Individual Details
Constance of Sicily
(1249 - 1301)
Constance was born in 1249, the daughter of Manfredo, king of Sicily, and his first wife Beatrice de Savoie. To the annoyance of the pope, in 1262 Constance's father arranged her engagement and marriage to Infante Pedro of Aragón, son and heir of King Jaime 'The Conqueror'. This also upset King Louis IX of France who almost broke off his son's engagement to Pedro's sister. It was only after Jaime promised never to assist Constance's father Manfredo that the marriage proceeded. Due to papal interference, Manfredo lost his crown and his life in 1266. As long as Constance's father-in-law had been alive, nothing was done about Sicily. Now, even though Constance was Sicily's heiress, it remained in the hands of Charles I Etienne of Anjou, a brother of King Louis IX of France. Her husband Pedro, who loved her dearly, gave her in her own right the title of queen some years before he became king. When her father-in-law died in 1276 he had left the Balearic Islands and Roussillon to a younger son Jaime, who called himself King of Majorca and for three years refused to acknowledge Constance's husband as his suzerain. In 1279 the Moors of Andalusia tried to reconquer Murcia, and it took until the end of that year before the southern border was secure.
Further intrigues within the Iberian Peninsula prevented King Pedro III of Aragón from pursuing his wife's rights in Sicily. In 1275 the elder son of King Alfonso X of Castile had died, leaving two young sons. Alfonso X decided to make his second son Sancho his heir to prevent a long minority for his grandson, the rightful heir. However, his widowed daughter-in-law Blanche, a daughter of Louis IX of France, fled with her two sons to Pedro III of Aragón as she feared for her sons' lives.
Pedro III of Aragón welcomed Blanche and her sons but kept them as hostages. Alfonso X of Castile soon regretted his decision to make Sancho his heir, as in 1281 the impatient Sancho rebelled against his father.
In 1279 the plotting began in earnest with Emperor Michael of Constantinople and the Republic of Genoa, as these greatly feared that Charles of Anjou, the de-facto king of Sicily, might become too powerful. On 30 August 1282 the Aragónese, with King Pedro III at their head, disembarked at Trapani for Sicily, so that the local rebellion became a European war. On 2 October Pedro III made a triumphant entry into Messina.
Nevertheless he acted most cautiously, as one night a ragged old man, Vitalis dei Guidici, who was once a devoted friend of King Manfredo, warned him of the inconstancy of the volatile Sicilian nobles. Pedro III maintained that he had come to make friends with the Sicilians and not to offend them with recriminations about the past. The very next day he was reminded of the warning when Lady Machalda, one of those named by Vitalis dei Guidici, came to him and made it clear that she wanted to become his mistress. He escaped only by a lengthy discourse about his loyalty to his wife Constance, the rightful queen of Sicily. Lady Machalda, not a graceful loser, then induced her own husband to intrigue against Pedro III and Constance. In the early spring of 1283 Pedro sent for Constance and she left Aragón for Sicily with her children---Jaime, Fadrique and Yolanda---arriving on 16 April 1283. On 19 April it was announced that the Infante Jaime would be heir to Sicily as the elder son Alfonso would remain heir of Aragón. In the event of Jaime's minority, Constance would act as regent.
Pedro III had to depart Sicily, leaving Constance in charge. Constance and her Italian-born ministers were careful to observe the rights of the Sicilians. However, soon short of money, she found it difficult to restrain the rapacious Aragónese soldiers. When Sicily was again attacked, only the brilliance of Admiral Ruggiero de Lauria saved it from an invasion. Soon the whole kingdom of Charles of Anjou was in turmoil, and as he had lost Sicily to Pedro III and Constance, riots broke out in Naples. Here, Frenchmen found in the streets were massacred.
In November 1285 Constance's husband died at Villafranca de Penadres, where he was buried. His graciousness had made a good impression in Sicily but he had also been too cautious. Pope Honorius IV now decided it was time to restore peace in Italy, but he also wanted Sicily returned to the House of Anjou as a previous pope had made Charles of Anjou its king.
The Sicilians were distrustful of the generous promises of the pope and preferred their new king, Constance's son Jaime, who would become known as 'the Just'. Jaime was about nineteen, whereas the new king of France, Philippe IV 'the Fair', was only seventeen.
In February 1286 Jaime was crowned at Palermo. Discovering two Dominican friars sent by the pope to start a revolt in Sicily, Jaime courteously sent them back unharmed, as well offering the pope homage and asking for the confirmation of his title. The pope's response, however, was excommunication for both Constance and Jaime-and, for good measure, all the people of Sicily as well. Constance and Jaime had reached a honourable and just agreement with the imprisoned heir of Charles of Anjou. However the pope, disallowing this, ordered an offensive against Sicily in 1287, a disastrous affair for Honorius IV.
