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Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia
Principe di Oneglia
(1588–1624)

Biographical

Principe di Oneglia 1620–24†
Marchese di Finale 1620–24†
Marchese di Zuccarello 1620
Marchese del Marro 1620–24†
Signore di Oneglia 1620–24†
Signore di Prelà 1620–24
Knight of the Order of Malta 1600 [Vatican]
Grand Prior of the Order of Castile and Leon 1597 [Spain]

Viceroy of Sicily 1621-24†
Captain general of Sicily 1621–24†
Admiral of the Spanish fleet 1612
Abbot of San Michele della Chiusa 1600
Cleric 1599

Originally destined for an ecclesiastical career, Emanuele Filiberto was nine years old when the King Felipe II of Spain, his uncle, conferred on him the grand priory of León and Castile, and also Spanish citizenship in 1597. In 1603 he was sent by his father with his two older brothers Filippo Emanuele and Vittorio Amedeo to the court of Madrid, to strengthen ties with Spain, and to complete their education, and to become familiar with the Spanish court. The Duke hoped that one of his sons would marry the Infanta Anna, and that one day, a Savoy would inherit the crown of Spain, but the birth of an heir to Felipe III in 1605 dashed these hopes. He returned in 1606 with Vittorio Amedeo, after the death of  their elder brother, Filippo Emanuele. In 1610 Duke Carl Emanuele I secretly signed the treaty of Bruzolo with Henry IV of France, to the detriment of the Habsburgs of Spain and Austria. Henri IV died soon afterwards and Savoy's failed attempt at an alliance with France displeased Spain and Felipe III was mulling an invasion of Piedmont. Emanuele Filiberto was sent to Madrid again by his father to plead allegiance to Felipe III, and winning the favour of the King, he averted a Spanish attack. The King conferred on him the position of admiral of the sea, and in this capacity, he prevented the Turks from landing in Sicily in 1614,although, in reality, he was never involved in real armed clashes, nor did he ever travel the Atlantic routes. In 1618 he mediated between Spain and his father who had pursued an unsuccessful claim to Montferrat. In 1618 he was sent by Philip III to the Duke of Mantua to negotiate the claims of Carlo Emanuele I over Monferrato. As viceroy of Sicily, he proved to be a skilled diplomat, coordinating relations with the Church, Tuscany, Genoa, and Savoy, his main suppliers of ships. He resided at Messina and Palermo with great pomp until his death there from the plague. In 1624 his father had proposed a marriage between Filippo Emanuele and Princess Maria Gonzaga, but her family declined.

Place of birth: Turin
Place of death: Palermo
Place of burial: El Escorial, Madrid

Son of Carlo Emanuele I di Savoia and Infanta Catalina of Spain.

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