Agnes of Durazzo
Encyclopedia
Agnes of Durazzo was the Empress consort of James of Baux
, titular Latin Emperor
of Constantinople
. She was the last consort of the Latin Empire.
and Maria of Calabria
. Agnes was a younger sister of Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo
and an older sister of Margherita of Durazzo
, Queen consort of Charles III of Naples
.
Their paternal grandparents were John, Duke of Durazzo
and Agnes de Périgord. Their maternal grandparents were Charles, Duke of Calabria
and his second wife Marie of Valois.
Marie was a daughter of Charles of Valois
and his third wife Mahaut of Châtillon
. Her maternal grandparents were Guy IV, Count of Saint-Pol
and Marie of Brittany. The elder Marie was a daughter of John II, Duke of Brittany
and Beatrice of England
.
. Cansignorio was a younger brother and nominal co-ruler of Cangrande II della Scala
, Lord of Verona
. In 1359, Cansignorio assassinated his older brother and succeeded him. His succession claim was supported by the Carraresi family
of Padua
. His younger brother Paolo Alboino della Scala
became his co-ruler until 1365.
On 10 October 1375, Cansignorio died, presumed to have been poisoned. Their marriage was childless. Cansignorio had three known children, all illegitimate. His daughter Lucia della Scalla married first Cortesia Serego and secondly Bernardino da Polenta
, of the ruling family of Ravenna
. His sons Bartolomeo II della Scala
and Antonio I della Scala
would succeed as Lords of Verona.
. He was the claimant to the throne of the Latin Empire since 1374. He had control over the Principality of Taranto
and the Principality of Achaea
. Her brother-in-law Charles III of Naples granted her Corfu
as part of her dowry
.
Their marriage was short-lived. On 7 July 1383, James died in Taranto
. She survived him by five years but never remarried. He was succeeded as Prince of Taranto by Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
, widower of Joan I of Naples
. He was succeeded as Prince of Achaea by Charles III of Naples
. The will of James actually named Louis I, Duke of Anjou
, a claimant to the throne of the Kingdom of Naples
, as his successor in both the Latin Empire and Achaea. However Louis and his descendants never used the title. Marie of Blois, wife of Louis I, only used the title of Queen consort of Sicily (Naples).
James of Baux
James of Baux , Duke of Andria, was the last titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1374 to 1383 and Prince of Achaea from 1382 to 1383....
, titular Latin Emperor
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. She was the last consort of the Latin Empire.
Family
She was the second daughter of Charles, Duke of DurazzoCharles, Duke of Durazzo
Charles of Durazzo was a Neapolitan nobleman, the eldest son of John, Duke of Durazzo and Agnes de Périgord.He succeeded his father as Duke of Durazzo and Count of Gravina in 1336....
and Maria of Calabria
Maria of Calabria
Maria of Calabria was the first Empress consort of Philip II of Taranto, titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople.-Family:...
. Agnes was a younger sister of Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo
Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo
Joanna of Durazzo was the eldest daughter and eldest surviving child of Charles, Duke of Durazzo and his wife Maria of Calabria. She succeeded as Duchess on the death of her father in 1348 when she was only a child of four years old. Joanna was a member of the House of Anjou-Durazzo.She reigned as...
and an older sister of Margherita of Durazzo
Margherita of Durazzo
Margaret of Durazzo was Queen of Naples and Hungary and Princess of Achaea as the spouse of Charles III of Naples, and later regent of Naples during the minority of her son....
, Queen consort of Charles III of Naples
Charles III of Naples
Charles the Short or Charles of Durazzo was King of Naples and titular King of Jerusalem from 1382 to 1386 as Charles III, and King of Hungary from 1385 to 1386 as Charles II. In 1382 Charles created the order of Argonauts of Saint Nicholas...
.
Their paternal grandparents were John, Duke of Durazzo
John, Duke of Durazzo
John of Gravina , Count of Gravina 1315–1336, Duke of Durazzo 1332–1336 and ruler of the Kingdom of Albania , was a younger son of Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary....
and Agnes de Périgord. Their maternal grandparents were Charles, Duke of Calabria
Charles, Duke of Calabria
Charles, Duke of Calabria was the son of King Robert of Naples and Yolanda of Aragon.-Biography:Born in Naples, he became Duke of Calabria in 1309 on his father's accession, and was created Vicar-General of the Kingdom of Sicily...
and his second wife Marie of Valois.
Marie was a daughter of Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois
Charles of Valois was the fourth son of Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon. His mother was a daughter of James I of Aragon and Yolande of Hungary. He was a member of the House of Capet and founded the House of Valois...
and his third wife Mahaut of Châtillon
Mahaut of Chatillon
Mahaut of Châtillon was the daughter of Guy III of Châtillon and Marie of Brittany. Her maternal grandmother was Beatrice of England, Beatrice was a daughter of Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence.- Marriage :...
