Eleanor of Sicily
Encyclopedia
Eleanor of Sicily was Queen Consort of Aragon (1349–1375). She was the daughter of Peter II of Sicily
and Elisabeth of Carinthia
. She was the third wife of Peter IV of Aragon
.
, Euphemia, Constance (both regents of Sicily
) Beatrice, wife of Rupert II, Elector Palatine, Louis of Sicily
and Blanche, Countess of Ampurias.
Eleanor's paternal grandparents were Frederick III of Sicily
and Eleanor of Anjou, daughter of Charles II of Naples
and Maria of Hungary. Eleanor's maternal grandparents were Otto III of Carinthia
and his wife Euphemia of Legnica, daughter of Henry V, Duke of Legnica
and Elisabeth of Kalisz.
, on the condition that he renounce all rights to any Sicilian Crown. He was twice-widowed, had two surviving daughters: Constance and Joanna
but no surviving sons.
Eleanor became a powerful influence at the Aragonese court, replacing Bernardo de Cabrera
as Peter's chief adviser.
Eleanor's brother Frederick III the Simple
, married Constance of Aragon (Eleanor's stepdaughter). Frederick and Constance had a daughter, Maria of Sicily but no sons. Then in 1357 Frederick tried to give Eleanor the rights to the succession of Sicily and the rights of the duchies of Athens
and Neopatria
in return for military help from her husband in Sicily, a proposal which was refused.
Eleanor and Peter had four children:
In 1373 Eleanor's eldest son John married Martha of Armagnac
, a calm and conciliatory women. Eleanor treated Martha as her own daughter.
Upon a royal stay at her home in Empordà
, Eleanor made Sibila of Fortia
her lady-in-waiting. This led to an eventful future for the girl.
In Lérida on 20 April 1375, Eleanor died leaving her husband a widower and her three surviving children. Her husband remarried to Sibila a girl that was over thirty years his junior. Most of the family including Eleanor's children came into conflict with Sibila.
Peter II of Sicily
Peter II was crowned King of Sicily in 1321 and gained full sovereignty when his father died in 1337....
and Elisabeth of Carinthia
Elisabeth of Carinthia
Elisabeth or Elizabeth was the daughter of Otto III of Carinthia by his wife Euphemia of Silesia-Liegnitz. She was born in Gorizia.-Family:...
. She was the third wife of Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
.
Early life and family
Eleanor was the second of eight children, all of them living to adulthood apart from a brother and sister, John and Violante. Eleanor's siblings included: Frederick III the SimpleFrederick III the Simple
Frederick III , called the Simple, was King of Sicily from 1355 to 1377. He was the second son of Peter II of Sicily and Elisabeth of Carinthia. He succeeded his brother Louis...
, Euphemia, Constance (both regents of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
) Beatrice, wife of Rupert II, Elector Palatine, Louis of Sicily
Louis of Sicily
Louis the Child was King of Sicily from 1342 to 1355.Born in Catania, he was the son of Peter II, whom he succeeded at the age of five, and his mother was Elisabeth of Carinthia. His reign began under the joint regency of his uncle John, Duke of Randazzo, and his mother.He lived at Randazzo...
and Blanche, Countess of Ampurias.
Eleanor's paternal grandparents were Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick II was the regent and subsequently King of Sicily from 1295 until his death. He was the third son of Peter III of Aragon and served in the War of the Sicilian Vespers on behalf of his father and brothers, Alfonso and James...
and Eleanor of Anjou, daughter of Charles II of Naples
Charles II of Naples
Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:...
and Maria of Hungary. Eleanor's maternal grandparents were Otto III of Carinthia
Otto III of Carinthia
Otto III of Carinthia was a member of the Meinhardiner family. He was Duke of Carinthia from 1295 to 1310. He was also Count of Gorizia and Vienna...
and his wife Euphemia of Legnica, daughter of Henry V, Duke of Legnica
Henry V, Duke of Legnica
Henry V the Fat was a Duke of Jawor from 1273, of Legnica from 1278 and also Duke of Wroclaw from 1290....
and Elisabeth of Kalisz.
