William II, Duke of Athens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William II
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| prince of Sicily | |
Coat of arms of Aragonese Sicily
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| Duke of Athens & Neopatria | |
| Reign | 1317–1338 |
| Predecessor | Manfred, Duke of Athens |
| Successor | John, Duke of Randazzo |
| Born | 1312 |
| Died | 22 August 1338 Trapani |
| Buried | Dominican church of Trapani |
| Noble family | of Barcelona |
| Spouse(s) | María Álvarez de Jérica |
| Father | Frederick II of Sicily |
| Mother | Eleanor of Anjou |
William II (born 1312, died 1338) was a prince from Sicily. He was the third son of King Frederick III of Sicily and Queen Eleanor of Anjou. William became the Duke of Athens when his older brother, Manfred, passed away in 1317.
Becoming a Duke
William was still very young when he became the Duke of Athens. Because he was a child, his older, half-brother, Alfonso Frederick, helped rule his lands. Alfonso was a very skilled leader. In 1319, he even added another area, the Duchy of Neopatria, to their family's control.
In 1330, Alfonso returned from Greece. William then gave him control of the islands of Malta and Gozo. Another person, Nicola Lanza, took over the rule in Greece for William.
Marriage and Later Life
In 1335, William married María Álvarez de Jérica. She was related to a famous admiral named Roger of Lauria. William and María married without getting special permission from the Pope. This was because the Popes at the time, John XXII and Benedict XII, did not want William's father, King Frederick, to become too powerful.
Two years later, William's father made a will. He planned to give William more lands and castles when William's mother, Eleanor, passed away. These lands included the Principality of Taranto and areas like Calatafimi and Noto.
Death and Burial
Sadly, William died on August 22, 1338, before his mother. He was only 26 years old. He left his collection of books to the Dominican monks in Palermo. William was buried in the main cathedral in Palermo.
