Hungary on the throne around his knights (
Chronicon Pictum, 1358) During the
Middle Ages, there were several marriages between the
Árpád dynasty and the
House of Capet.
Charles I, founder of the House of Anjou-Sicily, with his first wife,
Beatrice of Provence fathered his eldest son,
Charles II of Naples. (Their youngest daughter,
Elizabeth was given in marriage to the future
Ladislaus IV of Hungary in 1269, but Ladislaus preferred his mistresses to her, and the marriage remained childless). In 1270, Charles II married
Mary of Hungary, daughter of
Stephen V of Hungary and
Elizabeth the Cuman. They had fourteen children which provided the
House of Anjou-Sicily with a secure position in Naples. The childless
Ladislaus IV of Hungary (1262–1290), was succeeded by
Andrew III as King of Hungary. He was the son of
Stephen the Posthumous, considered by Stephen's much older half-brothers (
Béla IV of Hungary,
Coloman of Halych,
Andrew II of Halych) a bastard son of infidelity. For this reason, after the death of Ladislaus IV some of the
Árpád dynasty's cognates sought the family as extinct. In Naples,
Charles Martel of Anjou, the eldest son of
Mary of Hungary announced his claim to the Hungarian crown, backed by his mother, and the Pope. He started to style himself King of Hungary, but he never managed to gain enough support from the Hungarian magnates to realize his claim. With Andrew III's death (1301), the "last golden branch" of the tree of King Saint Stephen's family ended. The Hungarian diet was determined to keep the blood of
Saint Stephen (first king of Hungary) on the throne in the maternal line at least. In the upcoming years, a civil war followed between various claimants to the throne. After the short period of rule of
Wenceslaus of Bohemia (1301–1305), and
Otto of Bavaria (1305–1307) the civil war ended with
Charles Robert's (1308–1342) victory, the son of
Charles Martel of Anjou, but he was forced to continue fighting against the powerful Hungarian lords up to the early 1320s.
I. Charles I of Anjou 1226/7–1285 king of Sicily(-Naples) =
Beatrice of Provence :II.
Blanche (died 1269) =
Robert lord of Béthune :II.
Beatrice 1252–1275 =
Philip titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople :II.
Elisabeth 1261–1303 =
Ladislaus IV of Hungary :
II. Charles II of Naples the Lame 1254–1309 =
Mary of Hungary ::
III. Charles Martel (1271–1295), titular King of Hungary =
Clemence of Austria :::
IV. Charles I (1288–1342), King of Hungary = 1. Maria of Galicia (?), 2.
Mary of Bytom, 3.
Beatrice of Luxembourg, 4.
Elisabeth of Poland ::::V. (1.)
Catherine (died 1355) =
Henry II, Duke of Świdnica ::::V. (4.) Charles (1321–1321/3) ::::V. (4.) Ladislaus (1324–1329) ::::
V. (4.)
Louis I of Hungary (1326–1382) = 1.
Margaret of Bohemia, 2.
Elizabeth of Bosnia :::::VI. (2.) Catherine (1370–1378) :::::
VI. (2.)
Mary of Hungary 1371–1395 =
Sigismund of Luxembourg :::::
VI. (2.)
Jadwiga of Poland 1373/4–1399 =
Władysław II Jagiełło ::::
V. (4.)
Andrew, Duke of Calabria (1327–1345) =
Joanna I of Naples :::::VI.
Charles Martel, Duke of Calabria (1345–1348) ::::V. (4.) Elizabeth (?) (b. 1327/1332) = Boleslaus II of Troppau ::::V. (4.)
Stephen (1332–1354) duke of Slavonia =
Margaret of Bavaria :::::VI.
Elizabeth 1352–1380 =
Philip II, Prince of Taranto, titular Emperor of Constantinople :::::VI.
John (1354–1360), duke of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia ::::V. Coloman (1317–1375), Bishop of Győr – illegitimate son with daughter of Gurke Csák :::IV.
Beatrice (1290–1354) =
Jean II de La Tour du Pin, Dauphin du Viennois :::IV.
Clementia of Hungary (1293–1328) =
Louis X of France ::III.
Margaret (1273–1299) =
Charles of Valois ::
III. Saint Louis of Toulouse (1274–1298), Bishop of Toulouse ::
III. Robert the Wise (1275–1343), King of Naples = 1.
Yolanda of Aragon, 2.
