Frederick IV of Naples

Frederick IV (April 19, 1452 – November 9, 1504), sometimes known as Frederick I or Federico d'Aragona, [He was the fourth Frederick to call himself King of Sicily, ruling under the title "Federicus Dei gratia rex Siciliae" ("Frederick by the grace of God king of Sicily"); the second Frederick to rule peninsular southern Italy after the Emperor Frederick II and thus sometimes called "Frederick II of Naples"; and the first Frederick to actually rule over the so-called Kingdom of Naples.] was the last King of Naples of the House of Trastámara, ruling from 1496 to 1501. He was the second son of Ferdinand I, younger brother of Alfonso II, and uncle of Ferdinand II, his predecessor.

Born in Naples to Ferdinand I and his first wife, Isabella of Taranto, the daughter of Tristan, Count of Copertino and Caterina Orsini, he succeeded his childless nephew Ferdinand II after the latter's early death in 1496, at the age of 28.

A combination of King Louis XII of France and Frederick's famous cousin King Ferdinand II of Aragon had continued the claim of Louis's predecessor, King Charles VIII of France, to Naples and Sicily. In 1501 they deposed Frederick; Naples initially went to Louis, but by 1504 a falling-out led to Naples' seizure by Ferdinand, after which it remained part of the Spanish possessions until the end of the War of the Spanish Succession.

Frederick died in Tours in 1504.

Marriages and children

Like his father, he married twice. His first wife was Anna of Savoy-daughter of Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy, and Yolande of Valois, daughter of Charles VII, King of France- whom he married on September 11 1478, in Milan. His second wife was Isabella del Balzo. He had 6 children, one with his first wife, Anna, and the rest with the second:

* Carlotta, only surviving daughter of Anna, married Count of Laval
* Giulia
* Isabel
* Ferdinand
* Alfonso
* Cesare

Notes