Maria of Calabria
Encyclopedia
Maria of Calabria was the first Empress consort of Philip II of Taranto
, titular Latin Emperor
of Constantinople
.
by his second wife Marie of Valois. Maria was a younger sister of Joan I of Naples
.
Their paternal grandparents were Robert of Naples
and Yolanda of Aragon
. Their maternal grandparents were Charles of Valois
and his third wife Mahaut of Châtillon
.
Yolanda was a daughter of Peter III of Aragon
and Constance of Sicily. Mahaut was a daughter of Guy IV, Count of Saint-Pol
and Marie of Brittany.
Marie was a daughter of John II, Duke of Brittany
and Beatrice of England
.
.
On 20 January 1343, Robert of Naples died. By the provisions of his will Joan was to become ruler of Naples, while Maria was given the title of Countess of Alba and given vast inheritance.
Maria had previously been intended as a potential bride for either Louis I of Hungary or John II of France
. However both men had chosen different brides, respectively Margaret of Bohemia and Bonne of Bohemia
. Shortly after the death of her grandfather, Maria was instead abducted by Agnes de Périgord, widow of John, Duke of Durazzo
. Agnes arranged the marriage of Maria to her son, Charles, Duke of Durazzo
. The marriage took place on 21 April 1343, the bride being almost fourteen-years-old and the groom twenty. They had five children:
Charles and Maria headed a faction opposing Joan and her second husband Louis of Taranto
. On 15 January 1348, Charles was named Lieutenant General and Governor of the Kingdom of Naples
. Joan and Louis had fled in the face of an invasion by Louis I, Charles apparently seeing an opportunity to claim power in their absence. He was captured by Louis I only days later, near Aversa
. On 23 January 1348, Charles was executed by decapitation in front of San Pietro a Maiella
. His period of power had lasted less than a week. Maria had become a nineteen-year-old widow.
. She sought refuge at the court of Pope Clement VI
. In 1348, the Black Death
reached the Italian Peninsula
, forcing Louis I and the majority of his army to retreat back to the Kingdom of Hungary
in hope of escaping the spreading epidemic. Maria returned to Naples and settled herself at the Chateau de l'Oeuf.
She was then abducted again, her second captor being Hugh IV, Lord of Baux. He arranged the marriage of Maria to his son and heir Robert, Lord of Baux. The marriage took place in 1348. They had four children:
Hugh IV was assassinated by Louis of Taranto in 1351. Robert succeeded him but was held captive in the Chateau de l'Oeuf. Maria reportedly ordered the assassination of her second husband in 1353, allowing her son to succeed as Lord of Baux
. She reportedly witnessed the murder first hand.
. He was a younger brother of Robert of Taranto
, Latin Emperor and Louis of Taranto. Both the bride and the groom were twenty-six years-old. She was already twice-widowed and mother of nine children while this was his first marriage. They would have five children, all died young:
His older brother Robert died childless in 1364. Philip was his legal heir and adopted the titles of Latin Emperor and Prince of Achaea
, with Maria as his consort. However much of Achaea was still actually held by Marie of Bourbon, widow of Robert, who claimed the title for herself and her son Hugh of Lusignan. Maria died in 1366, while the civil war for Achaea was ongoing.
Philip II of Taranto
Philip II of Taranto of the Angevin house, was Prince of Achaea and Taranto, and titular Emperor of Constantinople from 1364 to his death in 1374....
, titular Latin Emperor
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.
Family
She was a posthumous daughter of Charles, Duke of CalabriaCharles, Duke of Calabria
Charles, Duke of Calabria was the son of King Robert of Naples and Yolanda of Aragon.-Biography:Born in Naples, he became Duke of Calabria in 1309 on his father's accession, and was created Vicar-General of the Kingdom of Sicily...
by his second wife Marie of Valois. Maria was a younger sister of Joan I of Naples
Joan I of Naples
Joan I , born Joanna of Anjou, was Queen of Naples from 1343 until her death. She was also Countess of Provence and Forcalquier, Queen consort of Majorca and titular Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily 1343–82, and Princess of Achaea 1373/5–81....
.
Their paternal grandparents were Robert of Naples
Robert of Naples
Robert of Anjou , known as Robert the Wise was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Italian politics of his time. He was the third but eldest surviving son of King Charles II of Naples the Lame and Maria of Hungary...
and Yolanda of Aragon
Yolanda of Aragon
Yolanda of Aragon was the daughter of Peter III of Aragon and Constance of Sicily. She married Robert of Naples but was never Queen of Naples since she died before her husband inherited the throne.- Family :...
