Beatrice of Savoy, Dame of Faucigny

Beatrice of Savoy (c.1237-21 April 1310) was suo jure Dame of Faucigny through the inheritance from her mother Agnes of Faucigny. Her father was Peter II, Count of Savoy, she was his only legitimate child, but due to Salic law that existed in Savoy, she was excluded from the succession upon his death in 1268. In addition to being Dame, Beatrice held the titles of Dauphine of Viennois and Viscountess of Béarn by her two marriages.

Despite being the only legitimate child of her father, she did have one illegitimate half-sister through him named Isabelle who would marry Pierre of Salinento, a family relation to both.

Beatrice's paternal grandparents were Thomas I of Savoy and Margaret of Geneva, one of their daughters was Beatrice of Savoy. This family link made the younger Beatrice a cousin to Margaret of Provence, wife of Louis IX of France and Eleanor of Provence, wife of Henry III of England.

In 1253 Beatrice was married to Guigues VII of Viennois, they had been betrothed to each other since 1241, the marriage being the work of Beatrice's maternal grandfather Aymon II, Seigneur de Faucigny.

The subject of Beatrice's inheritance was soon raised. Her mother Agnes, had originally intended to give a third of the inheritance to her daughter and two thirds to her husband Peter. However, she changed her will and named Beatrice as the sole heir of her lands in Faucigny along with Beatrice's husband Guigues. Beatrice's parents died months apart, they both died in 1268 with Peter dying on May 15 and Agnes on August 11. Beatrice and her husband however, only inherited some of the lands that had belonged to her mother. Beatrice was forced to give up Thoire-Villars to her aunt, also named Beatrice. The claim of Beatrice for all of her mother's inheritance was strong considering the power of Guigues. However, due to Salic law over Savoy, which barred the rights of females to inherit, the succession as Count of Savoy passed over Beatrice to her uncle who succeeded as Philip I, Count of Savoy. Philip did however show support to Beatrice's aunt over the inheritance in Faucigny, this led to war breaking out, Beatrice was captured and imprisoned. She was only allowed to be released if she agreed to allow her aunt to maintain her portion of the inheritance and paid homage to Savoy. Beatrice agreed and she paid homage throughout the 1290s.