Alix of Ibelin
Encyclopedia
Alix of Ibelin was Queen consort
of Cyprus
and nominal Queen consort of Jerusalem
as the second wife of King Hugh IV of Cyprus
. She was queen from 31 March 1324 until Hugh's abdication on 24 November 1358. Two of her sons, Peter
and James
reigned as kings of Cyprus.
. The Ibelin
s were a much-intermarried noble French family which had featured prominently in the Crusader states of Jerusalem and Cyprus since the 12th century.
Alix lost her father when she was a small child and her mother died in 1315, when Alix was no older than 11 years.
In 1310, she had been betrothed to Henry of Lusignan, the son of Amalric, Prince of Tyre
. The betrothal was annulled that same year when Almaric was murdered and his family sought refuge in Armenia.
as King of Cyprus and titular King of Jerusalem. With Hugh's accession to the Cypriot throne, the most illustrious period of the Lusignan dynasty in Cyprus commenced. Alix was crowned Queen of Cyprus at her husband's coronation on 15 April 1324 at Saint Sophia Cathedral
in Nicosia
. Shortly after the double coronation, the cathedral was consecrated by the Latin archbishop, Jean del Conte. On 13 May at Famagusta
, Hugh was crowned King of Jerusalem. The Chronicle of Amadi records that Alix had a small speech impediment which was cured by a miracle performed by the Holy Cross of Tochni
which had been rediscovered in 1340.
Together Alix and Hugh had seven children:
Alix had one stepson, Guy de Lusignan, by Hugh's first wife. Her husband also had an illegitimate son, Pierrot.
Alix died after 6 August 1386 and was buried in Saint Dominic's in Nicosia. Her great-granddaughter was Anne de Lusignan, wife of Louis, Duke of Savoy
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Cyprus
Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus was a Crusader kingdom on the island of Cyprus in the high and late Middle Ages, between 1192 and 1489. It was ruled by the French House of Lusignan.-History:...
and nominal Queen consort of Jerusalem
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
as the second wife of King Hugh IV of Cyprus
Hugh IV of Cyprus
Hugh IV of Cyprus was King of Cyprus from 31 March 1324 to his abdication, on 24 November 1358 and, nominally, King of Jerusalem, as Hugh II, until his death...
. She was queen from 31 March 1324 until Hugh's abdication on 24 November 1358. Two of her sons, Peter
Peter I of Cyprus
Peter I of Cyprus or Pierre I de Lusignan was King of Cyprus, and Titular King of Jerusalem from his father's abdication on 24 November 1358 until his own death in 1369. He was also Latin King of Armenia from either 1361 or 1368...
and James
James I of Cyprus
James I of Cyprus was Regent of Cyprus for his infant nephew Peter from 1369. When Peter died in 1382, James became King of Cyprus that year...
reigned as kings of Cyprus.
Family and early years
Alix was born in Cyprus sometime between 1304 and 1306, the only child of Guy of Ibelin, Lord of Nicosia and Isabelle of IbelinIsabella of Ibelin (died 1315)
Isabella of Ibelin was the daughter of Baldwin of Ibelin , lord of Korakou, and of Marguerite de Giblet.In 1303 she married her cousin Guy d'Ibelin and their daughter was Alix of Ibelin, queen of Cyprus by her marriage with Hugh IV....
. The Ibelin
Ibelin
Ibelin was a castle in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century , which gave its name to an important family of nobles.-The castle:...
s were a much-intermarried noble French family which had featured prominently in the Crusader states of Jerusalem and Cyprus since the 12th century.
Alix lost her father when she was a small child and her mother died in 1315, when Alix was no older than 11 years.
In 1310, she had been betrothed to Henry of Lusignan, the son of Amalric, Prince of Tyre
Amalric, Prince of Tyre
Amalric de Lusignan or Amaury II de Lusignan, Prince of Tyre , of the Lusignan family, was a son of Hugh III of Cyprus and Isabella of Ibelin.-Biography:...
. The betrothal was annulled that same year when Almaric was murdered and his family sought refuge in Armenia.
Queen of Cyprus
On 17 September 1318, the Chronicle of Amadi recorded that Alix had married Hugh de Lusignan, son and heir of Guy de Lusignan, Constable of Cyprus. A Papal dispensation, which was dated 18 June 1318, had been required. She was his second wife, as his first, her kinswoman Marie of Ibelin, had died on an unrecoded date before June 1318. That same year, Hugh succeeded his father as constable, and on 31 March 1324, Hugh succeeded his uncle, Henry IIHenry II of Jerusalem
Henry II of Jerusalem and Henry II of Cyprus, born Henri de Lusignan was the last ruling and first titular King of Jerusalem and also ruled as King of Cyprus as Henry II...
as King of Cyprus and titular King of Jerusalem. With Hugh's accession to the Cypriot throne, the most illustrious period of the Lusignan dynasty in Cyprus commenced. Alix was crowned Queen of Cyprus at her husband's coronation on 15 April 1324 at Saint Sophia Cathedral
Selimiye Mosque (Nicosia)
Selimiye Mosque or Agia Sofia Cathedral, formerly Cathédrale Sainte Sophie, is located in the Turkish controlled northern part of the walled city of Nicosia. It is the main mosque in the city. It is housed in the largest and oldest surviving gothic church in Cyprus possibly constructed on the site...
in Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
. Shortly after the double coronation, the cathedral was consecrated by the Latin archbishop, Jean del Conte. On 13 May at Famagusta
Famagusta
Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. It is located east of Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island.-Name:...
