Charles Of Durazzo Article Index for
Charles Of
Website Links For
Charles
 

Information About

Charles Of Durazzo




He was the son of Louis Of Durazzo and Margherita of Sanseverino.

As the great-grandchild of King Charles II Of Naples , he was a second cousin to Queen Joan I (both agnatically) and also adopted by her as a child, since he was the only male of the senior Angevin line of Sicily. Joan I was infatuated with him throughout her life. However, much to her displeasure, her romantic interest in him was never requited. In 1369 he married Margherita Of Durazzo , the daughter of Joan's younger sister Marie, and his own first cousin.
The conflict between Joan and Pope Urban VI caused the Pope (as feudal overlord of the kingdom) to declare her dethroned in 1381 and give the kingdom to Charles. He marched on the Kingdom Of Naples with a Hungarian army, defeated the King Consort Otto, and seized the city, the Queen, and the kingdom. Charles to seize Naples and capture Joan in 1381 . He revenged the death of Prince Andre upon her by having her strangled in prison in 1382 and succeeded to the crown. However, Joan's adopted heir Louis I Of Anjou took possession of the Counties of Provence and Forcalquier and marched on Naples to claim the kingdom, but was defeated by Charles.

In 1383 , he succeeded to the Principality Of Achaea on the death of James Of Baux . On the death of Louis I Of Hungary , Charles claimed the Hungarian throne as the senior Angevin male, and ousted Louis' daughter Mary Of Hungary in December , 1385 . However, Louis' widow Elisabeth arranged to have Charles assassinated at Visegrád on February 24 , 1386 . He was buried in Belgrade . His son Ladislas Of Naples succeeded him in Naples, while the regents of Mary of Hungary reinstated her as Queen of Hungary.

Names in other languages: Hungarian: ''(Durazzoi)III. Károly'', Slovak: ''Karol III (Neapolský)''