Bianca Lancia
Encyclopedia
Bianca Lancia d'Agliano was an Italian noblewoman, who was the mistress and later wife of emperor Frederick II
of Hohenstaufen, although the marriage, conducted while she was on her deathbed, was considered non-canonical.
, Bianca was a member of the Lancia (or Lanza) family of Piedmont
, so-called since her grandfather Manfred I had been lancifer of emperor Frederick Barbarossa. There is no source which definitively states who her parents were, historians have offered three theories:
If she was a daughter of Manfred II, she had seven siblings: four brothers (Manfred III, Guglielmo, Galvano and Frederick) and three sisters (Beatrice, Agnes and Isabella). Apparently, Bianca would be the third child and first born daughter. But this is only one of three competing theories.
, in 1225 at Agliano
, near Asti
. Thenceforth, it is said, the two maintained a romantic relationship.
According to some historians, Bianca was the only true love of Frederick's life; others consider this a romantic exaggeration. It was certainly beneficial to the interests of the Lancia family, who were favoured by the Emperor with political posts in Italy (Manfredo III was appointed Imperial Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire's northern Italian territories and Podesta of Alessandria, Milan and Chieri; Galvano became Imperial Vicar of Tuscany, Podesta of Padova, Prince of Salerno, Count of Fondi and Grand Marshal of Sicily; and Frederick was appointed Count of Squillace and Viceroy of Apulia). Nonetheless, the relationship of Bianca and Frederick was the longest to all the affairs of the Emperor.
After the death of Isabella of England
, Frederick's third wife, in 1241, he endowed Bianca with the castle of Monte Sant'Angelo, located in the cities of Vieste and Siponto. By the terms of the will of William II of Sicily
, the castle was the traditional dower
of the Sicilian queens consort.
Bianca died either in the castle of Paternò or the castle of Gioia del Colle
.
, and also Matthew of Paris claimed that a "confirmatio matrimonii in articulo mortis" ("marriage ceremony in the moments of death") took place between Bianca and Frederick when she was dying. Bianca, apparently, desired the marriage for the salvation of her soul and the safety of their children's future. This marriage however was not deemed canonical by the Church.
Frederick and Bianca had three children together:
There are credible reports that she married Frederick while she was on her deathbed, and that her son was 12 at this time. Bianca may have died a short while before the wedding of her daughter to Ioannes Batatzes in 1244. One source states that she died 20 years after the start of her relationship with Frederick, however the same source states that she died 20 years before events that were occurring in 1256. All of these cannot be simultaneously true.
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
of Hohenstaufen, although the marriage, conducted while she was on her deathbed, was considered non-canonical.
Family
Born ca. 1200/1210 in Agliano TermeAgliano Terme
Agliano Terme is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km southeast of Turin and about 12 km southeast of Asti...
, Bianca was a member of the Lancia (or Lanza) family of Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, so-called since her grandfather Manfred I had been lancifer of emperor Frederick Barbarossa. There is no source which definitively states who her parents were, historians have offered three theories:
- That she was a granddaughter of Manfred I LanciaManfred I LanciaManfred I Lancia or Lanza was the second Margrave of Busca, famous for his financial difficulties. He was also an Occitan troubadour. He was the first person to adopt the surname Lanza .-Name:...
, as daughter of his daughter (maybe named Bianca), by a son (name unknown) of Guglielmo di Moncucco and Belda di Agliano. - That she was a granddaughter of Manfred I LanciaManfred I LanciaManfred I Lancia or Lanza was the second Margrave of Busca, famous for his financial difficulties. He was also an Occitan troubadour. He was the first person to adopt the surname Lanza .-Name:...
, as daughter of his son Bonifacio di Agliano, by a Piedmontese princess called Beatrice of Candia from the House of CandiaHouse of CandiaThe House of Candia is a European dynastic house, created by a junior branch of the House of Anjou originally from "Castrum Candiaco" in the Dauphiné of the nobility of Savoy and Piemont...
. - That she was a granddaughter of Manfred I LanciaManfred I LanciaManfred I Lancia or Lanza was the second Margrave of Busca, famous for his financial difficulties. He was also an Occitan troubadour. He was the first person to adopt the surname Lanza .-Name:...
, as daughter of his son Manfred II, possible from a marriage to a lady called Bianca, of the Maletta family.
If she was a daughter of Manfred II, she had seven siblings: four brothers (Manfred III, Guglielmo, Galvano and Frederick) and three sisters (Beatrice, Agnes and Isabella). Apparently, Bianca would be the third child and first born daughter. But this is only one of three competing theories.
