Helena Angelina Doukaina
| Helena Angelina Doukaina | |
|---|---|
Theodora Petraliphaina |
Helena Angelina Doukaina (c. 1242 – 1271) was
Theodora Petraliphaina. Her marriage was an expression of the alliance of her father and the ruler of Sicily against the growing power of the Empire of Nicaea.[1]
Marriage
She was married to Manfred of Sicily 2 June 1259, after the death of his first wife Beatrice of Savoy in 1257 and his own rise to the throne on 10 August 1258. D. J. Geanakoplos notes that this marriage was surprising, considering Manfred's father
William of Achaea to Anna, another daughter of Michael II; and, most important, whether Manfred's Epirote possessions were secured from Michael II actually as a result of conquest or as a dowry."[3]
Manfred had captured
Thessalonica. Helena's dowry included all rights to Dyrrhachium and its surrounding area along with the island of Corfu. Corfu was the only clear territorial gain for Manfred.[1]
Imprisonment
Manfred was killed at the
Charles I of Sicily. Charles captured Helena and imprisoned her. She lived five years later in captivity into the castle of Nocera Inferiore
where she died in 1271.
Children
Helena and Manfred had four children:
- Beatrix of Sicily (c. 1260 – before 1307); imprisoned in Castel del Monte until released, later married Manfred IV of Saluzzo.
- Frederick of Sicily (c. 1259 – last mentioned alive in 1312), first imprisoned in Castel del Monte, and from 1299 onwards in Castel dell'Ovo. He escaped prison and fled to Germany, spending time in several European courts before he died in Egypt.[4]
- Henry of Sicily (May 1262 – 31 October 1318), first imprisoned in Castel del Monte, and from 1299 onwards in Castel dell'Ovo. He was the last member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty.[5]
- Enzio (Azzolino) of Sicily (c. 1261 – c. 1301), first imprisoned in Castel del Monte, and from 1299 onwards in Castel dell'Ovo.
References
- ^ a b Donald M. Nicol, The last centuries of Byzantium, 1261-1453, second edition (Cambridge: University Press, 1993), p. 28
- ^ Geanakoplos, "Greco-Latin Relations on the Eve of the Byzantine Restoration: The Battle of Pelagonia-1259", Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 7 (1953), p. 104
- ^ Geanakoplos, "Greco-Latin Relations", p. 105
- ^ Koller, Walter (2007). "MANFREDI, re di Sicilia." Dizionario Biografico (in Italian). 68. Rome
- ^ Gregorovius, Ferdinand (2010) [1897]. History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages. Vol. 5, Part 2,Cambridge University Press.
- The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, 1991.
- Jacqueline Alio, Queens of Sicily 1061-1266, Trinacria (New York), 2018.
- John V.A. Fine Jr., The Late Medieval Balkans, Ann Arbor, 1987.
- D.I. Polemis, The Doukai, London, 1968.