Duke of Aosta


In the mid-13th century the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II, made the County of Aosta a duchy; its arms were carried in the Savoyard coat of arms until the unification of Italy in 1870. The region remained part of Savoy lands, with the exception of a French occupation, 1539–1563. The title Duke of Aosta was given to various princes of the dynasty of Sardinia, second sons of the reigning monarch. It can be compared to the English Duke of York, French Duke of Orléans, Swedish Duke of Södermanland and the Scottish Duke of Albany. It remained in the branch of Prince Amedeo of Savoia, the second son of king Victor Emanuel II of Italy, as he was the first ever cadet prince Duke of Aosta who left male heirs. The subsidiary titles of the Duke of Aosta are, from the heritage of Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo, the mother of Duke Emanuele Filiberto, Prince della Cisterna and of Belriguardo, Marquess of Voghera, and Count of Ponderano. Ponderano was created in 1559, Voghera in 1618; Cisterna and Belriguardo as princely in 1670. The title has been used since July 2006 by Amedeo's son Prince Aimone, Duke of Apulia, who is married to Princess Olga of Greece, younger daughter of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark.

Duke of Aosta, 1701–1715

Duke of Aosta, 1723–1725

Duke of Aosta, 1731–1735

NamePortraitBirthMarriagesDeath
Prince Emanuele Filiberto
1731-1735
17 May 1731
Royal Palace of Turin
second son of Charles Emmanuel III and Polyxena of Hesse-Rotenburg
never married23 April 1735
Royal Palace of Turin
aged 3

Duke of Aosta, 1738–1745

NamePortraitBirthMarriagesDeath
Prince Carlo Francesco
1738-1745
1 December 1738
Royal Palace of Turin
eldest son of Charles Emmanuel III and Elisabeth Therese of Lorraine
never married25 March 1745
Royal Palace of Turin
aged 6

Duke of Aosta, 1759–1802

NamePortraitBirthMarriagesDeath
Prince Vittorio Emanuele
1759-1802
24 July 1759
Royal Palace of Turin
second son of Victor Amadeus III and Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain
Maria Theresa of Austria-Este
25 April 1789
Royal Palace of Turin
seven children
10 January 1824
Castle of Moncalieri
aged 64

Duke of Aosta, 1845–present

NamePortraitBirthMarriagesDeath
Prince Amedeo
1845-1890
30 May 1845
Royal Palace of Turin
second son of Victor Emmanuel II and Adelaide of Austria
Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo
30 May 1863
Royal Palace of Turin
three sons
Maria Letizia Bonaparte
11 September 1888
Royal Palace of Turin
one son
18 January 1890
Royal Palace of Turin
aged 44
Prince Emanuele Filiberto
1890-1931
13 January 1869
Genoa
eldest son of Amedeo and Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo
Hélène d'Orléans
25 June 1895
Church of St. Raphael, Kingston upon Thames
two sons
4 July 1931
Royal Palace of Turin
aged 62
Prince Amedeo
1931-1942
21 October 1898
Royal Palace of Turin
eldest son of Emanuele Filiberto and Hélène d'Orléans
Anne d'Orléans
5 November 1927
Naples
two daughters
3 March 1942
Nairobi
aged 43
Prince Aimone
1942-1948
9 March 1900
Royal Palace of Turin
second son of Emanuele Filiberto and Hélène d'Orléans
Irene of Greece and Denmark
1 July 1939
Florence
one son
29 January 1948
Buenos Aires
aged 47
Prince Amedeo
1948-present
27 September 1943
Florence
only son of Aimone and Irene of Greece and Denmark
Claude d'Orléans
22 July 1964
Sintra, Portugal
three children
Silvia Paternò di Spedalotto
30 March 1987
Villa Spedalotto
no issue
living
Prince Aimone, Duke of Apulia
Ducal heir
13 October 1967
Florence
first son of Amedeo
Olga of Greece
27 September 2008
Patmos, Greece
three children
living