. Their maternal grandparents were Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois was the fourth son of Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon. His mother was a daughter of James I of Aragon and Yolande of Hungary. He was a member of the House of Capet and founded the House of Valois...
and his third wife Mahaut of Châtillon
Mahaut of Chatillon
Mahaut of Châtillon was the daughter of Guy III of Châtillon and Marie of Brittany. Her maternal grandmother was Beatrice of England, Beatrice was a daughter of Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence.- Marriage :...
.
Yolanda was a daughter of Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
and Constance of Sicily. Mahaut was a daughter of Guy IV, Count of Saint-Pol
Guy IV, Count of Saint-Pol
Guy III of Châtillon, Count of Saint Pol , French nobleman, was the son of Guy II of Châtillon and Matilda of Brabant....
and Marie of Brittany.
Marie was a daughter of John II, Duke of Brittany
John II, Duke of Brittany
John II was Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond, from 1286 to his death. He was son of Duke John I and Blanche of Navarre...
and Beatrice of England
Beatrice of England
Beatrice of England , also known as Beatrice de Dreux, was a Princess of England as the daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence...
.
Countess of Alba
On 9 November 1328, Charles of Calabria died. Maria was born approximately six months following his death. She was born and raised at the court of her paternal grandfather in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
On 20 January 1343, Robert of Naples died. By the provisions of his will Joan was to become ruler of Naples, while Maria was given the title of Countess of Alba and given vast inheritance.
Maria had previously been intended as a potential bride for either Louis I of Hungary or John II of France
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
. However both men had chosen different brides, respectively Margaret of Bohemia and Bonne of Bohemia
Bonne of Bohemia
Bonne of Luxemburg, Duchess of Normandy, Countess of Anjou and of Maine , was born Jutta , the daughter of John the Blind of Luxemburg, king of Bohemia and his first wife Elisabeth of Bohemia. She was the first wife of King John II of France; however, as her death occurred a year prior to his...
. Shortly after the death of her grandfather, Maria was instead abducted by Agnes de Périgord, widow of John, Duke of Durazzo
John, Duke of Durazzo
John of Gravina , Count of Gravina 1315–1336, Duke of Durazzo 1332–1336 and ruler of the Kingdom of Albania , was a younger son of Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary....
. Agnes arranged the marriage of Maria to her son, Charles, Duke of Durazzo
Charles, Duke of Durazzo
Charles of Durazzo was a Neapolitan nobleman, the eldest son of John, Duke of Durazzo and Agnes de Périgord.He succeeded his father as Duke of Durazzo and Count of Gravina in 1336....
. The marriage took place on 21 April 1343, the bride being almost fourteen-years-old and the groom twenty. They had five children:
- Louis (December 1343 – 14 January 1344)
- JoannaJoanna, Duchess of DurazzoJoanna of Durazzo was the eldest daughter and eldest surviving child of Charles, Duke of Durazzo and his wife Maria of Calabria. She succeeded as Duchess on the death of her father in 1348 when she was only a child of four years old. Joanna was a member of the House of Anjou-Durazzo.She reigned as...
(1344–1387), Duchess of Durazzo; married first in 1366 Louis of Navarre, Count of Beaumont (d. 1372), married second Robert IV of Artois, Count of EuRobert IV of Artois, Count of EuRobert IV of Artois , son of John of Artois, Count of Eu and Isabeau of Melun, was Count of Eu in 1387.About 1376, he married Joanna of Durazzo, daughter of Charles, Duke of Durazzo. He was poisoned and died in the Castel dell'Ovo, Naples....
(d. 1387). No issue from either marriage. - AgnesAgnes of DurazzoAgnes of Durazzo was the Empress consort of James of Baux, titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople. She was the last consort of the Latin Empire.-Family:She was the second daughter of Charles, Duke of Durazzo and Maria of Calabria...
(1345–1388, Naples), married first on 6 June 1363 Cansignorio della ScalaCansignorio della ScalaCansignorio della Scala was Lord of Verona from 1359 until 1375, initially together with his brother Paolo Alboino.-Biography:...
, Lord of Verona (d. 1375), married second James of BauxJames of BauxJames of Baux , Duke of Andria, was the last titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1374 to 1383 and Prince of Achaea from 1382 to 1383....
