Capetian House of Anjou

The Capetian House of Anjou, or the Second Angevin dynasty, was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, established by Charles, Count of Anjou, the youngest son of Louis VIII of France. In its time, the House ruled Naples and Sicily, Hungary and Croatia, and Poland.

History

Charles of France, the son of Louis VIII, was made count of the western French province of Anjou by his elder brother, King Louis IX in 1246.

In 1266 Charles was granted the crown of Naples and Sicily by the Pope in return for overthrowing the territories' Hohenstaufen rulers.

Charles was driven out of Sicily in 1282, but his successors ruled Naples until 1435.

This House of Anjou included the branches of Anjou-Hungary, which ruled Hungary (1308–1385, 1386–1395) and Poland (1370–1399), Anjou-Taranto, which ruled the remnants of the Latin Empire (1313–1374) and Anjou-Durazzo, which ruled Naples (1382–1435) and Hungary (1385–1386).

The line became extinct in the male line with the death of King Ladislas of Naples in 1414, and totally extinct with the death of his sister Joan II in 1435.