Sancia of Majorca :::IV. (1.)
Charles (1298–1328), Duke of Calabria, Viceroy of Naples = 1.
Catherine of Habsburg (1295–1323), 2.
Marie of Valois (1309–1332) ::::V. (2.) Eloisa (1325–1325) ::::
V. (2.)
Joanna I of Naples (1326–1382) =
Andrew, Duke of Calabria (1327–1345) ::::V. (2.) Charles Martel (1327–1327) ::::V. (2.)
Maria of Calabria (1329–1366) = 1.
Charles, Duke of Durazzo 2. Robert of Baux, Count of Avellino 3.
Philip II, Prince of Taranto :::IV. (1.) Louis (1301–1310) :::IV. (i.)
Charles d'Artois , grand chamberlain for Queen Joanna I – illegitimate with Cantelma Cantelmo :::IV. (i.) Maria d'Aquino (Boccaccio's Fiammetta) – illegitimate :::IV. (i.)
Hélène of Anjou (13??–1342), Countess of Mat – illegitimate =
Andrea I Thopia, Count of Mat ::::V.
Karl Thopia (1331–1388),
Prince of Albania =
Voisava Balsha :::::VI.
Gjergj Thopia (fl. 1388 – d. 1392), Prince of Albania and Lord of Durrës =
Teodora Branković :::::VI.
Helena Thopia (fl. 1388 – 1403), Princess of Albania and Lady of Krujë = 1.
Marco Barbarigo, 2.
Kostandin Balsha :::::VI.
Voisava Thopia, Princess of Albania and Lady of Lezhë = 1. Lord Isaac Cursachio, 2. Progon Dukagjini :::::VI. (i.)
Niketa Thopia (fl. 1388 – d. 1415), Lord of Krujë after capturing the city from his half-sister Helena illegitimate =
Komnen Arianiti's daughter :::::VI. (i.)
Maria Thopia, Baroness of Botrugno illegitimate = Filippo Maramonte ::III.
Philip I 1278–1331, Prince of Taranto and Achaea = 1.
Thamar Angelina Komnene 2.
Catherine of Valois–Courtenay :::IV. (1.)
Charles of Taranto 1296–1315, vicar of Romania :::IV. (1.)
Joan of Anjou 1297–1323 = 1.
Oshin of Armenia 2.
Oshin of Korikos :::IV. (1) Margarete 1298–1340 =
Walter VI, Count of Brienne titular duke of Athens :::IV. (1.)
Philip, Despot of Romania 1300–1330 = Violante (daughter of
James II of Aragon) :::IV. (1.) Maria 1301/4–1368, abbess in Conversano :::IV. (1.) Blanche 1309–1337 = Ramon Berenguer infante of Aragon, count of Prades (son of
James II of Aragon) :::IV. (1.) Beatrice = Walter II of Brienne. :::IV. (2.) Margaret =
Francis de Baux duke of Adria :::IV. (2.)
Robert, Prince of Taranto 1326–1365, titular Latin emperor of Constantinople :::IV. (2.)
Louis, Prince of Taranto 1327/8–1362, king of Naples as husband of
Joanna I of Naples :::IV. (2.)
Philip, Prince of Taranto 1329–1374, prince of Achaea, titular Latin emperor of Constantinople = 1.
Maria of Calabria 2.
Elisabeth of Slavonia ::III.
Blanche of Anjou (1280–1310) =
James II of Aragon ::III.
Raymond Berengar (1281–1307), Count of Provence, Prince of Piedmont and Andria = Margaret of Clermont ::III. John (1283–1308), a priest ::III. Tristan (1284–bef. 1288) ::III.
Eleanor of Anjou, (1289–1341) = Frederick III of Sicily ::III.
Maria of Naples (1290–c. 1346) = 1. Sancho I of Majorca, 2. Jaime de Ejerica ::III.
Peter Tempesta (1291–1315), Count of Gravina ::
III. John (1276–1335), Duke of Durazzo, Prince of Achaea, and Count of Gravina = 1.
Matilda of Hainaut (1293–1336), 2.
Agnes of Périgord (d. 1345) :::IV. (2.)
Charles, Duke of Durazzo (1323–1348) =
Maria of Calabria ::::V.
Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo 1344–1387 = 1.
Louis, Count of Beaumont 2.
Robert IV of Artois, Count of Eu ::::V.
Agnes of Durazzo 1345–138 =
Cansignorio della Scala lord of Verona 2.
