Mary of Antioch

Maria of Antioch pretended to the throne of Jerusalem from 1269 to 1277. She was the daughter of Prince Bohemond IV of Antioch and his second wife Melisende of Cyprus. Melisende was the youngest daughter of Isabella, Queen of Jerusalem and her fourth husband King-Consort Amalric II of Jerusalem. Since Mary was, at the time of the death of Conradin, the only living grandchild of Queen Isabella, she claimed the throne on basis of proximity in blood to the Kings of Jerusalem. In feudal successions, proximity (a form of seniority) was a strong claim. Denied by the Haute Cour, she went to Rome and sold her rights, with papal blessing and confirmation, to Charles of Anjou (the winner and executioner of her predecessor Conrad) in 1277. Charles had Acre conquered and held it until 1285. Thereafter, this claim to the Kingdom of Jerusalem was treated also as tributary to the crown of Naples, which often changed hands by testament or conquest rather than direct inheritance.

Related Topics:
1269 - 1277 - Bohemond IV of Antioch - Melisende of Cyprus - Isabella, Queen of Jerusalem - Amalric II of Jerusalem - Conradin - Proximity in blood - Haute Cour - Charles of Anjou

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Maria died in Castello de Canosa, Apulia after 10.12.1307. Childless.

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(In 1267, when her cousin Hugh II of Cyprus died, she was the only living grandchild of Amalric I. However, Hugh of Brienne and Hugh of Antioch were grandsons of Hugh I of Cyprus, Amalric's successor, and as close in kinship to kings of Cyprus as Maria was. However, Charles of Anjou's dynasty sometimes apparently advanced claims to Cyprus, too.)

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