Marriage
Eleanor married in Valencia on 27 August 1349 to Peter IV of AragonPeter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
, on the condition that he renounce all rights to any Sicilian Crown. He was twice-widowed, had two surviving daughters: Constance and Joanna
Joanna of Aragon, Countess of Ampurias
Joanna of Aragon was the second child of Peter IV of Aragon and his first wife Maria of Navarre. She was an Infanta of Aragon by birth and Countess of Ampurias by her marriage. She was a member of the House of Aragon.- Family :Joanna was the second-born child of her parents. Her elder sister was...
but no surviving sons.
Eleanor became a powerful influence at the Aragonese court, replacing Bernardo de Cabrera
Bernardo de Cabrera
Bernardo de Cabrera was an Aragonese nobleman, diplomat, and military commander. Born in Calatayud, he participated in the conquest of Majorca...
as Peter's chief adviser.
Eleanor's brother Frederick III the Simple
Frederick III the Simple
Frederick III , called the Simple, was King of Sicily from 1355 to 1377. He was the second son of Peter II of Sicily and Elisabeth of Carinthia. He succeeded his brother Louis...
, married Constance of Aragon (Eleanor's stepdaughter). Frederick and Constance had a daughter, Maria of Sicily but no sons. Then in 1357 Frederick tried to give Eleanor the rights to the succession of Sicily and the rights of the duchies of Athens
Duchy of Athens
The Duchy of Athens was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade, encompassing the regions of Attica and Boeotia, and surviving until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century....
and Neopatria
Duchy of Neopatria
The Duchy of Neopatria or Neopatras was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade...
in return for military help from her husband in Sicily, a proposal which was refused.
Eleanor and Peter had four children:
- John I of AragonJohn I of AragonJohn I , called by posterity the Hunter or the Lover of Elegance , but the Abandoned in his lifetime, was the King of...
(1350–1396), succeeded his father and was father himself of Yolande of AragonYolande of AragonYolande of Aragon, , was a throne claimant and titular queen regnant of Aragon, titular queen consort of Naples, Duchess of Anjou, Countess of Provence, and regent of Provence during the minority of her son...
, however he had no male issue so the throne passed to his younger brother - Martin I of AragonMartin I of AragonMartin of Aragon , called the Elder, the Humane, the Ecclesiastic, was the King of Aragon, Valencia, Sardinia, and Corsica and Count of Barcelona from 1396 and King of Sicily from 1409...
(1356–1410), succeeded John but had no surviving issue - Eleanor (1358–1382), who married John I of CastileJohn I of CastileJohn I was the king of Crown of Castile, was the son of Henry II and of his wife Juana Manuel of Castile, daughter of Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile...
and was the mother of Ferdinand I of AragonFerdinand I of AragonFerdinand I called of Antequera and also the Just or the Honest) was king of Aragon, Valencia, Majorca, Sardinia and Corsica and king of Sicily, duke of Athens and Neopatria, and count of Barcelona, Roussillon and Cerdanya...
. - Alfonso (1362–1364), died young
In 1373 Eleanor's eldest son John married Martha of Armagnac
Martha of Armagnac
Martha of Armagnac was the youngest child of John I of Armagnac and his second wife Beatrice of Clermont. She was the first wife of John I of Aragon but never became Queen consort of Aragon because she was outlived by her father-in-law Peter IV of Aragon.- Early Life and Family :Martha was the...
, a calm and conciliatory women. Eleanor treated Martha as her own daughter.
Upon a royal stay at her home in Empordà
Empordà
Empordà is a historical region of Catalonia divided since 1936 into two comarques, Alt Empordà and Baix Empordà....
, Eleanor made Sibila of Fortia
Sibila of Fortia
Sibila of Fortià , Queen of Aragon, was daughter of Berenguer de Fortià and his wife, Francesca of Palau. Sibila belonged to the lineage of Fortià, the lower nobility, with possessions in the rural Empordà, in the county of Ampurias. She was Queen consort of Aragon by her marriage to Peter IV of...
her lady-in-waiting. This led to an eventful future for the girl.
In Lérida on 20 April 1375, Eleanor died leaving her husband a widower and her three surviving children. Her husband remarried to Sibila a girl that was over thirty years his junior. Most of the family including Eleanor's children came into conflict with Sibila.