James II of Cyprus
Encyclopedia
James II of Cyprus or Jacques II le Bâtard de Lusignan (Nicosia
, c. 1438/1439 or c. 1440 – Famagusta
, July 10, 1473), was the illegitimate son of John II of Cyprus
and Marietta de Patras
.
on 1 April 1457, he was deprived of the archbishopric and fled to Rhodes
on a ship of the Catalan Juan Tafures
. He was pardoned by his father, and the archbishopric was returned to him.
became Queen of Cyprus
. In 1460, James challenged her right to the throne, blockading her and her husband in the castle of Kyrenia
for three years. When Charlotte fled to Rome
in 1463, James was crowned King. In gratitude, he made his friend and supporter Juan Tafures Master of his Household
and Titular Count of Tripoli.
, on July 30, 1468, seeking political support, he married a 14-year old Venetian, Catherine Cornaro
, by proxy. She finally travelled to Cyprus and married in person at Famagusta
in October or November, 1472. James died a few months later, amidst some suspicion that he might have been poisoned by agents of Venice
, possibly by Catherine's uncles. According to his will, Caterina, who was pregnant, became regent. The couple's son James
died under suspicious circumstances in 1474 before his first birthday, leaving Catherine as regent of Cyprus. During her reign the island was controlled by Venetian merchants. In 1489 Venice forced her to abdicate, and Cyprus became a colony of the Republic of Venice
until it was captured by the Ottomans
in 1571.
novel Race of Scorpions.
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...
, c. 1438/1439 or c. 1440 – 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:...
, July 10, 1473), was the illegitimate son of John II of Cyprus
John II of Cyprus
John II or III of Cyprus was the King of Cyprus and Armenia and also titular King of Jerusalem from 1432 to 1458. He was previously a Titular Prince of Antioch...
and Marietta de Patras
Marietta de Patras
Marietta de Patras was the Greek mistress of King John II of Cyprus and the mother of his illegitimate son King James II of Cyprus. Shortly after King John's marriage to Helena Palaiologina, the new Queen ordered that Marietta's nose be cut off...
.
Archbishop of Nicosia
James was a great favourite of his father, and in 1456, at the age of 16, he was appointed to the archbishopric of Nicosia. After murdering Iacopo Urri, the Royal ChamberlainChamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
on 1 April 1457, he was deprived of the archbishopric and fled to Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
on a ship of the Catalan Juan Tafures
Juan Tafures
Juan Tafures or Tafurer was a Catalan adventurer in the mid fifteenth century.Owner of a merchant ship, Juan landed at Larnaca in Cyprus in July 1457 when James de Lusignan, bastard son of John II of Cyprus and Archbishop of Nicosia, was fleeing his father, for he had murdered the royal...
. He was pardoned by his father, and the archbishopric was returned to him.
King of Cyprus
In 1458 his father died, and his half-sister CharlotteCharlotte of Cyprus
Charlotte , was Queen of Cyprus and Princess of Antioch, as well as titular Queen of Jerusalem and Armenia.She was the eldest and only surviving daughter of King John II of Cyprus and Helena Palaiologina. At the age of 14, she succeeded to the Cypriot throne upon the death of her father in 1458...
became Queen of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. In 1460, James challenged her right to the throne, blockading her and her husband in the castle of Kyrenia
Kyrenia
Kyrenia is a town on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. Internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Cyprus, Kyrenia has been under Turkish control since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...
for three years. When Charlotte fled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1463, James was crowned King. In gratitude, he made his friend and supporter Juan Tafures Master of his Household
Master of the Household
The Master of the Household is the operational head of the "below stairs" elements of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom...
and Titular Count of Tripoli.
Marriage, Death and Succession
In VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, on July 30, 1468, seeking political support, he married a 14-year old Venetian, Catherine Cornaro
Catherine Cornaro
Nobil Donna Catherine Cornaro was Queen of Cyprus from 1474 to 1489 and declared a "Daughter of Saint Mark" in order that Venice could claim control of Cyprus after the death of her husband, James II .-Family:She was born in Venice in 1454 and was the daughter of a well-known and powerful family of...
, by proxy. She finally travelled to Cyprus and married in person 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:...
in October or November, 1472. James died a few months later, amidst some suspicion that he might have been poisoned by agents of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, possibly by Catherine's uncles. According to his will, Caterina, who was pregnant, became regent. The couple's son James
James III of Cyprus
James III of Cyprus was the only and posthumous child by marriage of James II of Cyprus and Catherine Cornaro and King of Cyprus from birth. He died in mysterious circumstances as an infant, leaving his mother as the last Queen of Cyprus. His death paved the way for Venice to gain control of...
died under suspicious circumstances in 1474 before his first birthday, leaving Catherine as regent of Cyprus. During her reign the island was controlled by Venetian merchants. In 1489 Venice forced her to abdicate, and Cyprus became a colony of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
until it was captured by the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1571.
Literary Note
The civil war between James II and Charlotte of Cyprus forms the historical background to the events of Dorothy Dunnett'sDorothy Dunnett
Dorothy Dunnett OBE was a Scottish historical novelist. She is best known for her six-part series about Francis Crawford of Lymond, The Lymond Chronicles, which she followed with the eight-part prequel The House of Niccolò...
novel Race of Scorpions.
Illegitimate children
Prior to his marriage, King James II had four natural children:- Eugene of Lusignan also styled d'Armenia (d. VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
,1536), married Dona Paola Mazzara of Sicily, with issue. - Janus of Lusignan (d. after 1552), married (1) 1504, to N de Toro, married (2) 1547 to Virginia Cosanza dei Duchi di San Sava., with issue.
- Charlotte of Lusignan (d. c. 1469), married after 1463 Sor de Naves
- Charla of Lusignan (1468 – in prison in PaduaPaduaPadua 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...
, 1480), she was either married or engaged to Alonso, batard d'Aragona (1460 – 1510)