Philip of Lagonesse
Encyclopedia
Philip of Lagonesse was an official of Charles I of Sicily
.
He was a Frenchman, from Gonesse
or La Gonesse, a village near Paris
.
His father, Guillaume of Lagonesse, had accompanied Charles on his conquest of the Kingdom of Sicily
, and died in 1269. Philip was invested by Charles with the fief of Roccaguglielma in 1272.
While serving as seneschal of Piedmont
, he was sharply defeated in autumn of 1275 and was forced to retreat into Provence, abandoning most of the province. However, before 1278, he had been granted the additional fief of San Nicandro.
Made marshal
of Sicily
some time after Charles' conquest of that kingdom, he was appointed bailli
and vicar-general of Achaea
in 1280. His predecessor, Galeran of Ivry
, had left the affairs of the principality in disarray, and Philip strove to pay off the troops stationed there and improve the fortresses with funds from the reorganized mint at Glarentza
.
After the Sicilian Vespers
and the revolt of the island of Sicily
, he was recalled from Achaea for the ensuing war. He was invested with Giffoni and Vairano in 1284; he was, in addition, Lord of Airola
.
He married the widowed Altruda de Apolita and had four children:
Charles I of Sicily
Charles I , known also as Charles of Anjou, was the King of Sicily by conquest from 1266, though he had received it as a papal grant in 1262 and was expelled from the island in the aftermath of the Sicilian Vespers of 1282...
.
He was a Frenchman, from Gonesse
Gonesse
Gonesse is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.The commune lies immediately north of Le Bourget Airport and southwest of Charles de Gaulle International Airport.-History:...
or La Gonesse, a village near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
His father, Guillaume of Lagonesse, had accompanied Charles on his conquest of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
, and died in 1269. Philip was invested by Charles with the fief of Roccaguglielma in 1272.
While serving as seneschal of Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, he was sharply defeated in autumn of 1275 and was forced to retreat into Provence, abandoning most of the province. However, before 1278, he had been granted the additional fief of San Nicandro.
Made marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
some time after Charles' conquest of that kingdom, he was appointed bailli
Bailli
A bailli was the king’s administrative representative during the ancien régime in northern France, where the bailli was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in his baillage...
and vicar-general 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...
in 1280. His predecessor, Galeran of Ivry
Galeran of Ivry
Galeran of Ivry was an official of Charles I of Sicily.Galeran was appointed seneschal of the kingdom of Sicily in 1272, where he was unpopular due to his arrogance and partiality....
, had left the affairs of the principality in disarray, and Philip strove to pay off the troops stationed there and improve the fortresses with funds from the reorganized mint at Glarentza
Glarentza
Glarentza is a medieval city located next to the location of today's Kyllini in the Ilia prefecture, Greece.Glarentza, a corruption of Clarentia or Clarence, was an important city, mint and port during Frankish rule in the Peloponnese...
.
After the Sicilian Vespers
Sicilian Vespers
The Sicilian Vespers is the name given to the successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out on the Easter of 1282 against the rule of the French/Angevin king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266. Within six weeks three thousand French men and women were slain by...
and the revolt of the island 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,...
, he was recalled from Achaea for the ensuing war. He was invested with Giffoni and Vairano in 1284; he was, in addition, Lord of Airola
Airola
Airola is a comune in the Province of Benevento in the Italian region Campania, located about 35 km northeast of Naples and about 20 km southwest of Benevento in the Valle Caudina, facing the Monte Taburno. Nearby is the confluence of the Tesa and Faenza streams into the Isclero River...
.
He married the widowed Altruda de Apolita and had four children:
- Guglielmo (d. v.p.)
- Giovanni (Gianotto), Lord of Airola until 1296, when he lost it to his cousin Carlo
- Guglielma (d. aft. 1294), married Sergio Siginolfo, Lord of Mondragone
- Mileta, married Gualtieri Caracciolo Pisquizi, Lord of Arnesano