Louis of Savoy (Italian: Ludovico; 1436–37 ; April 1482), Count of Geneva from 1460, became King of Cyprus in 1459 upon his second marriage to Charlotte of Cyprus, reigning together with and in the right of his wife until 1464. He was the second son and namesake of Louis, Duke of Savoy and his wife, Anne of Lusignan,[1] daughter of King Janus of Cyprus.

Louis
King of Cyprus (jure uxoris)
Reign1459–1464
PredecessorCharlotte (as sole monarch)
SuccessorJames II
Co-rulerCharlotte
ContenderJames II (from 1460)
Count of Geneva
Reign1460–1482
BornJune 1436
Geneva
DiedApril 1482
priory of Ripaille
SpousesAnnabella of Scotland
Charlotte of Cyprus
HouseSavoy
FatherLouis, Duke of Savoy
MotherAnne of Lusignan

Life edit

Louis was born, according to Samuel Guichenon, in June 1431, in Geneva, but the historian specifies in note that he was born in 1436.[2] The birth in June 1436 is therefore that adopted by contemporary authors.[3][4] Guichenon also specifies that the prince is 8 years old when he married in 1444. Some mention a period between 1436 and 1437, [5] especially for this last year the Swiss historian Édouard Mallet (1805–1856).[6]

On 14 December 1444, at Stirling Castle, he was married to Annabella, youngest daughter of King James I of Scotland (d. 1437) and sister of King James II of Scotland.[a] The official wedding never took place and the marriage was annulled in 1458.[8]

On 7 October 1458, his cousin Charlotte became Queen of Cyprus. He married her on 7 October 1459 and became King of Cyprus[9] as well as the titular King of Jerusalem and of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Their reign ended when they were deposed.[10]

Louis died in April 1482, at the priory of Ripaille.[7][11]

Notes edit

  1. ^ According to George Hill, upon Annabella's arrival in Savoy, Charles VII of France opposed the marriage and the arrangement was broken on 3 March 1455. This was accepted by James II of Scotland on 7 May 1456.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ Ward, Prothero & Leathes 1911, p. table 67.
  2. ^ Samuel Guichenon, Histoire généalogique de la royale maison de Savoie, justifiée par titres, fondations de monastères, manuscrits, anciens monuments, histoires et autres preuves authentiques. Livres 1–2 / ; enrichie de plusieurs portraits, sceaux, monnaies, sculptures et armoiries, G. Barbier, Lyon, 1660, p.536-546 on line.
  3. ^ Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, vol. I, Salt Lake City, 2011 (on line)
  4. ^ (it) Giuseppe Gullino, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Volume 66 (2006) – [Treccani], « Ludovico, di Savoia, re di Cipro » on line.
  5. ^ Candida Syndikus, Sabine Rogge, Caterina Cornaro Last Queen of Cyprus and Daughter of Venice Ultima regina di Cipro e figlia di Venezia, Waxmann Verlag, 2013, page 403.
  6. ^ Édouard Mallet, Documents genevois inédits pour la généalogie de la maison souveraine de Savoie, depuis le XIIe jusqu'au XVe siècle, Impr. Royale, 1836, p. 31 (on line).
  7. ^ a b Hill 1948, p. 610.
  8. ^ Eva Pibiri, « A la recherche d'une épouse. Ambassades et voyages autour des fiançailles d'Annabelle d'Ecosse et de Louis de Savoie, comte de Genève (1444–1445) », Cahiers lausannois d'histoire médiévale, vol. L'itinérance des seigneurs (XIVe-XVIe s.), no 34, 2003, p. 123-171 (on line)
  9. ^ Farid Mirbagheri, Historical Dictionary of Cyprus, Scarecrow Press, 1 oct. 2009, page 185.
  10. ^ Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (1841). The penny cyclopædia [ed. by G. Long]. p. 440.
  11. ^ Bernard Andenmatten, Laurent Ripart, « Ultimes itinérances. Les sépultures des ducs de la Maison de Savoie entre Moyen Age et Renaissance», dans A. Paravicini Bagliani et alii (dir.), L’itinérance des seigneurs (XIVe-XVIe siècle), Lausanne, 2003 (Cahiers lausannois d’histoire médiévale, 34), p. 193-247, ″[17] Louis, fils de Louis Ier, roi de Chypre

Sources edit

  • Hill, George (1948). A History of Cyprus. Vol. III: The Frankish Period, 1432–1571. Cambridge University Press.
  • Ward, A.W.; Prothero, G.W.; Leathes, Stanley, eds. (1911). The Cambridge Modern History. Vol. XIII. Cambridge University Press.
Regnal titles
Preceded byas sole ruler King of Cyprus
1458– 1464
with Charlotte of Cyprus
Succeeded by