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Prince Eugène-Maurice de Savoie-Carignan
2nd Comte de Soissons
(1635–73)

Biographical

2nd Comte de Soissons 1656–73†
1st Duc de Carignan (Ivoy) 1662–73†
Comte de Dreux 1656–73†
Seigneur de Yvoy 1661–73†

Lieutenant General of the French armies 1672
Provost of Yvoy 1661
Governor of Champagne 1660
Governor of Bourbonnais 1659–60
Governor of Brie 1660
Colonel general 1657
Canon at Cologne cathedral 1637–51, res.
Commendatory abbot of Saint-Pons de Nice 1649–56 res.
Commendatory abbot of Santa Maria di Vezzolano 1648–56 res.
Commendatory abbot of Santa Maria di Casanova di Carmagnola 1642–56 res.
Commendatory abbot of San Benigno di Fruttuaria 1642–56 res.

With his elder brother, Emanuele Filiberto, destined to inherit Carignano, and his second eldest, Giuseppe Emanuele, to inherit Soissons, Eugène's parents decided that he would have an ecclesiastical career. After the death of his brother Joseph in 1656, His mother decided that the substantial Soissons inheritance would go to him. He left his religious career, resigned his offices and moved to France to seek a military career. Louis XIV granted him the command of a company in the Mancini cavalry regiment, and Cardinal Mazarini became a close ally, through which, the marriage with his niece, Olimpia Mancini, was to eventuate. In 1657 Louis XIV put him in command of a regiment which became known as Regiment Soissons. At the end of that year he was made colonel general of the Swiss and the Grisons, and with them, he took part in the siege of Dunkirk the following year. In 1660 he was sent to England as extraordinary ambassador. Due to his proximity to the succession of the throne (Carlo Emanuele II still had no son), Louis XIV had a vested interest in Eugène's path, and he made frequent trips to Turin, and bestowed him with honours and favours. The King also considered Eugène a very important military leader. In 1667 Eugène was in Flanders fighting for France where his military skills were greatly appreciated. In the following year, he was sent again to Flanders as part of the Turenne army. His life was cut short when he succumbed to an illness at Unna, not without suspicion of poisoning.

Place of birth: Chambéry
Place of marriage: Paris
Place of death: Unna, Westphalia
Place of burial: Chartreuse of Gaillon-lez-Bourbon à Aubevoye

Son of Tommaso di Savoia and Marie de Bourbon-Soissons. He married Olimpia Mancini in 1657, and had issue.

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