When in 1291 Constance's eldest son Alfonso III 'the Liberal', king of Aragón, died childless, it was Jaime, king of Sicily, who became the next king of Aragón. He remained king of both countries until 1296 when Fadrique, Constance's third son, became king of Sicily and Jaime remained king of Aragón. Constance, having returned to Spain, died in Barcelona in 1301.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Further intrigues within the Iberian Peninsula prevented King Pedro III of Aragón from pursuing his wife's rights in Sicily. In 1275 the elder son of King Alfonso X of Castile had died, leaving two young sons. Alfonso X decided to make his second son Sancho his heir to prevent a long minority for his grandson, the rightful heir. However, his widowed daughter-in-law Blanche, a daughter of Louis IX of France, fled with her two sons to Pedro III of Aragón as she feared for her sons' lives.
Pedro III of Aragón welcomed Blanche and her sons but kept them as hostages. Alfonso X of Castile soon regretted his decision to make Sancho his heir, as in 1281 the impatient Sancho rebelled against his father.
In 1279 the plotting began in earnest with Emperor Michael of Constantinople and the Republic of Genoa, as these greatly feared that Charles of Anjou, the de-facto king of Sicily, might become too powerful. On 30 August 1282 the Aragónese, with King Pedro III at their head, disembarked at Trapani for Sicily, so that the local rebellion became a European war. On 2 October Pedro III made a triumphant entry into Messina.
Nevertheless he acted most cautiously, as one night a ragged old man, Vitalis dei Guidici, who was once a devoted friend of King Manfredo, warned him of the inconstancy of the volatile Sicilian nobles. Pedro III maintained that he had come to make friends with the Sicilians and not to offend them with recriminations about the past. The very next day he was reminded of the warning when Lady Machalda, one of those named by Vitalis dei Guidici, came to him and made it clear that she wanted to become his mistress. He escaped only by a lengthy discourse about his loyalty to his wife Constance, the rightful queen of Sicily. Lady Machalda, not a graceful loser, then induced her own husband to intrigue against Pedro III and Constance. In the early spring of 1283 Pedro sent for Constance and she left Aragón for Sicily with her children---Jaime, Fadrique and Yolanda---arriving on 16 April 1283. On 19 April it was announced that the Infante Jaime would be heir to Sicily as the elder son Alfonso would remain heir of Aragón. In the event of Jaime's minority, Constance would act as regent.
Pedro III had to depart Sicily, leaving Constance in charge. Constance and her Italian-born ministers were careful to observe the rights of the Sicilians. However, soon short of money, she found it difficult to restrain the rapacious Aragónese soldiers. When Sicily was again attacked, only the brilliance of Admiral Ruggiero de Lauria saved it from an invasion. Soon the whole kingdom of Charles of Anjou was in turmoil, and as he had lost Sicily to Pedro III and Constance, riots broke out in Naples. Here, Frenchmen found in the streets were massacred.
In November 1285 Constance's husband died at Villafranca de Penadres, where he was buried. His graciousness had made a good impression in Sicily but he had also been too cautious. Pope Honorius IV now decided it was time to restore peace in Italy, but he also wanted Sicily returned to the House of Anjou as a previous pope had made Charles of Anjou its king.
The Sicilians were distrustful of the generous promises of the pope and preferred their new king, Constance's son Jaime, who would become known as 'the Just'. Jaime was about nineteen, whereas the new king of France, Philippe IV 'the Fair', was only seventeen.
In February 1286 Jaime was crowned at Palermo. Discovering two Dominican friars sent by the pope to start a revolt in Sicily, Jaime courteously sent them back unharmed, as well offering the pope homage and asking for the confirmation of his title. The pope's response, however, was excommunication for both Constance and Jaime-and, for good measure, all the people of Sicily as well. Constance and Jaime had reached a honourable and just agreement with the imprisoned heir of Charles of Anjou. However the pope, disallowing this, ordered an offensive against Sicily in 1287, a disastrous affair for Honorius IV.
When in 1291 Constance's eldest son Alfonso III 'the Liberal', king of Aragón, died childless, it was Jaime, king of Sicily, who became the next king of Aragón. He remained king of both countries until 1296 when Fadrique, Constance's third son, became king of Sicily and Jaime remained king of Aragón. Constance, having returned to Spain, died in Barcelona in 1301.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 1249 | ||||
| Marriage | 13 Jun 1262 | Montpellier - Peter III "The Great" Aragon | |||
| Death | 1301 | Barcelona |
Families
| Spouse | Peter III "The Great" Aragon (1239 - 1285) |
| Child | St. Elisabeth of Aragon (1271 - 1336) |
| Father | Manfredo King of Sicily (1232 - 1266) |
| Mother | Beatrice of Savoia ( - 1259) |