. Her maternal grandparents were Guy IV, Count of Saint-Pol
Guy IV, Count of Saint-Pol
Guy III of Châtillon, Count of Saint Pol , French nobleman, was the son of Guy II of Châtillon and Matilda of Brabant....
and Marie of Brittany. The elder Marie was a daughter of John II, Duke of Brittany
John II, Duke of Brittany
John II was Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond, from 1286 to his death. He was son of Duke John I and Blanche of Navarre...
and Beatrice of England
Beatrice of England
Beatrice of England , also known as Beatrice de Dreux, was a Princess of England as the daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence...
.
First marriage
Agnes first married Cansignorio della ScalaCansignorio della Scala
Cansignorio della Scala was Lord of Verona from 1359 until 1375, initially together with his brother Paolo Alboino.-Biography:...
. Cansignorio was a younger brother and nominal co-ruler of Cangrande II della Scala
Cangrande II della Scala
Cangrande II della Scala was Lord of Verona from 1351 until his death.In 1351, after the death of his father Mastino II della Scala, he inherited the lordship of Verona and Vicenza, initially under the regency of his uncle Antonio...
, Lord of Verona
Lords of Verona
The Lords of Verona ruled the city from 1260 until 19 October 1387 and for ten days in 1404. The lordship was created when Mastino I della Scala was raised to the rank of capitano del popolo from that of podestà...
. In 1359, Cansignorio assassinated his older brother and succeeded him. His succession claim was supported by the Carraresi family
Carraresi family
The Carraresi were an important family of northern Italy in the period 12th-15th centuries. As signori of Padua, their overwhelming power and patronage placed them in an isolated position far outshining any other single family...
of Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
. His younger brother Paolo Alboino della Scala
Paolo Alboino della Scala
Paolo Alboino della Scala was a lord of Verona of the Scaliger dynasty.In 1351, after the death of his father Mastino II della Scala, he inherited the lordship of Verona and Vicenza, nominally together his brothers Cangrande and Cansignorio although soon Cangrande stripped them of all effective...
became his co-ruler until 1365.
On 10 October 1375, Cansignorio died, presumed to have been poisoned. Their marriage was childless. Cansignorio had three known children, all illegitimate. His daughter Lucia della Scalla married first Cortesia Serego and secondly Bernardino da Polenta
Bernardino da Polenta (disambiguation)
Bernardino da Polenta was lord of Cervia, 1297–1313.Bernardino da Polenta may also refer to:*Bernardino I da Polenta, lord of Ravenna, 1346–1359*Bernardino II da Polenta, lord of Ravenna, 1389–1400, son of Guido III da Polenta...
, of the ruling family of Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
. His sons Bartolomeo II della Scala
Bartolomeo II della Scala
Bartolomeo II della Scala was lord of Verona from 1375 until his death, together with his brother Antonio I della Scala.The illegitimate son of Cansignorio della Scala, he obtained the power in Verona after the latter's death by assassinating Cansignorio's brother, Paolo Alboino...
and Antonio I della Scala
Antonio I della Scala
Antonio della Scala was Lord of Verona from 1375 until 1387, initially together with his brother Bartolomeo.Antonio was the illegitimate son of Cansignorio della Scala. At the latter's death, he was associated in the lordship with his brother Bartolomeo. In 1378 he married Samaritana da Polenta,...
would succeed as Lords of Verona.
Second marriage
On 16 September 1382, Agnes married her second husband James of BauxJames of Baux
James of Baux , Duke of Andria, was the last titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1374 to 1383 and Prince of Achaea from 1382 to 1383....
. He was the claimant to the throne of the Latin Empire since 1374. He had control over the Principality of Taranto
Principality of Taranto
The Principality of Taranto was a state in southern Italy created in 1088 for Bohemond I, eldest son of Robert Guiscard, as part of the peace between him and his younger brother Roger Borsa after a dispute over the succession to the Duchy of Apulia....
and the Principality of Achaea
Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, along with the Duchy of Athens, until Thessalonica...
. Her brother-in-law Charles III of Naples granted her Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
as part of her dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
.
Their marriage was short-lived. On 7 July 1383, James died in Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
. She survived him by five years but never remarried. He was succeeded as Prince of Taranto by Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
Otto, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg was the fourth and last husband of Joan I of Naples. He also held the title of Prince of Taranto nicknamed as Otto the Tarantine.-Biography:...
, widower of Joan I of Naples
Joan I of Naples
Joan I , born Joanna of Anjou, was Queen of Naples from 1343 until her death. She was also Countess of Provence and Forcalquier, Queen consort of Majorca and titular Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily 1343–82, and Princess of Achaea 1373/5–81....
. He was succeeded as Prince of Achaea by Charles III of Naples
Charles III of Naples
Charles the Short or Charles of Durazzo was King of Naples and titular King of Jerusalem from 1382 to 1386 as Charles III, and King of Hungary from 1385 to 1386 as Charles II. In 1382 Charles created the order of Argonauts of Saint Nicholas...
. The will of James actually named Louis I, Duke of Anjou
Louis I of Naples
Louis I of Anjou , or Louis I of Naples, was the second son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxembourg...
, a claimant to the throne of the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
, as his successor in both the Latin Empire and Achaea. However Louis and his descendants never used the title. Marie of Blois, wife of Louis I, only used the title of Queen consort of Sicily (Naples).