Walter III of Brienne
Encyclopedia
Walter III of Brienne was the Count of Brienne 1191–1205, Prince of Taranto, Duke of Apulia, and Count of Lecce
, and titular King of Sicily
1201–1205.
In 1200 he married Maria, daughter of Tancred of Sicily
and sister and heiress of the deposed king William III of Sicily
. Her precise name is unclear but has been given variously as Mary, Elvira, Albiria, Albinia, or Blanche. She died after 1216. At the time of their marriage, she and her family were exiles in France, trying to find allies to reclaim the Kingdom of Sicily from the young King Frederick
. As her husband, Walter was recognized by Pope Innocent III
as Prince of Taranto, Duke of Apulia, and Count of Lecce. After the Battle of Agnella in 1201, he took the title of King of Sicily. In 1204, he was besieged in the fortress of Terracina by Diepold of Vohburg and lost an eye to an arrow, but he broke the siege and put Diepold to flight. On June 11, 1205, he was ambushed by a sally of Diepold's while besieging him at Sarno
and mortally wounded. He died in German hands on June 14, 1205, and was buried at the church of St. Maria della Foce in Sarno.
In 1205, his widow gave birth to his son, Walter IV of Brienne
; but he received only the County of Brienne, his Sicilian inheritance having been confiscated because of his father's rebellion.
His daughter Anais married Balian I Grenier, Lord of Sidon
, and was also a mistress of Frederick II.
His widow Elvira married secondly Giacomo Sanseverino, Count of Tricario, and thirdly Tigrini Guidi, Count of Modigliano (or Count Palatine in Tuscany
?)
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
, and titular King 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...
1201–1205.
In 1200 he married Maria, daughter of Tancred of Sicily
Tancred of Sicily
Tancred was King of Sicily from 1189 to 1194. He was an illegitimate son of Roger III, Duke of Apulia, the eldest son of King Roger II, and of Emma, daughter of Achard II, Count of Lecce...
and sister and heiress of the deposed king William III of Sicily
William III of Sicily
William III was briefly king of Sicily for 10 months in 1194.He was the second son of King Tancred of Sicily and Sibylla of Acerra. At the age of four, shortly after the death of first his older brother Roger V, Duke of Apulia, and then a few weeks later of his father the king , William was...
. Her precise name is unclear but has been given variously as Mary, Elvira, Albiria, Albinia, or Blanche. She died after 1216. At the time of their marriage, she and her family were exiles in France, trying to find allies to reclaim the Kingdom of Sicily from the young King Frederick
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
. As her husband, Walter was recognized by Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
as Prince of Taranto, Duke of Apulia, and Count of Lecce. After the Battle of Agnella in 1201, he took the title of King of Sicily. In 1204, he was besieged in the fortress of Terracina by Diepold of Vohburg and lost an eye to an arrow, but he broke the siege and put Diepold to flight. On June 11, 1205, he was ambushed by a sally of Diepold's while besieging him at Sarno
Sarno
Sarno is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, in the province of Salerno, 20 km northeast from the city of Salerno and 60 km east of Naples by the main railway.-Overview:...
and mortally wounded. He died in German hands on June 14, 1205, and was buried at the church of St. Maria della Foce in Sarno.
In 1205, his widow gave birth to his son, Walter IV of Brienne
Walter IV of Brienne
Walter IV the Great of Brienne was Count of Brienne 1205–1244. He was the son of Walter III of Brienne and Elvira of Lecce. Around the time of his birth, his father lost his bid for the Sicilian throne and died in prison...
; but he received only the County of Brienne, his Sicilian inheritance having been confiscated because of his father's rebellion.
His daughter Anais married Balian I Grenier, Lord of Sidon
Lordship of Sidon
The Lordship of Sidon was one of the four major fiefdoms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, one of the Crusader States. However, in reality, it appears to have been much smaller than the others and had the same level of significance as several neighbors, such as Toron and Beirut, which were...
, and was also a mistress of Frederick II.
His widow Elvira married secondly Giacomo Sanseverino, Count of Tricario, and thirdly Tigrini Guidi, Count of Modigliano (or Count Palatine in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
?)