Charlotte of Cyprus

Charlotte
Charlotte of Cyprus, in the centre with the open book
Queen of Cyprus
Reign	1458-1464
Spouse	John, Prince of Antioc Louis of Savoy, Count of Geneva
Father	John II of Cyprus
Mother	Helena Palaiologina
Born	28 June 1444 Nicosia, Cyprus
Died	16 July 1487 Rome, Italy

Charlotte (28 June 1444^[1] - 16 July 1487), was Queen of Cyprus and Princess of Antioch, as well as titular Queen of Jerusalem and Armenia.

She was the eldest and only surviving daughter of King John II of Cyprus and Helena Palaiologina. At the age of 14, she succeeded to the Cypriot throne upon the death of her father in 1458. Her illegitimate half-brother, James challenged her right to the crown. With the support of the Egyptians, he forced her to flee the island in 1463, and he was later crowned king. She made a military attempt to regain her throne, but was unsuccessful, and died childless in Rome.

Queen of Cyprus

Charlotte was born in Nicosia on 28 June 1444, the eldest and only surviving daughter of King John II of Cyprus and Helena Palaiologina. Her younger sister Cleopha died in June 1448, shortly before Charlotte's fourth birthday, leaving her the sole legitimate heir to the Cypriot throne and her father's titles. She had an illegitimate half-brother, James, born to her father's beautiful Greek mistress Marietta de Patras. Charlotte's mother, Queen Helena was extremely jealous of Marietta, who was already her husband's mistress at the time of their marriage. Shortly after the wedding, she ordered her rival's nose to be cut off.^[2]

Her paternal grandparents were King Janus of Cyprus and Charlotte de Bourbon-La Marche.^[3] Her mother was a daughter of Theodore II Palaiologos, Lord of Morea and his wife Cleofa Malatesta. Theodore was in turn a son of Eastern Roman Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš.

Charlotte succeeded as Princess of Antioch in 1456. At the age of 14, upon her father's death, Charlotte became Queen of Cyprus, ruling from 1458 to 1460 or 1464. Her right to the throne was challenged by her illegitimate half-brother James who captured Famagusta and Nicosia with Egyptian support. After being blockaded in the castle of Kyrenia for three years, she fled to Rome in 1463, whereupon her half-brother was crowned King James II.

She made an unsuccessful military attempt to regain her throne with papal support.

Marriages

Charlotte married twice:

1. Infante John of Portugal, also known as John of Coimbra, (1431 or 1433 – between July and 11 September 1457) (son of Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra and grandson of King John I of Portugal), in May 1456 in Nicosia. He was made a Titular Prince of Antioch. It is rumoured that his death was a murder due to poisoning, arranged by Queen Helena, leaving Charlotte free to make a second marriage.
2. Louis of Savoy, Count of Geneva (Geneva, 5 June 1436 or 1 April 1437 – Château-Monastery de Ripaille, August, 1482). The couple were married on 4 October 1459. Louis was the second son and namesake of Louis, Count of Savoy by Anne de Lusignan, daughter of King Janus of Cyprus and became a King of Cyprus from 1459 to 1462 and also a titular King of Jerusalem.

By her second husband Louis, Charlotte had an unnamed son who was born in July 1464, but the boy died within a month of his birth.^[4]

She died childless on 16 July 1487, shortly after her forty-third birthday. She adopted as her son, Alfonso of Aragon, the illegitimate son of King Ferdinand II of Naples, who was married to her half-brother's illegitimate daughter, Charlotte de Lusignan. However, in February 1485, in exchange for an annual pension of 4,300 florins,^[5] she instead ceded her claims to her cousin's son Charles I of Savoy, the next in the legitimate line of succession.

Charlotte is buried in St. Peter's Basilica.

Kyrenia Castle in Cyprus, where Charlotte was blockaded for three years

References

1. ^ Medieval Lands "Cyprus"
2. ^ Charles Cawley. Medieval Lands, Cyprus
3. ^ Charles Cawley, Medieval Lands, Cyprus
4. ^ Medieval Lands, Cyprus
5. ^ Medieval Lands,Cyprus

Regnal titles
Preceded by John II	Queen of Cyprus 1458–1464 with Louis (1459–1464)	Succeeded by James II

Persondata
Name	Charlotte Of Cyprus
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	28 June 1444
Place of birth	Nicosia, Cyprus
Date of death	16 July 1487
Place of death	Rome, Italy