Alicia of Majorca
Encyclopedia
Dona Alicia of Majorca was a Cypriot noblewoman, the great-granddaughter of King James II of Majorca
and a maternal descendant of the Lusignan
kings of Cyprus
. Her husband was Philip Ibelin, seneschal of Cyprus who was sent to prison in Genoa after his murder of Alicia's uncle, King Peter I
. She became the mistress of Jean de Moustry, Grand Admiral of Cyprus.
and Alix of Ibelin
. Her paternal great-grandfather was King James II of Majorca. At the time of her birth, her mother, Eschive was being held in captivity by her grandfather, King Hugh as a result of the latter's violent quarrel with Alicia's father, Fernando, who had been expelled from the kingdom. The King had accused Fernando's mother, Isabelle of Ibelin of having practised sorcery
. As her father died in exile in Omélas, sometime between the time of her birth and 1347, Alicia never knew him.
, son of Balian Ibelin. As they were related within the prohibited degrees, a Papal dispensation was required for their marriage. Her uncle, who in 1358 had succeeded Hugh IV as King Peter I of Cyprus, was much displeased with Philip's marriage to Alicia, who being his niece, was a close member of the Cypriot royal family. The King, in retaliation for Philip's temerity in marrying Alicia, banished him from the kingdom. Alicia was forcibly detained on the island, and forbidden to follow her husband in exile. It is not known whether or not she had any children by Philip.
Her mother had died in 1363 during an outbreak of plague. Four years later, in 1367, Philip returned to Cyprus, and in 1369 assumed the role as leader of a revolt against King Peter, and of the group of barons who subsequently assassinated him. After the regicide
, Peter's son, Peter
, who was a minor, succeeded him, with his mother Eleanor
, and his uncles John
and James
acting as his regents. Eleanor suspected John and James of having been part of the plot to murder Peter. Philip was immediately appointed seneschal of Cyprus; however, following the Genoese
invasion in 1373 (which the Queen Mother Eleanor had secretly arranged), he was first imprisoned at Famagusta
, then sent to prison in Genoa, where he was beheaded in 1374/76.
. As with her husband, it is not recorded whether any children were born to her as a result of her affair with the admiral. There were also rumours that she had an affair with Genoese Admiral Pietro di Campo Fregosa and had connived at her husband's death.It was recorded in the Chronicle of Amadi that Alicia was so in love with the Genoese
admiral that she had failed to intervene on Philip's behalf in order to save him from execution.
Alicia died on an unrecorded date sometime after 1376.
James II of Majorca
James II was King of Majorca and Lord of Montpellier from 1276 until his death. He was the second son of James I of Aragon and his wife Violant, daughter of Andrew II of Hungary...
and a maternal descendant of 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 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:...
. Her husband was Philip Ibelin, seneschal of Cyprus who was sent to prison in Genoa after his murder of Alicia's uncle, King Peter I
Peter I of Cyprus
Peter I of Cyprus or Pierre I de Lusignan was King of Cyprus, and Titular King of Jerusalem from his father's abdication on 24 November 1358 until his own death in 1369. He was also Latin King of Armenia from either 1361 or 1368...
. She became the mistress of Jean de Moustry, Grand Admiral of Cyprus.
Family
She was born in Cyprus in 1341, the only child of Infante Fernando of Majorca, Viscount d'Omélas, and Eschive de Lusignan, eldest daughter of King Hugh IV of CyprusHugh 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...
and Alix of Ibelin
Alix of Ibelin
Alix of Ibelin , was Queen consort of Cyprus and nominal Queen consort of Jerusalem as the second wife of King Hugh IV of Cyprus. She was queen from 31 March 1324 until Hugh's abdication on 24 November 1358...
. Her paternal great-grandfather was King James II of Majorca. At the time of her birth, her mother, Eschive was being held in captivity by her grandfather, King Hugh as a result of the latter's violent quarrel with Alicia's father, Fernando, who had been expelled from the kingdom. The King had accused Fernando's mother, Isabelle of Ibelin of having practised sorcery
Sorcery
Sorcery may refer to:* Magic * Maleficium * Witchcraft* Sorcery , a video game for the PlayStation 3 utilizing the PlayStation Move* Sorcery , 1995* Sorcery , 1974...
. As her father died in exile in Omélas, sometime between the time of her birth and 1347, Alicia never knew him.
Marriage
On 26 July 1355, she married, as his second wife, one of her kinsmen, Philip of IbelinIbelin
Ibelin was a castle in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century , which gave its name to an important family of nobles.-The castle:...
, son of Balian Ibelin. As they were related within the prohibited degrees, a Papal dispensation was required for their marriage. Her uncle, who in 1358 had succeeded Hugh IV as King Peter I of Cyprus, was much displeased with Philip's marriage to Alicia, who being his niece, was a close member of the Cypriot royal family. The King, in retaliation for Philip's temerity in marrying Alicia, banished him from the kingdom. Alicia was forcibly detained on the island, and forbidden to follow her husband in exile. It is not known whether or not she had any children by Philip.
Her mother had died in 1363 during an outbreak of plague. Four years later, in 1367, Philip returned to Cyprus, and in 1369 assumed the role as leader of a revolt against King Peter, and of the group of barons who subsequently assassinated him. After the regicide
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
, Peter's son, Peter
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:...
, who was a minor, succeeded him, with his mother Eleanor
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:...
, and his uncles John
John of Lusignan
John 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 James
James I of Cyprus
James I of Cyprus was Regent of Cyprus for his infant nephew Peter from 1369. When Peter died in 1382, James became King of Cyprus that year...
acting as his regents. Eleanor suspected John and James of having been part of the plot to murder Peter. Philip was immediately appointed seneschal of Cyprus; however, following the Genoese
Genoese
Genoese may refer to:* A person from Genoa* The Genoese dialect a variant of main Ligurian language* The Republic of Genoa, a state in Liguria from ca. 1100 to 1805 with various possessions in the Mediterranean...
invasion in 1373 (which the Queen Mother Eleanor had secretly arranged), he was first imprisoned at 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:...
, then sent to prison in Genoa, where he was beheaded in 1374/76.
Love affairs
In 1370, according to Rudt-Collenberg, Alicia became the mistress of Jean de Moustry, the Grand Admiral of CyprusOfficers of the Kingdom of Cyprus
The Kingdom of Cyprus, as an offshoot of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, maintained many of the same offices, such as: seneschal, constable, marshal, admiral, Chamberlain, and chancellor....
. As with her husband, it is not recorded whether any children were born to her as a result of her affair with the admiral. There were also rumours that she had an affair with Genoese Admiral Pietro di Campo Fregosa and had connived at her husband's death.It was recorded in the Chronicle of Amadi that Alicia was so in love with the Genoese
Genoese
Genoese may refer to:* A person from Genoa* The Genoese dialect a variant of main Ligurian language* The Republic of Genoa, a state in Liguria from ca. 1100 to 1805 with various possessions in the Mediterranean...
admiral that she had failed to intervene on Philip's behalf in order to save him from execution.
Alicia died on an unrecorded date sometime after 1376.