Thomas II ( it, Tommaso del Vasto) (1304 – 18 August 1357) was

Marquess of Saluzzo The marquises (also marquesses or margraves) of Saluzzo were the medieval feudal rulers city of Saluzzo (today part of Piedmont, Italy) and its countryside from 1175 to 1549. Originally counts, the family received in ''feudum'' the city from the ...

from 1336 to his death. He succeeded his father,

Frederick I Frederick I may refer to: * Frederick of Utrecht or Frederick I (815/16–834/38), Bishop of Utrecht. * Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine (942–978) * Frederick I, Duke of Swabia (1050–1105) * Frederick I, Count of Zoll ...

His mother Margarete de La Tour du Pin, a daughter of Humbert I de La Tour du Pin, Dauphin de Viennois. His succession was disputed by his uncle

Manfred ''Manfred: A dramatic poem'' is a closet drama written in 1816–1817 by Lord Byron. It contains supernatural elements, in keeping with the popularity of the ghost story in England at the time. It is a typical example of a Gothic fiction. Byr ...

. The ensuing war was part of the wider Guelf–Ghibelline conflict. Thomas, who had married a

Visconti Visconti is a surname which may refer to: Italian noble families * Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447 ** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan * Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...

, was a Ghibelline and Manfred a Guelf with the support of the Angevin King

Robert of Naples Robert of Anjou ( it, Roberto d'Angiò), known as Robert the Wise ( it, Roberto il Saggio; 1276 – 20 January 1343), was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Ita ...

. Robert therefore, to reduce Ghibelline (and Visconti) power in the north, advanced on Saluzzo and besieged it. He succeeded in taking it and sacking it, setting the city on fire and imprisoning Thomas, who had to pay a ransom. The whole dramatic event is recorded by

Silvio Pellico Silvio Pellico (; 24 June 1789 – 31 January 1854) was an Italian writer, poet, dramatist and patriot active in the Italian unification. Biography Silvio Pellico was born in Saluzzo (Piedmont). He spent the earlier portion of his life at Pin ...

. In August 1347, he joined

John II, Marquess of Montferrat John II Palaeologus (5 February 1321 – 19 March 1372) was the Margrave of Montferrat from 1338. Career John was the son of Theodore I of Montferrat, with whom he was associated in the government from 1336. He had great fortune in extending ...

and

Humbert II of Viennois Humbert II de la Tour-du-Pin (1312 – 4 May 1355) was the Dauphin of the Viennois from 1333 to 16 July 1349. Humbert was the last dauphin before the title went to the French crown, to be bestowed on the heir apparent. Character Humbert was a s ...

as they attacked

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

and conquered the Angevin lands in northern Italy after the death of Robert. The 1348 treaty which resolved this war left none of the participants satisfied. Thomas now owed allegiance to Milan, as well as his prior allegiance to Savoy. Thomas was eventually succeeded by his son Frederick II.

Marriage and children

Thomas married Ricciarda

. She was a daughter of

Galeazzo I Visconti Galeazzo I Visconti (21 January 1277 – 6 August 1328) was lord of Milan from 1322 to 1327. After being chosen Captain of Milan, he defeated two papal armies and was excommunicated by Pope John XXII. Temporarily imprisoned for murder, Galeazzo ret ...

Lord of Milan The following is a list of rulers of Milan from the 13th century to 1814, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia by the Congress of Vienna. Before elevation to duchy Until 1259, Milan was a free commune that elect ...

and Beatrice d' Este. Beatrice was a daughter of

Obizzo II d'Este Obizzo II d'Este (c. 1247 – 13 February 1293) was Marquis of Ferrara and Ancona. Biography He was a bastard, the illegitimate son of Rinaldo I d'Este – the only son and heir of the Margrave Azzo VII d'Este – and a Neapolitan laundress. ...

by either his first wife Giacoma Fieschi or his second wife Constanza della Scala. They had eleven children: *

Frederick II, Marquess of Saluzzo Frederick II ( it, Federico del Vasto) (died 1396) was marquess of Saluzzo from 1357 to his death. He succeeded his father, Thomas II of Saluzzo. His mother was Ricciarda Visconti, a daughter of Galeazzo I Visconti, Lord of Milan and Beatrice d' ...

. *Galeazzo of Saluzzo (born 1332, date of death unknown).. Considered to have died young. *Azonne of Saluzzo (c. 1336–1426). Lord of Monasterolo, Oncino, Paesana, Crissolo, Sanfront and Castellar. *Eustacchio of Saluzzo (died 1405). Count of Cervinasco and Monesiglio, Lord of San Pietro Monterosso, Montemale and Prasleves. *Luchino of Saluzzo. Squire to the Counts of Savoy, possibly illegitimate. *Constanza of Saluzzo. *Giacomo of Saluzzo. *Luchina of Saluzzo. Married Giovanni Beccaria. *Beatrice of Saluzzo. Married

Antoni Falletto, Lord of Villafaletto Antoni is a Catalan, Polish, and Slovene given name and a surname used in the eastern part of Spain, Poland and Slovenia. As a Catalan given name it is a variant of the male names Anton and Antonio. As a Polish given name it is a variant of the fem ...

. *Pentesilea of Saluzzo. Married Ludovico of Chiesa. *Anna of Saluzzo. A

nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...

Notes

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas 02 Of Saluzzo 1357 deaths Marquesses of Saluzzo Aleramici Year of birth unknown