Joanna II of Naples facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joanna II |
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A 15th-century stained glass picture of Joanna and her husband James II of La Marche
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| Queen of Naples | |
| Reign | 6 August 1414 – 2 February 1435 |
| Coronation | 28 October 1419 |
| Predecessor | Ladislaus |
| Successor | René |
| Born | 25 June 1371 Zadar, Kingdom of Croatia |
| Died | 2 February 1435 (aged 63) Naples, Kingdom of Naples |
| Burial | Church of Santa Annunziata, Naples, Kingdom of Naples |
| Spouse | William, Duke of Austria James II, Count of La Marche |
| House | Capetian House of Anjou |
| Father | Charles III of Naples |
| Mother | Margaret of Durazzo |
Joanna II (born June 25, 1371, died February 2, 1435) was the Queen of Naples from 1414 until she passed away. She was the last ruler from the Capetian House of Anjou family. She also held titles like Queen of Jerusalem, Sicily, and Hungary, but these were mostly honorary.
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Early Life of Queen Joanna
Joanna was born in Zadar, Croatia, on June 25, 1371. Her parents were Charles III of Naples and Margaret of Durazzo.
When she was young, there were talks about her marrying Louis II of Anjou. However, Louis did not want to marry the daughter of his father's main enemy.
Joanna married her first husband, William, Duke of Austria, in Vienna in 1401. She was 28 years old at the time. William had previously been turned down by her cousin, Queen Jadwiga of Poland. Joanna and William did not have any children. William died in 1406 after five years of marriage. After his death, Joanna had a close advisor named Pandolfello Alopo, whom she made Grand Chamberlain.
Becoming Queen of Naples
In 1414, Joanna became Queen of Naples after her brother Ladislaus died. She was 41 years old and had no children. In 1415, she was briefly engaged to John II of Aragon, who was much younger than her. This engagement was soon called off.
On August 10, 1415, she married for a second time to James II, Count of La Marche. This marriage was meant to gain the support of the French monarchy. The marriage agreement said that James would become the Prince of Taranto. However, James did not receive this title. He then had Alopo killed and forced Joanna to name him King of Naples. James tried to take all power for himself. He even imprisoned Joanna in her own rooms in the royal palace. But the nobles of Naples later helped her get free.
In 1416, a riot broke out in Naples. James was forced to send away his French helpers and give up his title as king. Around this time, Joanna began a close relationship with Sergianni Caracciolo. He later gained a lot of power in her court. On August 28, 1417, Joanna's forces took back Rome. The next year, James left Naples and went back to France.
Challenges with the Pope
With James no longer in power, Joanna could finally have her coronation. On October 28, 1419, she was crowned Queen of Sicily and Naples. However, her relationship with Pope Martin V, who was the ruler above Naples, soon became difficult. Joanna, advised by Caracciolo, refused to give the Pope money to rebuild his army.
Because of this, the Pope called upon Louis III of Anjou. Louis was the son of a rival to King Ladislaus and still claimed the throne of Naples. In 1420, Louis invaded Campania. The Pope tried to use this situation to his advantage. He called representatives from both sides to Florence.
Joanna did not agree with the Pope's unclear suggestions. Instead, she asked for help from Alfonso V of Aragon, the powerful brother of her former fiancé. She promised Alfonso that he would inherit the throne of Naples. Alfonso entered Naples in July 1421. Louis lost the Pope's support.
However, the relationship between Joanna and Alfonso also became difficult. In May 1423, Alfonso had Caracciolo arrested and surrounded Joanna's home, the Castel Capuano. They reached an agreement. Caracciolo was freed and went to Aversa with Joanna. There, she met Louis again. She declared that her promise to Alfonso was no longer valid. She then named Louis as her new heir. Alfonso was forced to return to Spain. Joanna was able to return to Naples in April 1424.
Caracciolo's great ambition eventually led Joanna to plan his death in 1432. On August 19, 1432, Sergianni Caracciolo was killed in his room at Castel Capuano. He was buried in Naples.
Years of Peace and Succession
The last years of Joanna's rule were mostly peaceful. Louis stayed in his area, the Duchy of Calabria, waiting to become king. But he died in 1434. The aging Joanna then named René, Louis's brother, as her heir.
Joanna died in Naples on February 2, 1435, at the age of 63. She was buried in the Church of Santa Annunziata. With her death, the entire Capetian House of Anjou family came to an end.
Images for kids
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A 15th-century stained glass picture of Joanna and her husband James II of La Marche
See also
In Spanish: Juana II de Nápoles para niños
