Excerpt from The Romance of the House of Savoy 1003-1519

The Oldest reigning dynasty in Europe is the House Of Savoy. This dis tinction is further enhanced by the grace and poetry associated with its antiquity of lineage, which lend to the pages Of its history a unique interest and charm. The very name Of its founder is suggest ive Of romance and poetic association, around the origin Of Umberto delle Bian chemani, or Humbert Of the White Hands, arise legends and myths which envelop him in mystery, and complete the attrae tion which belongs to all that is ancient.

The names of his parents, the land that gave him birth, the language that he spoke, -all are matters for conjecture. It is still uncertain whether he was descended from a German or an Italian ancestor, and though he cannot be assigned to race or nationality, the appearance Of Hum bert Of the White Hands on the platform Of history is universally acknowledged to have taken place about the year 1003, when his staunch allegiance to the Ger man Emperor gained for him the im perial favour that contributed materially to consolidate the rising fortunes Of his house. His title Of Count Of Savoy, borne for the first time in 1036, was con firmed by Conrad the Salic, and other honours were bestowed on him by the same monarch, whose gratitude to his loyal and powerful vassal was continued during the whole of his life.

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