giovanna de Savoie-Nemours,
daughter of Charles Amedee de Savoie, Duc de Nemours
and Elisabeth de Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Vendome
Born 11 April 1644
Died 15 March 1724
Children by (a) Jeanne Marie de Trecesson,
daughter of Comte Paul de Trecesson and Jeanne de Brue de la Rabaliere
Child by (b) Piatta
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As he was only three when his father died, it was his mother, Christine
of France, who acted as Regent and remained very much in He became a handsome
young man, proud but cordial. In 1658 two marriages were almost contracted
which would have changed the course of history. Carlo Emanuele II and his
mother were not aware that they were being used by Cardinal Mazarin. When
Louis XIV came to inspect Marguerite, Carlo Emanuele's sister, it was meant
only to warn the King of Spain that he had to act if he wanted Louis XIV
to marry the Spanish Infanta Maria Theresa. The Spanish king did act; instead
of marrying his Savoy first-cousin, Louis XIV married his Spanish first-cousin.
At about the same time, Carlo Emanuele II met Hortense Mancini, the
beautiful niece of Cardinal Mazarin, and asked for her hand. However, as
his mother demanded too much for a dowry, the Cardinal refused and Carlo
Emanuele II was without a bride. In 1663 he at last obtained a bride when
he married Francoise d'Orleans, another first-cousin of both himself and
Louis XIV. Unfortunately, she died less than eight months later. Yet he
did not remain unmarried for long as in 1665 he married a more distant
cousin, Maria Giovanna de Savoy-Nemours, and a year later was the father
of a son and heir.
However, this marriage failed to bring matrimonial satisfaction. Hortense
Mancini, for whom Cardinal Mazarin had found a husband, had run away leaving
husband and children behind. While pursued by her uncle's men, she crossed
the border into Savoy and went to Turin.
There she was welcomed and given the Chateau of Chambery as a home
for as long as she wished. She remained there for three years until, suddenly
and mysteriously, Carlo Emanuele II died. His widow promptly declared Hortense
unwelcome and she had to leave.
Carlo Emanuele II was perhaps fortunate that during his reign no wars
were to be fought. Although autocratic, he was wise and moderate in politics.
He built new roads and beautiful buildings. Even though he may have been
impressed by Hortense Mancini, he had fathered three children by Jeanne
Marie de Trecesson and one by a lady of whom only the first name is known:
Piatta.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
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