Louis of Taranto

Louis (1320 [Or 1308.] – 26 May 1362), 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. His maternal grandparents were Charles of Valois and his second wife, Catherine I of Courtenay.

In 1342, Louis became Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the oldest and most prestigious military orders of Christendom. In 1346, his elder brother Robert became the titular Latin Emperor. Louis was invested with Taranto.

On 20 August, 1346, Louis married his cousin, the queen of Naples, Joan I, in Naples, becoming her second husband and the only of her husbands to be accorded the title of king. He was crowned as King of Naples in 1352 (or perhaps 1353).

In 1360, as king, Louis invaded Sicily, in support of the insurrection against Frederick III the Simple. In 1361, Louis and Joan had to flee Naples for Gaeta to escape the armies of Louis I of Hungary. When Louis died, no husband of Joan was ever crowned king after him and Taranto passed to his younger brother Philip II.

Wife and children

Children of his marriage (1346), with Joan I, Queen of Naples:
* Catherine (1347–aft. 1362)
* Francesca (1349–1352)Other offspring:
* Esclabonde (illegitimate)
* Clemenzia (illegitimate)

Notes