,
Paris, 1833. Private collection Prince Ferdinando was born in
Florence, the second son of
Charles Albert, Prince of Carignano and
Maria Theresa of Tuscany. His father was the head of the
House of Savoy-Carignano, a cadet branch of the
House of Savoy. The senior line of the house became extinct in 1831, and his father succeeded as
King of Sardinia. With the ascension of his father, he was created
Duke of Genoa. During the wars taking place on the
Italian Peninsula in 1848 and 1849, Prince Ferdinando commanded an army division. After peace was restored in Italy, he was appointed general commandant of the artillery and set about making improvements. As a result of the
Sicilian revolution of independence, he was a candidate for the throne. He was the most acceptable candidate to Britain, and the British Minister in
Turin informed him they would recognise him as king as soon as he took possession of the throne. On 11 July 1848, the national assembly of Sicily unanimously voted to offer him the throne. When the Sicilian deputation arrived to offer him the throne, he was absent from Royal headquarters as he was commanding a division in the army. After Sardinia's defeat by the forces of the
Austrian Empire commanded by
Joseph Radetzky von Radetz he felt compelled to decline the opportunity to become
King of Sicily. ,
Turin, 19th century. During the
Crimean War, he was to be appointed to command the Kingdom of Sardinia's
auxiliary corps but his declining health meant he could not take up the posting. His health did not recover, and he died in
Turin at the age thirty-two. He is buried in the Royal Crypt of the
Basilica of Superga. His one-year-old son
Thomas succeeded to the title
Duke of Genoa. ==Marriage and children==