Prince Eugene Emmanuel of Savoy-Carignano, Count of Villafranca (Paris, 14 April 1816 – Turin, 15 December 1888) was a statesman and military leader for Piedmont–Sardinia and later for the Kingdom of Italy.
He was a son of Joseph Marie de Savoie-Carignan (1783–1825), a close relative of King Charles Albert of Sardinia, and Pauline Antoinette de Quélen de Stuer de Caussade (1783–1829), daughter of French Ambassador Paul François de Quélen de Stuer de Caussade and Antoinette de Pons. His sister was Princess Maria Filiberta of Savoy and his grandfather was Prince Eugenio, Count of Villafranca.
He graduated from the Royal Naval School in Genoa, after which he joined the navy as an officer. In the summer of 1834, with the rank of lieutenant, he transferred from the navy to the army, initially to the Piedmont cavalry. By 1836 he had become a colonel, and in 1844, a lieutenant general. In parallel, he continued to be listed in the navy, and was eventually promoted to admiral.[1]
Somewhat earlier, in 1842, the prince tried to marry Brazilian Princess Januária of Brazil, but was refused. In 1843, he tried to marry the Austrian princess Maria Carolina, daughter of Archduke Rainer of Austria, but she died the following year, before the marriage was concluded. The loss of his future bride plunged the prince into complete despair, and for many years after that, he did not want to marry, even when the King offered him advantageous matches.
Eugenio Emanuele in 1861.
However, twenty years later he finally married a 19-year-old ballerina of relatively simple origin, named Felicite Crosio (1844–1911). From this marriage, eight children were born, who were granted all rights to the lands and titles of their father by decision of King Umberto, despite the fact that their parents' marriage was morganatic.
Prince Eugene Emmanuel participated in several military actions during the Wars for the Unification of Italy (1848–1871). Charles Albert appointed Eugene as commander general of the Navy of the Kingdom of Sardinia between 1844–48 and 1849–51.
Four times during the war (1848, 1849, 1859, 1866), he held the Lieutenancy of the Kingdom. He was the regent of the United Provinces of Central Italy in Tuscany (March 1860) and Lieutenant in Naples (January 1861).
In 1861, he distinguished himself in the Siege of Gaeta, which was defended by supporters of the King of the Two Sicilies, Francis II.
After the unification of Italy, he presided over the General Commission for the Defense of the State, the National Consortium, the National Shooting Range and many other associations of various kinds. He died in Turin on 15 December 1888.
He received the Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece during the short Spanish reign of his cousin Amadeus I, as well as several other awards.
Gold Medal for Military Valor "For having distinguished himself as lieutenant general of HM the King in the southern provinces, Gaeta 1861", 13 April 1861;
Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (Spain) /during the brief Spanish reign of Amadeus I, former Duke of Aosta/.
