Editing Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy (section)

==Early years==
When his father died in 1343, Amadeus inherited the [[County of Savoy]]. Since he was only nine years old, his father's will left two cousins as co-regents: [[Amadeus III of Geneva]] and [[Louis II of Vaud]]. The two agreed to a document limiting their power as regents. Neither could make any significant decision without the other, and the decisions of both were subject to review by the resident council of nobles representing all [[bailiwick|bailis]] in the county.{{sfn|Cox|1967|pp=33–36}}

Shortly after Amadeus took the county, his cousin [[Joan of Savoy]] renewed her claim on the county of Savoy, that she was descended from Amadeus's uncle [[Edward, Count of Savoy]], though her claim had previously been denied under Savoy's [[Semi-Salic]] tradition. Though she died the following year, in her will she left the county to [[Philip, Duke of Orléans]] to spite her cousins. In 1345, he negotiated a similar settlement to the one Joan reached with Aymon, yielding the claim in exchange for 5000 livres annually.{{sfn|Cox|1967|pp=53–55}}
[[File:Blason duché fr Savoie.svg|thumb|100px|Coat of arms of the counts of Savoy|left]]
Amadeus was educated both physically and mentally. He enjoyed learning to fight and ride. His education included classic works such as [[De Re Militari]] and more modern texts including [[Giles of Rome#Works|De Regimine Principum]].{{sfn|Cox|1967|p=51}} He also showed religious devotion, requesting a portable altar and the right for his chaplain to say mass for him every morning wherever he may be. He took vows to fast more often than was healthy for him, and then asked [[Pope Clement VI]] to release him from these vows. The pope agreed, asking him instead to feed twelve of the poor weekly.{{sfn|Cox|1967|p=52}}

When the young Angevin queen [[Joanna I of Naples]] took the throne, several in northern Italy sought to take advantage of her inexperience and seize her lands there. [[John II, Marquess of Montferrat]] led the first attacks, while [[James of Piedmont]], a cousin and vassal of Amadeus, backed the queen. After her first army was defeated in 1345, the attackers moved next into the territory ruled by James. In 1347, James asked Amadeus for help, and Amadeus sent an army. That army swept the attackers back through July of that year, with Amadeus joining the fighting in the last few weeks. John then recruited the help of [[Humbert II of Viennois|Humbert II, Dauphin of Viennois]], an old enemy of the Savoyards, and [[Thomas II, Marquess of Saluzzo]]. Together, they conquered the Angevin lands. [[Pope Clement VI]] spent 1348 negotiating a truce to end the fighting, which none of the combatants were satisfied with.{{sfn|Cox|1967|pp=63–68, 71}}

From 1348 through 1351, the [[Black Death]] ravaged the lands of Savoy, halving the population in some villages. In 1348, many of the peasants thought that it was caused by Jews poisoning wells and fountains. Though the castellans in some places tried to protect them, quite a few were killed. In Chambéry, the Jews were locked in the castle for their protection, but a mob broke in and killed several. Court officers were then pressured into finding the remainder guilty of poisoning, executing eleven and charging the remainder a fine of 160 florins per month for the next six years.{{sfn|Cox|1967|pp=68–70}}

In 1349, Amadeus agreed to a treaty between himself, Amadeus of Geneva, James of Piedmont, and the [[Visconti of Milan|House of Visconti]], rulers of [[Milan]], for mutual defence and assistance. This treaty included provisions for [[Galeazzo II Visconti]] to marry [[Bianca of Savoy]], sister of the count. To honour the marriage in 1350, Amadeus created the [[Order of the Black Swan]].{{sfn|Cox|1967|p=78}}

In 1349 Humbert II de La Tour du Pin, Dauphin de Viennois, the last [[Dauphin de Viennois]], surrendered his title and principality to the future [[Charles V of France]]. At the time the new [[Dauphin of France|Dauphin]] was grandson of the current King [[Philip VI of France]] and son to his [[heir apparent]], the later [[John II of France]]. Humbert II retired into a Dominican monastery.{{sfn|Cox|1967|pp=74–75}}