Hugh of Brienne

Hugh de Candie, Count of Brienne and Lecce (c. 1240 – August 8, 1296) was the second surviving son of Count Walter IV of Brienne and Mary of Lusignan of Cyprus.

His father, Count of Jaffa and Ascalon in Palestine, died in 1246 in Cairo, and was succeeded by his elder son, John.

On the death of John (c. 1260), Hugh inherited the County of Brienne, in France, and the family's claims in southern Italy, including the Principality of Taranto and the County of Lecce, which had been confiscated in 1205.

He claimed the regency of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (and, indirectly, a place in the succession) in 1264 as senior heir of Alice of Jerusalem and Hugh I of Cyprus, being the son of their eldest daughter, but was passed over by the "Haute Cour" in favor of his cousin Hugh of Antioch, and thereafter took little part in the affairs of Outremer. His first cousin King Hugh II of Cyprus died in 1267, and despite Hugh's rights as the senior heir, Hugh of Antioch, was crowned as Hugh III of Cyprus. When his second cousin's son Conradin, King of Jerusalem, was killed in 1268, the succession again went to the junior cousin Hugh III.

Hugh decided to seek his fortune in Europe rather than Outremer, and took service under Charles I of Naples. Charles made him Captain-General of Brindisi, Otranto and Apulia and Lord of Conversano, and he was an enthusiastic partisan of the Angevin cause in Italy. For this service, his family's County of Lecce was restored to him. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of the Gulf of Naples in 1284 with Charles II of Naples and again at the Battle of the Counts in 1287, both times in sea battles against Roger of Lauria. On one of these occasions, he obtained his parole by leaving his only son Walter as a hostage. He was killed in Sicily, at the Battle of Gagliano, fighting Catalan Almogavars, and was succeeded by Walter.

Hugh's first wife was Isabella of La Roche, heiress of Thebes. She bore him two children:
* Walter of Brienne (d. 1311), Duke of Athens, his heir.
* Agnes of Brienne, married John, Count of Joigny

His second wife was Helena Komnena Dukaina of Epirus-Neopatras, heiress of Lamia and Larisa. She bore him one daughter:
* Joanna of Brienne, married Niccolo Sanudo, Duke of Naxos.