Andrew, Duke of Calabria
Encyclopedia
Andrew, Duke of Calabria (Hungarian: Endre; 30 October 1327 – September 18/19, 1345, Aversa
) was the second surviving son of Charles I of Hungary
and Elizabeth of Poland. Andrew was the younger brother of the King Louis I of Hungary.
, daughter of Charles, Duke of Calabria
(eldest son of king Robert of Naples
).
Robert's claim to the throne was rather tenuous and didn't follow primogeniture
. Andrew's grandfather, Charles Martel of Anjou
had died before ascending the throne, and therefore, the throne should have passed to Charles I of Hungary
. However, due to fears of impending invasion from Sicily, it was felt that a seven year-old heir was too risky and would not be able to hold off invasions. The throne was offered to the next son of Charles II of Naples
, Louis of Anjou, but he refused on religious ground and then it passed to Robert. To recompense Charles I of Hungary
Charles II of Naples
decided to assign him, the territory of Hungary, which was part of his wife's dowry.
When the King died in 1343, in his last will and testament, he formally bequeathed his kingdom to Joan I of Naples
, and made no mention of Andrew, even as a consort and tried to exclude him from rule.
With the approval of Pope Clement VI
, Joan was crowned as sole monarch of Naples in August 1344. Fearing for his life, Andrew wrote to his mother Elizabeth that he would soon flee the kingdom. She intervened, and made a state visit; before she returned to Hungary, she bribed Pope Clement to reverse himself and permit the coronation of Andrew. She also gave a ring to Andrew, which was supposed to protect him from death by blade or poison, and returned with a false sense of security to Hungary.
Hearing of the Pope's reversal, a group of noble conspirators (the involvement of Queen Joan remaining unproved) determined to forestall Andrew's coronation. During a hunting trip at Aversa
, Andrew left his room in the middle of the night and was set upon by the conspirators. A treacherous servant barred the door behind him; and as Joan cowered in their bed, a terrible struggle ensued, Andrew defending himself furiously and shrieking for aid. He was finally overpowered, strangled with a cord, and flung from a window. Isolde, Andrew's Hungarian nurse beheld the whole conflict, and took the Prince's corpse to the church of the monks, and remained with it until next morning sorrowing it. When the Hungarian knights arrived she told them everything in their mother tongue so no one else would learn about the truth, and soon they left Naples informing everything to the Hungarian King.
The deed would taint the rest of Joan's reign, although she was twice acquitted of any charge in the trials that followed. Andrew's elder brother Louis I of Hungary several times invaded the Kingdom of Naples
and drove out Joan, only to meet with reverses. Ultimately, 37 years later, Louis' kinsman Charles III of Naples
conquered Naples with Hungarian aid and put Joan to death. She had been married three times more since Andrew.
Andrew and Joan had one posthumous son, Charles Martel (Naples, 25 December 1345 – aft. 10 May 1348) who died young in Hungary.
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
) was the second surviving son of Charles I of Hungary
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
and Elizabeth of Poland. Andrew was the younger brother of the King Louis I of Hungary.
Biography
He was betrothed in 1334, at a young age, to his cousin Joan I of NaplesJoan 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....
, daughter of 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...
(eldest son of king Robert of Naples
Robert of Naples
Robert of Anjou , known as Robert the Wise was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Italian politics of his time. He was the third but eldest surviving son of King Charles II of Naples the Lame and Maria of Hungary...
).
Robert's claim to the throne was rather tenuous and didn't follow primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
. Andrew's grandfather, Charles Martel of Anjou
Charles Martel of Anjou
Charles Martel of the Angevin dynasty, also known as Charles I Martel, was the eldest son of king Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary, the daughter of King Stephen V of Hungary....
had died before ascending the throne, and therefore, the throne should have passed to Charles I of Hungary
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
. However, due to fears of impending invasion from Sicily, it was felt that a seven year-old heir was too risky and would not be able to hold off invasions. The throne was offered to the next son of Charles II of Naples
Charles II of Naples
Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:...
, Louis of Anjou, but he refused on religious ground and then it passed to Robert. To recompense Charles I of Hungary
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
Charles II of Naples
Charles II of Naples
Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:...
decided to assign him, the territory of Hungary, which was part of his wife's dowry.
When the King died in 1343, in his last will and testament, he formally bequeathed his kingdom to 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....
, and made no mention of Andrew, even as a consort and tried to exclude him from rule.
With the approval of Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
, Joan was crowned as sole monarch of Naples in August 1344. Fearing for his life, Andrew wrote to his mother Elizabeth that he would soon flee the kingdom. She intervened, and made a state visit; before she returned to Hungary, she bribed Pope Clement to reverse himself and permit the coronation of Andrew. She also gave a ring to Andrew, which was supposed to protect him from death by blade or poison, and returned with a false sense of security to Hungary.
Hearing of the Pope's reversal, a group of noble conspirators (the involvement of Queen Joan remaining unproved) determined to forestall Andrew's coronation. During a hunting trip at Aversa
Aversa
Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese...
, Andrew left his room in the middle of the night and was set upon by the conspirators. A treacherous servant barred the door behind him; and as Joan cowered in their bed, a terrible struggle ensued, Andrew defending himself furiously and shrieking for aid. He was finally overpowered, strangled with a cord, and flung from a window. Isolde, Andrew's Hungarian nurse beheld the whole conflict, and took the Prince's corpse to the church of the monks, and remained with it until next morning sorrowing it. When the Hungarian knights arrived she told them everything in their mother tongue so no one else would learn about the truth, and soon they left Naples informing everything to the Hungarian King.
The deed would taint the rest of Joan's reign, although she was twice acquitted of any charge in the trials that followed. Andrew's elder brother Louis I of Hungary several times invaded the Kingdom of Naples
Neapolitan Campaigns
The Neapolitan campaigns of Louis the Great, also called the Neapolitan Adventure in Hungarian, was a war between the Kingdom of Hungary, led by Louis the Great, and the Kingdom of Naples. It was fought from 1347 until 1352....
and drove out Joan, only to meet with reverses. Ultimately, 37 years later, Louis' kinsman 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...
conquered Naples with Hungarian aid and put Joan to death. She had been married three times more since Andrew.
Andrew and Joan had one posthumous son, Charles Martel (Naples, 25 December 1345 – aft. 10 May 1348) who died young in Hungary.
Ancestry
Further reading
- Magyar nagylexikon II. (And–Bag). Főszerk. Élesztős László, Rostás Sándor. Budapest: Akadémiai. 1994. 19–20. o.
- Goldstone, Nancy. Joanna: The Notorious Queen of Naples, Jerusalem and Sicily. New York: Orion. 2010.