(d. 1383). No issue from either marriage. - Clementia (1346–1363, Naples)
- Margaret (28 July 1347 – 6 August 1412, MelaMelaMela is a Sanskrit word meaning 'gathering' or 'to meet' or a Fair. It is used in the Indian subcontinent for all sizes of gathering and can be religious, commercial, cultural or sports. In rural traditions melas or village fairs were of great importance...
), married in February 1368 Charles III of NaplesCharles III of NaplesCharles the Short or Charles of Durazzo was King of Naples and titular King of Jerusalem from 1382 to 1386 as Charles III, and King of Hungary from 1385 to 1386 as Charles II. In 1382 Charles created the order of Argonauts of Saint Nicholas...
.
Charles and Maria headed a faction opposing Joan and her second husband Louis of Taranto
Louis of Taranto
Louis I of Naples , of the House of Anjou, was the Prince of Taranto from 1346 and King of Naples from 1352. He was a son of Philip I of Taranto and Catherine II of Valois, Princess of Achaea. His paternal grandparents were Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary...
. On 15 January 1348, Charles was named Lieutenant General and Governor of the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
. Joan and Louis had fled in the face of an invasion by Louis I, Charles apparently seeing an opportunity to claim power in their absence. He was captured by Louis I only days later, near Aversa
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
. On 23 January 1348, Charles was executed by decapitation in front of San Pietro a Maiella
San Pietro a Maiella
San Pietro a Majella is a church in Naples, Italy. The term may also refer to the adjacent Naples music conservatory, which occupies the premises of the monastery that used to form a single complex with the church....
. His period of power had lasted less than a week. Maria had become a nineteen-year-old widow.
Second marriage
With Charles dead, Maria fled Naples for AvignonAvignon Papacy
The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1376 during which seven Popes resided in Avignon, in modern-day France. This arose from the conflict between the Papacy and the French crown....
. She sought refuge at the court of Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
. In 1348, the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
reached the Italian Peninsula
Italian Peninsula
The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...
, forcing Louis I and the majority of his army to retreat back to the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
in hope of escaping the spreading epidemic. Maria returned to Naples and settled herself at the Chateau de l'Oeuf.
She was then abducted again, her second captor being Hugh IV, Lord of Baux. He arranged the marriage of Maria to his son and heir Robert, Lord of Baux. The marriage took place in 1348. They had four children:
- Raymond III, Lord of Baux (d. 1372).
- Francis of Baux, Lord of AubagneAubagneAubagne is a commune located east of Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.The French Foreign Legion has its headquarters there...
(d. 1390). - Phanette of Baux. Married Ghiberto Terrici.
- Ettienette of Baux. Married Aymar, Lord of Roussillon and Annonya.
Hugh IV was assassinated by Louis of Taranto in 1351. Robert succeeded him but was held captive in the Chateau de l'Oeuf. Maria reportedly ordered the assassination of her second husband in 1353, allowing her son to succeed as Lord of Baux
Lords of Baux
This is a list of the Lords, Barons and Marquisses of Baux.-Lords of Baux of the House of Baux:*Pons , father of*Hugh 1 , father of*William I Hugh , father of*Raymond I , father of*Hugh II...
. She reportedly witnessed the murder first hand.
Third marriage
In April, 1355, Maria married her third husband Philip II of TarantoPhilip II of Taranto
Philip II of Taranto of the Angevin house, was Prince of Achaea and Taranto, and titular Emperor of Constantinople from 1364 to his death in 1374....
. He was a younger brother of Robert of Taranto
Robert of Taranto
Robert II of Taranto , of the Angevin family, Prince of Taranto , King of Albania , Prince of Achaea , Titular Emperor of Constantinople ....
, Latin Emperor and Louis of Taranto. Both the bride and the groom were twenty-six years-old. She was already twice-widowed and mother of nine children while this was his first marriage. They would have five children, all died young:
- Philip (1356).
- Charles (1358).
- Philip (1360).
- a child, (1362).
- a child, (1366).
His older brother Robert died childless in 1364. Philip was his legal heir and adopted the titles of Latin Emperor and Prince of Achaea
Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, along with the Duchy of Athens, until Thessalonica...
, with Maria as his consort. However much of Achaea was still actually held by Marie of Bourbon, widow of Robert, who claimed the title for herself and her son Hugh of Lusignan. Maria died in 1366, while the civil war for Achaea was ongoing.