Peter I of Cyprus
Encyclopedia
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...
, 9 October 1328 – Palace of La Cava, 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...
, 17 January 1369) was King 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 Titular King 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....
from his father's abdication on 24 November 1358 until his own death in 1369. He was also Latin King of Armenia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
from either 1361 or 1368. He was the second son of 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...
, the first by his second wife Alice of Ibelin. He also received the title of Titular Count of Tripoli
County of Tripoli
The County of Tripoli was the last Crusader state founded in the Levant, located in what today are parts of western Syria and northern Lebanon, where exists the modern city of Tripoli. The Crusader state was captured and created by Christian forces in 1109, originally held by Bertrand of Toulouse...
when young, in 1346. He was the greatest King of Cyprus on a military basis, where he had great success. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete many plans, due to internal dispute that culminated in his assassination at the hands of three of his own knights.
Marriage
Soon after 28 June 1342 he married Eschive de Montfort (d. before 1350), only daughter and heiress of Honfroy de Montfort (1305 – 24 June 1326), Constable of Cyprus and Titular Lord of ToronToron
Toron, now Tibnin or Tebnine in southern Lebanon, was a major Crusader castle, built in the Lebanon mountains on the road from Tyre to Damascus....
, and his wife, whose name is unknown. Eschiva died before 1350 while Peter was still a teenager and the marriage was childless. In 1353 he married Eleanor of Aragon-Gandia
Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of Cyprus
Eleanor 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:...
(1333 – 26 December 1416 in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and buried there), crowned Queen Consort of Cyprus on 24 November 1358 and Titular Queen of Jerusalem
Kings of Jerusalem
This is a list of kings of Jerusalem, from 1099 to 1291, as well as claimants to the title up to the present day.-Kings of Jerusalem :...
5 April 1360, Co-Regent of Cyprus in January, 1369, daughter of Pedro, Infante of Aragon, Conde de Ribagorza, Ampurias y Prades, Seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, and Jeanne de Foix (died before November 1358), herself the daughter of Gaston I, Count of Foix
County of Foix
The County of Foix was an independent medieval fief in southern France, and later a province of France, whose territory corresponded roughly the eastern part of the modern département of Ariège ....
and Jeanne of Artois. Eleanor was the sister of Infante Don Alfonso, Duke of Gandia
Duke of Gandia
The hereditary Spanish title duke of Gandía was created in 1485 by Ferdinand II of Aragon from the original Italian title "duke of Candia" belonging to the Italian Stato di Mare or Italian Kingdoms of the Mediterranean Sea; originally granted around 1206 to a Genoan marquis member of the House of...
, pretender to the Aragonese crown. Joanna l'Aleman was his long-time mistress.
He had three children from his second marriage to Eleanor:
- Peter II of LusignanPeter II of CyprusPeter II of Cyprus or Pierre II le Gros de Lusignan , called The Fat, was king of Cyprus from 17 January 1369 until his death.-Biography:...
(c. 1357-1382), succeeded him as King of Cyprus and Jerusalem - Margaret or Mary of Lusignan (ca 1360 – ca 1397), once engaged to Carlo Visconti and married in 1385 to her cousin Jacques de Lusignan (d. 1395/1397), Titular Count of Tripoli, grandson of 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...
and wife Alix d'Ibelin, and had issue - Eschiva of Lusignan (d. before 1369), died young
Early life and crowning
Constable successor of Hugh to the Cypriot throne was his first son, Guy. Because Guy, who had married Marie of Bourbon, died before his father, he could not succeed Hugh. His son who was named Hugh as well, demanded the throne because his father was constable successor of the throne. His demands were rejected because his father could not be heir to someone who lived longer than him. His son Peter was crowned King of Cyprus byGuy of Ibelin, bishop of Limassol
Guy of Ibelin, bishop of Limassol
Guy of Ibelin was the dominican bishop of Limassol, Cyprus from 27 April, 1357 until his death. He belonged to the noble Cypriot house of Ibelin, closely linked by intermarriage with the kings of Cyprus. His father Balian of Ibelin Guy of Ibelin (Fr: Guy d'Ibelin) (died 29 March 1367) was the...
in the Cathedral of Santa Sophia
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...
, 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...
on 24 November 1359.
When he was young, in 1349 he secretly travelled to Europe for trip with his brother John and that upset his father who sent ships to find his sons and bring them back. When they were brought back, he imprisoned them because they left without his permission.
Because Cyprus was surrounded by countries which were under Muslim rule, it became an advanced outpost of Christianity in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, after the expulsion of the Latins, especially from Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
the previous century. Peter understood the importance of his kingdom, and believed that his mission was to fight the Muslims. He was probably ambitious to retake the lost Kingdom 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....
which belonged to the Lusignan
Lusignan
The Lusignan family originated in Poitou near Lusignan in western France in the early 10th century. By the end of the 11th century, they had risen to become the most prominent petty lords in the region from their castle at Lusignan...