Relationship with Frederick II
Bianca lived most of her life in the Castle of Boro, the ancestral residence of the Lancia family. She met Frederick II, who was then married to Yolande of JerusalemYolande of Jerusalem
Isabella II also known as Yolande of Brienne, was a princess of French origin who became monarch of Jerusalem.-Infant Queen:...
, in 1225 at Agliano
Agliano Terme
Agliano Terme is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km southeast of Turin and about 12 km southeast of Asti...
, near Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
. Thenceforth, it is said, the two maintained a romantic relationship.
According to some historians, Bianca was the only true love of Frederick's life; others consider this a romantic exaggeration. It was certainly beneficial to the interests of the Lancia family, who were favoured by the Emperor with political posts in Italy (Manfredo III was appointed Imperial Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire's northern Italian territories and Podesta of Alessandria, Milan and Chieri; Galvano became Imperial Vicar of Tuscany, Podesta of Padova, Prince of Salerno, Count of Fondi and Grand Marshal of Sicily; and Frederick was appointed Count of Squillace and Viceroy of Apulia). Nonetheless, the relationship of Bianca and Frederick was the longest to all the affairs of the Emperor.
After the death of Isabella of England
Isabella of England
For Isabella of England, the daughter of Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, see Isabella de Coucy.Isabella of England, also called Elizabeth was an English princess and, by marriage, Holy Roman Empress, German Queen, and Queen consort of Sicily.-Biography:She was the fourth child but...
, Frederick's third wife, in 1241, he endowed Bianca with the castle of Monte Sant'Angelo, located in the cities of Vieste and Siponto. By the terms of the will of William II of Sicily
William II of Sicily
William II , called the Good, was king of Sicily from 1166 to 1189. William's character is very indistinct. Lacking in military enterprise, secluded and pleasure-loving, he seldom emerged from his palace life at Palermo. Yet his reign is marked by an ambitious foreign policy and a vigorous diplomacy...
, the castle was the traditional dower
Dower
Dower or morning gift was a provision accorded by law to a wife for her support in the event that she should survive her husband...
of the Sicilian queens consort.
Bianca died either in the castle of Paternò or the castle of Gioia del Colle
Gioia del Colle
Gioia del Colle is a town and comune in the province of Bari, Apulia, Italy. The town is located on the Murge plateau at 360 metres above sea level.- History :...
.
Marriage and Children
The Chronicle of Salimbene di AdamSalimbene di Adam
Salimbene di Adam was an Italian Franciscan friar and chronicler who is a source for Italian history of the 13th century.-Life:...
, and also Matthew of Paris claimed that a "confirmatio matrimonii in articulo mortis" ("marriage ceremony in the moments of death") took place between Bianca and Frederick when she was dying. Bianca, apparently, desired the marriage for the salvation of her soul and the safety of their children's future. This marriage however was not deemed canonical by the Church.
Frederick and Bianca had three children together:
- ConstanceConstance II of HohenstaufenAnna of Hohenstaufen , born Constance, was the daughter of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor and Bianca Lancia.-Byzantine Empress:...
(1230–1307), who married the Emperor of Nicea, John VatatzesJohn III Doukas VatatzesJohn III Doukas Vatatzes, Latinized as Ducas Vatatzes |Nymphaion]]) was emperor of Nicaea 1221–1254.-Life:John Doukas Vatatzes was probably the son of the general Basileios Vatatzes, Duke of Thrace, who died in 1193, and his wife, an unnamed daughter of Isaakios Angelos and cousin of the Emperors...
, and thereupon her name changed to Anna. - ManfredManfred of SicilyManfred was the King of Sicily from 1258 to 1266. He was a natural son of the emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen but his mother, Bianca Lancia , is reported by Matthew of Paris to have been married to the emperor while on her deathbed.-Background:Manfred was born in Venosa...
(1232–1266), who succeeded his father as ruler of Sicily (initially as regent, before usurping the throne for himself). - Violante (1233–1264), who married Richard Sanseverino, Count of Caserta.
Death
It is not known exactly when she died. There are several conflicting reports. Although the Medlands database gives 1233/1234, Medlands is not reliable for unsourced claims. This date lingers in various reference works but appears based only on the assumption that she died after the birth of her last child, and before the marriage of her husband to his next wife.There are credible reports that she married Frederick while she was on her deathbed, and that her son was 12 at this time. Bianca may have died a short while before the wedding of her daughter to Ioannes Batatzes in 1244. One source states that she died 20 years after the start of her relationship with Frederick, however the same source states that she died 20 years before events that were occurring in 1256. All of these cannot be simultaneously true.