Margherita of Durazzo
Encyclopedia
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.
She was the fourth daughter of Charles, Duke of Durazzo
(1323–1348) and Maria of Calabria
. Her paternal grandparents were John, Duke of Durazzo
, and his second wife, Agnes de Périgord. Her maternal grandparents were Charles, Duke of Calabria
, and Marie of Valois.
. He was a son of Louis of Durazzo
, another son of John, Duke of Durazzo
and his second wife Agnes de Périgord. The bride was twenty-two years old and the groom twenty-four. They had three children:
Charles managed to depose her maternal aunt Queen Joan I of Naples
in 1382. He succeeded her and Margaret became his queen consort. Charles succeeded James of Baux
as Prince of Achaea
in 1383 with Margaret still as his consort.
By then becoming the senior Angevin
male, Charles was offered the Crown of Hungary. Margaret did not support the idea of deposing Queen Mary of Hungary
and discouraged her husband from doing so. Nonetheless, he successfully deposed Mary in December 1385 and himself crowned. She was daughter of his deceased cousin Louis I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Bosnia. However, Mary's formidable mother Elizabeth arranged his assassination at Visegrád
on 24 February 1386.
and the regent of Naples as the guardian of her minor son. She survived him by twenty-six years but never remarried. Their son Ladislaus succeeded to the throne of the Kingdom of Naples
while Mary of Hungary was restored to her throne. Margaret insisted that her husband's death be revenged and Elizabeth was murdered. The heads of her defenders were sent to console Margaret.
In the last years of her life, the queen dowager retired first to Salerno
and then to Acquamela, where she died of plague in 1412. She had become a devout Catholic and a member of a Franciscan Third Order in her last years and requested to be buried as such; she was buried in white habit in Salerno Cathedral.
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...
, and later regent of Naples during the minority of her son.
She was the fourth daughter of Charles, Duke of Durazzo
Charles, 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....
(1323–1348) 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:...
. Her 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 his second wife, Agnes de Périgord. Her 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 Marie of Valois.
Marriage
In February, 1369, Margaret married her paternal first cousin Charles of DurazzoCharles 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...
. He was a son of Louis of Durazzo
Louis of Durazzo
Louis of Durazzo was Count of Gravina and Morrone. He was the son of John of Gravina and Agnes of Périgord.In 1337, he was named Vicar- and Captain-General of the Kingdom of Albania. During the ascension of the Durazzeschi at the court of Naples during the reign of Joan I, he was one of the royal...
, another son of 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 his second wife Agnes de Périgord. The bride was twenty-two years old and the groom twenty-four. They had three children:
- Mary of Durazzo (1369–1371).
- Joan II of NaplesJoan II of NaplesJoan II was Queen of Naples from 1414 to her death, upon which the senior Angevin line of Naples became extinct. As a mere formality, she used the title of Queen of Jerusalem, Sicily, and Hungary....
(23 June 1373 – 2 February 1435). - Ladislaus of Naples (11 February 1377 – 6 August 1414).
Charles managed to depose her maternal aunt Queen 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....
in 1382. He succeeded her and Margaret became his queen consort. Charles succeeded James of Baux
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....
as Prince 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...
in 1383 with Margaret still as his consort.
By then becoming the senior Angevin
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
male, Charles was offered the Crown of Hungary. Margaret did not support the idea of deposing Queen Mary of Hungary
Mary of Hungary
Mary of Anjou was queen regnant of Hungary from 1382 until her death in 1395.-Childhood:...
and discouraged her husband from doing so. Nonetheless, he successfully deposed Mary in December 1385 and himself crowned. She was daughter of his deceased cousin Louis I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Bosnia. However, Mary's formidable mother Elizabeth arranged his assassination at Visegrád
Visegrád
Visegrád is a small castle town in Pest County, Hungary.Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend, Visegrád has a population 1,654 as of 2001...
on 24 February 1386.
Widowhood
Margaret became a queen dowagerQueen Dowager
A queen dowager or dowager queen is a title or status generally held by the widow of a deceased king. In the case of the widow of a deceased emperor, the title of empress dowager is used...
and the regent of Naples as the guardian of her minor son. She survived him by twenty-six years but never remarried. Their son Ladislaus succeeded 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...
while Mary of Hungary was restored to her throne. Margaret insisted that her husband's death be revenged and Elizabeth was murdered. The heads of her defenders were sent to console Margaret.
In the last years of her life, the queen dowager retired first to Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
and then to Acquamela, where she died of plague in 1412. She had become a devout Catholic and a member of a Franciscan Third Order in her last years and requested to be buried as such; she was buried in white habit in Salerno Cathedral.