County of Lecce
Encyclopedia
The County of Lecce was a semi-independent entity in Puglia, southern Italy
, which existed from 1055 to 1463. Its capital was Lecce
, and it was bounded by territories of Brindisi
on the north, Oria
and Nardò
on the west, and Soleto
and Otranto
on the south.
The county was founded by the Normans after their conquest of Apulia in the 1050s. Several Norman monarchs held their court in Lecce, and here was born Tancred of Hauteville
, who had the title of Duke of Lecce from 1149 to 1194. His daughter Elvira Maria Albina married Walter III of Brienne
, whose family held the title of Lecce in the following centuries. In 1384 Mary of Enghien
, granddaughter of Isabella of Brienne
, became Countess of Lecce. When she married Raimondo Orsini del Balzo, Count of Soleto and (from 1393 to 1406) Prince of Taranto, all the Salento
was unified in one of the largest fiefs in the Kingdom of Naples
and Italy. Raimondo renewed the county and cities administration.
After his death, the county went to his son, Giovanni Antonio Orsini Del Balzo, who had also inherited the Principality of Taranto in 1420. At his death in 1463, king Ferdinand I of Naples
named himself heir of Giovanni Antonio's rich legacy, annexing the county to the royal estates.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, which existed from 1055 to 1463. Its capital was Lecce
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
, and it was bounded by territories of Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
on the north, Oria
Oria
-Places:Italy* Oria, Apulia, a town in the Apulia region, Province of Brindisi* Oria, Lombardy, a village in the municipality of Valsolda, in the Province of ComoSpain* Oria, Spain, a municipality in the Province of Almería, Andalusia...
and Nardò
Nardò
Nardò is a town and comune of 31,185 inhabitants and comune in the southern Italian region of Apulia, in the province of Lecce.-History:...
on the west, and Soleto
Soleto
Soleto is a small Griko-speaking city located in the province of Lecce in Apulia, Italy. The town has a total population of 5,537 and is one of the nine towns of Grecìa Salentina.-History:...
and Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
on the south.
The county was founded by the Normans after their conquest of Apulia in the 1050s. Several Norman monarchs held their court in Lecce, and here was born Tancred of Hauteville
Tancred of Hauteville
Tancred of Hauteville was an 11th-century Norman petty lord about whom little is known. His historical importance comes entirely from the accomplishments of his sons and later descendants...
, who had the title of Duke of Lecce from 1149 to 1194. His daughter Elvira Maria Albina married Walter III of Brienne
Walter III of Brienne
Walter III of Brienne was the Count of Brienne 1191–1205, Prince of Taranto, Duke of Apulia, and Count of Lecce, and titular King of Sicily 1201–1205....
, whose family held the title of Lecce in the following centuries. In 1384 Mary of Enghien
Mary of Enghien
Mary of Enghien, also Maria d'Enghien, was Countess of Lecce from 1384 to 1446, and, by her second marriage, Queen of Naples and titular Queen of Sicily, Jerusalem, and Hungary .- Family :...
, granddaughter of Isabella of Brienne
Isabella of Brienne
Isabella of Brienne was suo jure Countess of Lecce and Conversano, claimant to the Duchy of Athens and Kingdom of Jerusalem, etc.-Family and early years:...
, became Countess of Lecce. When she married Raimondo Orsini del Balzo, Count of Soleto and (from 1393 to 1406) Prince of Taranto, all the Salento
Salento
Salento is the south-eastern extremity of the Apulia region of Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the main Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot"...
was unified in one of the largest fiefs in the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
and Italy. Raimondo renewed the county and cities administration.
After his death, the county went to his son, Giovanni Antonio Orsini Del Balzo, who had also inherited the Principality of Taranto in 1420. At his death in 1463, king Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I of Naples
Ferdinand I , also called Don Ferrante, was the King of Naples from 1458 to 1494. He was the natural son of Alfonso V of Aragon by Giraldona Carlino.-Biography:...
named himself heir of Giovanni Antonio's rich legacy, annexing the county to the royal estates.