Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia (27 April 1701-20 February 1773) was King of Sardinia and Duke of Savoy from 3 September 1730 to 20 February 1773, succeeding Victor Amadeus II and preceding Victor Amadeus III.
Biography[]
Carlo Emanuele di Savoia was born in Turin, Savoy in 1701, the son of Victor Amadeus II of Savoy and the maternal grandson of Philippe I, Duke of Orleans and Henrietta of England. He inherited the throne of Sardinia-Piedmont in 1730, and he backed Stanislaw Leszczynski's claim to the Polish throne during the War of the Polish Succession as an excuse to expand Savoyard territory into the Austrian-controlled Duchy of Milan. While he quickly occupied Lombardy, he withdrew from the Savoyard-French-Spanish expedition after learning that Spain intended to reacquire Lombardy for itself. He went on to side with Empress Maria Theresa of Austria during the War of the Austrian Succession, and he narrowly defeated a Franco-Spanish invasion with Austrian help. In 1747, he decisively defeated the French at the Battle of Assietta, retaining Savoyard independence. He died in 1773.