Kings, who still were crowned as Kings of Jerusalem in 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:...
. Peter was crowned as Titular King of Jerusalem in Saint Nicholas Cathedral
Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque originally known as the Saint Nicolas Cathedral and later as the Ayasofya Mosque of Magusa, is the largest medieval building in Famagusta, North Cyprus. Built between 1298 and c.1400 it was consecrated as a Christian cathedral in 1328...
in 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:...
on 5 April 1360, in which Throne he succeeded on his father's death.
Wars against Turks
Neighboring Muslim countries did not pose a serious threat to the Kingdom of Cyprus because they lacked resources needed to conquer the island. Their raids resembled piracy more than military invasions.However, Peter decided that Cyprus could and should attack, instead of waiting an attack. The beginning of his attacks was in Korikos, a fortified harbour in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
. His ambitions for siege were in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, since the Armenian Kingdom, which was almost destroyed by Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
, had strong relations with the Kingdom of Cyprus because of the weddings, the royal family of the Kingdom of Armenia was relative with the royal family in Cyprus.
In January 1360, the residents of Korikos sent their representatives in Cyprus to ask from Peter to protect them, since their city was directly threatened by Turks, and few years before they asked the help from Peter's father Hugh IV, who declined. Korikos demanded to be under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Cyprus which was responsible to defend it. Peter believed that was his chance for a bridgehead in Asia Minor. He answered positive and sent military defence there with leader, the knight Roberto de Luisignan. The Turks reacted in the siege of Korikos by the Cypriots but their attacks were defended successfully.
The siege of Korikos, was seen as a threat by Muslim leaders of Asia Minor and they allied against Peter, planning to attack him on his home island. They attacked Cyprus with many ships but Peter obtained aid from the Knights of Saint John from Rhodes. Other help came from the Pope and even from pirates. In July 1361, Peter mastered a fleet of 120 ships. With his force, Peter attacked Asia Minor, continuing his policy of preemptive attacks. On 23 August 1361, Cypriot forces landed in Antalya and Peter conquered the city after a siege on 24 August 1361. After this victory, the remaining emirs of the region offered Peter an annual tribute. Peter accepted the offer and sent his flags, coats of arms and symbols to be raised in many cities of Asia Minor. He stayed in Antalya until 8 September 1361. Then he went to other cities, whose some of them their emir worshiped on him, gave him presents, emir's castle keys and many others. He returned as a trophy winner in Cyprus on 22 September 1361.
Antalya emir, Tekke, after he lost his city, he took big army and after many attacks tried to occupy his city. After hard battles, Cypriots achieved to keep the city and also to siege the guard in the region of Myrres.
Tour to Europe
Meanwhile, King Peter still faced a serious problem of his recognition as holder of the throne of Cyprus, since his nephew Hugh, went to Pope to ask for the throne with the support of the King of France. Since Peter had sent nobles as his representatives to Pope to support him without result, he had to go their to visit Pope by himself. At the end of October 1362, he left from PaphosPaphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
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...
and then to Venice
Venice
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...
and he was accepted there with honours. He went to Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
and visited the Pope together with the claimant of the throne of Cyprus. Peter was recognised as King and Hugh ensured a high annual benefit, solving the problem.
Taking as an advantage his trip in Europe, he tried to convince the powerful rulers to strengthen him, organizing a big crusade to "liberate" the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
and the Kingdom 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....
which belonged to him. That issue was discussed with the new elected Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, after the death of the previous one. For the same reason he travelled in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. During his visit in England the historical banquet of the Five Kings
Banquet of the Five Kings
The Banquet of the Five Kings was a meeting, in 1363, of the kings of England, Scotland, France, Denmark and Cyprus. It was arranged by Sir Henry Picard, a former Lord Mayor of London...
took place.
He also visited some powerful cities like Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Venice
Venice
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...
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and Cracow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, where he participated in a gathering of monarchs
Congress of Kraków
The Congress of Kraków was a meeting of monarchs initiated by King Casimir III the Great of Poland and held in Kraków around September 22-27, 1364...
. He met several monarchs in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, at the meeting of five kings: Cyprus, England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
, Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Everywhere he was accepted with honours and expensive presents, however he did not achieve to persuade those monarchs to compete in a new Pan-European and Pan-Christian crusade in Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Meanwhile, Cyprus, which was governed by Prince John, brother of Peter who remained as vice-King, faced many problems: the big epidemics of 1363, which ruined many residents of Cyprus (one of them was Eschiva, Peter's sister), the Turks who heard that the Cypriot people were dying, began new raids and pillages in the island. At the same time an episode between Cypriots and Genoese navies in Famagusta became a political issue and had many fights and killings. Peter who happened to be in Genoa, negotiated and signed a treaty with Genoese which was declaring what rights the Genoese colonisers of Cyprus could have.
