Frederick the Simple facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frederick III |
|
|---|---|
A pierreale of Frederick the Simple
|
|
| King of Sicily | |
| Reign | 16 October 1355 - 27 July 1377 |
| Predecessor | Louis |
| Successor | Maria |
| Born | 1 September 1341 Catania, Kingdom of Sicily |
| Died | 27 July 1377 (aged 35) Messina, Kingdom of Sicily |
| Spouse | Constance of Aragon Antonia of Baux |
| Issue | Maria, Queen of Sicily |
| House | Barcelona |
| Father | Peter II of Sicily |
| Mother | Elizabeth of Carinthia |
Frederick III (also known as Frederick IV) was the King of Sicily from 1355 to 1377. People often called him the Simple. He was born on September 1, 1341, in Catania, Sicily. He passed away on July 27, 1377, in Messina.
Frederick was the second son of Peter II of Sicily and Elisabeth of Carinthia. He became king after his older brother, Louis, died. During his time, official papers simply called him "infante Frederick, ruler of the kingdom of Sicily." They did not use a special number after his name.
Sometimes, people get Frederick the Simple mixed up with his grandfather, Frederick II. His grandfather chose to call himself "Frederick III," even though he was only the second King Frederick of Sicily. This old way of numbering can be a bit confusing for historians today. The very first King Frederick in Sicily was his great-grandfather, King Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor.
Contents
Becoming King of Sicily
Frederick III became king in 1355 when he was still young. His older sister, Euphemia of Sicily, helped rule the kingdom as his regent. A regent is someone who governs for a king or queen who is too young or unable to rule.
During his early reign, powerful noble families, called barons, had a lot of control in Sicily. One very influential baron was Artale I Alagona. The start of Frederick's rule was also a tough time because of the Black Death. This terrible disease had even caused the death of his brother, King Louis.
Peace and New Titles
In 1372, Frederick was able to make peace with the Kingdom of Naples and Pope Gregory XI. This was a big step for Sicily. As part of this peace, he was given the title of "tributary King of Trinacria." This meant he was still king, but he had to pay a tribute (a payment) to the Pope.
Frederick's mother's cousin, Margaret of Tyrol, died in 1369. After her death, Frederick was the only living descendant of the House of Gorizia-Tyrol. This family used to rule a large area in the Eastern Alps, including Tyrol, Carinthia, and Carniola. However, Frederick had many problems at home in Sicily. Because of these issues, he never tried to claim those distant lands. So, these territories eventually went to the Habsburgs, another powerful European family.
Frederick's Marriages
Frederick III was married twice during his life. These marriages were often important for making political alliances.
First Marriage
On April 11, 1361, Frederick married Constance of Aragon. She was the daughter of King Peter IV of Aragon. Frederick and Constance had one daughter together, named Maria.
Second Marriage
Frederick married for the second time on January 17, 1372. His second wife was Antonia of Baux. This marriage was very important because it helped to officially confirm the Treaty of Villeneuve from 1372. This treaty was what recognized Frederick's right to rule Sicily by both Naples and the Pope. Frederick and Antonia did not have any children together.
Frederick was planning to marry again to Antonia Visconti, but he passed away before the wedding could happen. After his death, his only child, Queen Maria, became the new ruler of Sicily.
See also
In Spanish: Federico III de Sicilia para niños
