Everything about Mary Of Enghien totally explained
Mary of Enghien, also
Maria d'Enghien, (
1367 or
1370 –
May 9,
1446) was Countess of
Lecce 1384 –
1446, and, by her second marriage, Queen of
Naples and titular Queen of
Sicily,
Jerusalem, and
Hungary 1406–
1414.
Family
She was the daughter of
John of Enghien, Comte di Castro, and (Sanchie or) Blanche of Baux. Her father was the third son of
Isabella of Brienne (who died in
1360) and her husband Walter of Enghien (who had died in
1345).
Her paternal grandmother Isabella survived her brother
Walter VI of Brienne, titular Duke of Athens etc, who died without surviving issue in
1356 at the
Battle of Poitiers. As his heir, she became Countess of Lecce and Brienne etc, as well as titular Duchess of Athens. Since her eldest son Walter had died before her brother, her heir was her second son
Sohier of Enghien. She allowed her inherited lands to be divided between her numerous children during her own lifetime. Mary's father, the third (but second surviving) son, had received the County of Lecce and the lordship of Castro.
Countess of Lecce
Mary's father John died in
1380, leaving minor children. Mary's brother
Peter of Enghien, also called Pyrrhus (Pyrro or Pirro), became the Count of Lecce. However, Peter died childless in 1384 and was succeeded by Mary and her husband
Raimondo del Balzo Orsini di Nola, whom she married also in 1384.
Chroniclers describe her as beautiful, intrepid and adventurous: adored by her children, loved by her first husband, besieged by King Ladislas, and treated cruelly by king's sister.
She stayed in her castles of Lecce and Copertino when Raimondo travelled, and gave his services to the king against the papal troops and supporters of junior Angevin line. She was occupied by their children, Marias, Caterina, Giovanni Antonio, and Gabriele.
Raimondo was created
Prince of Taranto (in her hereditary rights) and died in
1405 or 1406.
Queen of Naples
After his death, she was forced to marry King
Ladislas of Naples in 1406. Her second marriage was childless. Ladislas died on
6 August,
1414; his sister and successor
Joan II of Naples, described as cruel, hated Mary and imprisoned her. Joan's husband
James II, Count of La Marche however soon allowed her to go. She returned to Lecce, Joan having driven her and her children from the royal domains, back to Tarentine lands.
According to contemporary chroniclers, Ladislas fornicated all the time when married. She was queen only in name.
Children
Her children were:
- Maria del Balzo Orsini (d. aft. 1410), married Antonio di Acquaviva, Duke of Atri, etc. Childless.
- Caterina del Balzo Orsini, also known as Catherine of Taranto. Married with Bartholomew Tristan of Clermont, a knight of the French family of de Clermont-Lodeve. Bartolomeo Tristano di Chiaramonte or Chiaromonte. Tristan became Count of Capertino by the dowry of his wife. (That Catherine del Balzo Orsini who lived almost in the same period and married Giulio Antonio di Aragona di Acquaviva, Duke of Atri, etc, bringing him the dowry of Casamassima and Conversano, apparently wasn't this Catherine but a kinswoman, perhaps daughter of Giovanni Antonio or daughter of Gabriel, Duke of Venosa.)
- Giovanni Antonio del Balzo Orsini, John, Prince of Taranto. Died childless in 1463, when his niece Isabella brought the fiefs to her husband King Ferrante.
- (possibly natural son of her husband) Gabriele del Balzo Orsini (d. 1453), Count of Ugento, etc, Duke of Venosa. Married Giovanna Caracciolo del Sole dei Duchi di Melfi.
Mary lived a long life, dying at the age of 78. She witnessed the marriage of her granddaughter
Isabella of Taranto, daughter of Tristan and Catherine and an heiress of remarkable feudal possessions in
Southern Italy, to
Ferdinand of Aragon in
1444. He was the bastard son of King
Alfonso V of Aragon, who had conquered Southern Italy in
1441.
Further Information
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