Alexandria Crusade
His father Hugh attempted to stop his desire to lead a new crusade and retake Jerusalem, but upon his death Peter began his plans in earnest. He travelled through EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
attempting to garner support for his expeditions and on 11 October 1365 he led a mixed Cypriot and Western force of Crusaders (on 70 ships) to sack Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
(see Alexandrian Crusade
Alexandrian Crusade
The brief Alexandrian Crusade occurred in October of 1365 and was led by Peter I of Cyprus against Alexandria. Almost completely devoid of religious impetus, it differs from the more prominent Crusades in that it seems to have been motivated entirely by economic interests.-History:Peter I spent...
). However, the European knights refused to follow him to attack Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, and he was obliged to return to Cyprus, the only permanent result of his expedition being the enmity of the Sultan of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Reprisals followed against Christian merchants in Syria and Egypt, and Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V
Pope Urban V , born Guillaume Grimoard, was Pope from 1362 to 1370.-Biography:Grimoard was a native of Grizac in Languedoc . He became a Benedictine and a doctor in Canon Law, teaching at Montpellier and Avignon...
advised Peter to make peace with the Sultan after unsuccessfully attempting to raise support among the European monarchs.
Attacks to Lebanon and Syria
Peter continued his crusade this time aiming to attack BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. However his military operations ended after intervention of the Venetians willing to offer Peter high compensations for his military preparations, in order to not attack against Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. He crusaded and raided Tripoli
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
in January 1366, before the terms of service of his European reinforcements could expire. He attempted to again raise a force in Europe in 1368, but was unsuccessful. Urban V again counseled peace, and Peter was compelled to join the Pope and the Venetians
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...
in making a peace treaty with Egypt.
The commerce with Middle East, benefited Cyprus a lot, and because of Peter, Famagusta was one of the richest cities in the Mediterranean during his time. Also some befriended financiers of Peter were rich tradesmen from Famagusta, who could influence him. But the Sultan could not tolerate any more his insult by the capture of Alexandria and could not accept a friendly arrangement with Peter. So the attack against Tripole was a clear message to the Sultan; either he signed peace and could begin again the trade or to suffer continued attatacks. The sultan wanted to create a movement of distraction, so he strengthened the emirs of Asia Minor and assembled an army to attack Korikos. Peter reinforced the garrison in Korikos with fresh troops and they repulsed the Turkish attack. In May 1367, the garrison in Antalya revolted because the delayed payment of their wages. Peter immediately sailed there and imposed the order, decapitating the ring leaders of the revolt.
After all of this it was finally agreed peace with the Sultan of Cairo, which didn't become possible to be signed. So in 1367 there were other attacks to the Syrian coasts, capture and pillage again of Tripoli and other cities across the Syrian coast. As Leontios Makhairas
Leontios Makhairas
Leontios Machairas or Makhairas was a medieval Cypriot historian.The main source of information on him is his chronicle, written in the medieval Cypriot dialect. The chronicle documents events from the visit of Saint Helena to Cyprus until the times of the Kingdom of Cyprus...
writes, the reason that Peter could not keep Tripoli was because the city did not have walls. Among the other pillaged cities by Cypriots was Latakia
Latakia
Latakia, or Latakiyah , is the principal port city of Syria, as well as the capital of the Latakia Governorate. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages...
. So the peace with Sultan seemed difficult.
Finances
For all of his trips around EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and of the wars, he needed a lot of money. Despite the high state income he needed to gain even more money, thus he gave to Cypriot serfs the right to buy their freedoms. By this rule, many Cypriots were benefited. Another source of income were his raids on the Islamic Levante.
His Death
While in RomeRome
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...
, he received an appeal from the barons of Armenia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
, nominating him as King and imploring him to deliver their country. He returned to Cyprus, but was rapidly plunged into domestic troubles. Queen Eleanor had been unfaithful during his long absences in Europe, and he retaliated by tyrannizing her favorite nobles, alienating even his brothers. On 17 January 1369 he was assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
by three of his own knights, in his own bed at the Palace of La Cava, 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...
.
Despite the harshness that brought a premature end to his life, his knight-errantry and crusading zeal led him to be regarded as the epitome of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
. He founded the Chivalric Order of the Sword in 1347, which was dedicated to the recovery of Jerusalem. He was buried in the church of St. Dominic's of Nicosia, the traditional burial place of the Kings of Cyprus. He was succeeded by his son Pierre II le Gros de Lusignan
Peter II of Cyprus
Peter II of Cyprus or Pierre II le Gros de Lusignan , called The Fat, was king of Cyprus from 17 January 1369 until his death.-Biography:...
.