James of Baux ::::V.
Margaret of Durazzo 1347–1412 =
Charles III of Naples :::IV. (2.)
Louis, Count of Gravina (1324–1362) = Margaret of Sanseverino ::::V. Louis (1344–d. young) ::::
V. Charles III (1345–1386), king of Naples (1382–1386) and Hungary (1385–1386) =
Margaret of Durazzo :::::VI.
Joanna II of Naples 1371–1435 = 1.
William, Duke of Austria 2.
James II, Count of La Marche :::::VI.
Ladislaus of Naples 1377–1414 = 1.
Costanza Chiaramonte, 2.
Mary of Lusignan, 3.
Mary of Enghien ::::V. Agnes (1347–d. young) :::IV. (2.)
Robert of Durazzo (1326–1356) ::III. Beatrice (1295–c. 1321) = 1. Azzo VIII d'Este, marchese of Ferrara, 2. Bertrand III of Baux, Count of Andria (d. 1351) :II.
Philip 1256–1277, elected king of Sardinia – died childless :II. Robert 1258–1265 – died childless The three surviving sons of
Charles Robert (Charles I of Hungary) were
Louis I of Hungary (1326–1382),
Andrew, Duke of Calabria (1327–1345), and
Stephen, Duke of Slavonia (1332–1354). Louis I had only two surviving daughters,
Mary of Hungary (1371–1395), who married the future
Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg, and
Hedwig of Poland (1373/74–1399), who was given in marriage to the Grand Duke of Lithuania
Władysław II Jagiełło, the future
King of Poland. (See the section of Poland.) After Louis I's death without male heirs, Mary's husband,
Sigismund of Luxembourg (1368–1437) managed to be accepted as Mary's co-ruler, by the Hungarian lords. When the queen died (1395) the Hungarian crown passed over to the House of Luxembourg. In 1333, the six years old second son of Charles Robert,
Andrew (1327–1345) was taken to the court of Naples by his father for dynastic purposes, who put him under guardianship of
Robert the Wise. Andrew was betrothed in 1334 to his cousin Joanna, granddaughter and heiress apparent of King Robert of Naples; Andrew's father was a fraternal nephew of King Robert. At the age of 15 he married
Joanna I of Naples. After the death of Robert (1343), the King of Naples, Andrew became a victim of power clashes in the court of Naples. Robert's claim to the throne was rather tenuous and did not follow
primogeniture. Andrew's grandfather,
Charles Martel of Anjou, had died young; therefore, the throne should have passed to Andrew's father. 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, but he refused on religious grounds, and it thus passed to Robert. To recompense Andrew's father, Charles II decided to assign him the claim to Hungary.
Stephen of Anjou (1332–1354),
Duke of Slavonia, the third surviving son of
Charles Robert, died before his older brother. For this reason, he (and his son) had no chance to take over the rule neither in Hungary, nor in Poland. In 1350, he married
Margaret of Bavaria. His marriage with a German princess made him unpopular in Poland. The Polish noblemen acknowledged Louis as Casimir III's sole heir in July 1351 only after he had promised that he would not allow Stephen to participate in the government of Poland. Margaret gave birth to a daughter Elizabeth (in 1370 she married
Philip of Taranto), and a son
John, who inherited Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia from his father, but he was still a child when he died in 1360. On the death of Louis I of Hungary,
Charles III of Naples, son of
Louis of Durazzo (1324–1362), the great-grandson of Charles II of Naples and Mary of Hungary, claimed the Hungarian throne as the senior Angevin male, and ousted Louis' daughter Mary of Hungary in December 1385. It was not difficult for him to reach the power, as he counted with the support of several Croatian lords, and many contacts which he made during his period as Duke of Croatia and Dalmatia. However, Elizabeth of Bosnia, widow of Louis and mother of Mary, arranged to have Charles assassinated on 7 February 1386. He died of wounds at Visegrád on 24 February. His son,
Ladislaus of Naples would try to obtain the crown of Hungary in the future, but never reached his goal.