, Hugh was crowned King of Jerusalem. The Chronicle of Amadi records that Alix had a small speech impediment which was cured by a miracle performed by the Holy Cross of Tochni
Tochni
Tochni is a village located in the Larnaca District of Cyprus, about halfway between the cities of Larnaca and Limassol. Prior to 1974, the majority of the village was made up of Turkish Cypriots and it was known as "Taşkent". In August 1974, 85 inhabitants of the village was massacred by...
which had been rediscovered in 1340.
Together Alix and Hugh had seven children:
- Eschive de Lusignan (1325- March 1363), married Infante Fernando of Majorca, Viscount d'Omelas, by whom she had one daughter, Alicia of MajorcaAlicia of MajorcaDona Alicia of Majorca was a Cypriot noblewoman, the great-granddaughter of King James II of Majorca and a maternal descendant of the Lusignan kings of Cyprus. Her husband was Philip Ibelin, seneschal of Cyprus who was sent to prison in Genoa after his murder of Alicia's uncle, King Peter I...
(1341- after 1376). - King Peter I of CyprusPeter I of CyprusPeter I of Cyprus or Pierre I de Lusignan was King of Cyprus, and Titular King of Jerusalem from his father's abdication on 24 November 1358 until his own death in 1369. He was also Latin King of Armenia from either 1361 or 1368...
(9 October 1328- 16 January 1369), married firstly Eschive de Montfort; secondly Eleanor of Aragon-GandiaEleanor of Aragon, Queen of CyprusEleanor of Aragon was Queen consort of Cyprus as the wife of King Peter I of Cyprus. She was a member of the House of Barcelona as the daughter of Peter of Aragon and his wife Joan of Foix.-Queen of Cyprus:...
, by whom he had issue. - John of LusignanJohn of LusignanJohn of Lusignan , Regent of Cyprus and Titular Prince of Antioch. He was son of King Hugh IV of Cyprus and his second wife, Alix of Ibelin.He married twice, firstly in 1343 to Constance of Sicily John of Lusignan (or Jean de Lusignan) (ca 1329 or 1329/1330–1375), Regent of Cyprus and Titular...
(1329/1330- 1375), married firstly, Constance of Sicily, Queen of CyprusConstance of Sicily, Queen of CyprusConstance of Sicily was the oldest daughter of Frederick III of Sicily and his wife Eleanor of Anjou. She was married three times. From these marriages she gained various titles such as Queen of Cyprus, nominal Queen of Jerusalem and Queen of Armenia.- Family :Constance was one of the older of the...
; secondly, Alice of IbelinAlice of IbelinAlice of Ibelin or Alix d'Ibelin was the titular Princess of Antioch as the second wife of John of Lusignan.-Family:...
, by whom he had one son. - King James I of CyprusJames I of CyprusJames I of Cyprus was Regent of Cyprus for his infant nephew Peter from 1369. When Peter died in 1382, James became King of Cyprus that year...
(1334- 9 September 1398), married Helvis of Brunswick-GrubenhagenHelvis of Brunswick-GrubenhagenHelvis of Brunswick-Grubenhagen , was the Queen consort of Cyprus and Queen consort of Armenia as the wife of King James I of Cyprus. He was also titular King of Jersusalem...
, by whom he had 12 children, including King Janus of CyprusJanus of CyprusJanus of Cyprus was a King of Cyprus, King of Armenia and a Titular King of Jerusalem from 1398 to 1432.-Biography:He was born in Genoa where his father, King James I of Cyprus was a captive...
, who reigned after him. - Thomas of Lusignan (died 15 November 1340), unmarried.
- Margaret of Lusignan, married Galtier de Dampierre, Seneschal of Cyprus; died childless.
- Isabella of Lusignan, died without issue.
Alix had one stepson, Guy de Lusignan, by Hugh's first wife. Her husband also had an illegitimate son, Pierrot.
Second marriage and death
King Hugh abdicated his throne on 24 November 1358 in favour of their son Peter. He died the following year. In 1368, Alix married secondly, Philipp of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, Constable of Jerusalem, who was the father of her daughter-in-law, Helvis. As in the case of her first marriage, another Papal dispensation had been required for her to marry Philipp. He died a year later on 4 August 1369.Alix died after 6 August 1386 and was buried in Saint Dominic's in Nicosia. Her great-granddaughter was Anne de Lusignan, wife of Louis, Duke of Savoy
Louis, Duke of Savoy
Louis I was Duke of Savoy from 1440 until his death.-Life:...