Poland In 1355, the last
Piast king of Poland,
Casimir III, designated his sororal nephew, the Angevin king
Louis I of Hungary, as his
heir presumptive by the
Privilege of Buda. Upon the death of Casimir (5 November 1370), who left no legitimate sons, Louis ascended the Polish throne virtually unopposed. The Polish nobility welcomed his accession, rightly believing that Louis would be an absentee king who would not take much interest in Polish affairs. He sent his mother
Elizabeth, sister of Casimir III, to govern Poland as regent. Louis probably considered himself first and foremost king of Hungary; he visited his northern kingdom three times and spent there a couple of months altogether. Negotiations with the Polish nobility frequently took place in Hungary. Hungarians themselves were unpopular in Poland, as was the king's Polish mother who governed the kingdom. In 1376,
circa 160 Hungarians in her retinue were massacred in
Kraków and the queen returned to Hungary disgraced. The Hungarian-Polish union fell apart after Louis died in 1382. The dissatisfied Polish nobles demanded that his successor in Hungary,
Mary, move to Kraków and reign over Hungary and Poland from there. Mary's mother,
Elizabeth of Bosnia (widow of Louis and grandniece of Casimir III's father,
Vladislaus I), knew that the lack of supporters would render her influence at least as restricted as that of her mother-in-law and refused to move. The deed would taint the rest of Joanna'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 Joanna, only to meet with reverses. In November 1347, Louis set out for Naples with some 1,000 soldiers (Hungarians and Germans), mostly mercenaries. When he reached the border of Joanna's kingdom, he had 2,000 Hungarian knights, 2,000 mercenary heavy cavalry, 2,000
Cuman horse archers and 6000 mercenary heavy infantry. Joanna in the meantime had married her cousin Louis of Taranto and had signed a peace with Naples' traditional enemy, the Kingdom of Sicily. The army of Naples, 2,700 knights and 5,000 infantrymen, was led by Louis of Taranto. On 11 January 1348, in the Battle of Capua, the king of Hungary defeated the army of Louis of Taranto. Four days later the queen repaired to Provence, while her husband followed soon afterwards. All the kingdom's barons swore loyalty to the new ruler as he marched to Naples from Benevento. While visiting Aversa, where his brother had been murdered, Louis had Charles of Durazzo assassinated in revenge by his condottiero. The Neapolitans, who had quickly grown unhappy with the severe Hungarian rule, called back Joan, who paid for her return expedition by selling her rights on Avignon to the popes. She landed near Naples and easily captured it, but the Hungarian commander Ulrich von Wolfart commanded a strong resistance in Apulia. Joanna and Louis would await a new trial on Andrew's assassination, to be held in Avignon. The verdict was Joanna's acquittal from any charge in January 1352, and a peace was signed with Hungary on 23 March 1352. Ultimately, 37 years later, Louis' kinsman
Charles III of Naples conquered Naples with Hungarian aid and put Joanna to death. As the adopted son of Joanna,
Louis I of the
House of Valois-Anjou (a different cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty related to the
House of Valois) claimed the throne of Naples. His son
Louis II would size territory parts of the kingdom of
Ladislaus of Naples but remain unable to conquer the kingdom. The conflict between the two lines continued until
Joanna II of Naples, the last member of the House of Anjou, would name
Louis III of Valois-Anjou as her heir but because he died before her so his brother
René would succeed her in 1435.
Alfonso V of Aragon would use this as a pretext for his
invasion of Naples in 1442 reuniting the kingdoms. Other Capetian pretenders would try to size the throne
in the 1460s,
Italian Wars and the
Neapolitan Revolt of 1647 from the Aragonese, Spanish and eventually
Hapsburgs. A third Capetian branch, the
House of Bourbon would gain control over
both Sicilies during the
War of the Polish Succession in the 1730s and remained in power with an interruptions during the
Coalition Wars until the
Unification of Italy.
Taranto Albania The
Kingdom of Albania, or
Regnum Albaniae, was established by
Charles of Anjou in the
Albanian territory he acquired from the
Despotate of Epirus in the year 1271. He took the title of "King of Albania" in February 1272. The kingdom briefly extended from the region of
Dyrrhachium (present-day
Durrës in Albania) south along the coast to
Butrint. A major attempt to advance further in direction of Constantinople, failed at the
Siege of Berat (1280–1281). A Byzantine counteroffensive soon ensued, which drove the Angevins out of the interior by 1282. The
Sicilian Vespers further weakened the position of Charles, and the kingdom was soon reduced by the albanians to a small area centered around Durrës. The Angevins held Durrës until 1368, when
Karl Thopia who was the great great grandson of
Charles I of Naples captured the city and rules as "
Prince of Albania". ==Genealogy of Capetian-Anjou==