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Francesca of Montferrat

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Francesca of Montferrat was a noblewoman of the Palaeologus-Montferrat family, a cadet branch of the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty. She married Costantino Arianiti Comneno of the Arianiti family.[1]

Francesca Palaeologus-Montferrat
Princess consort of Arianiti
(in exile)
Tenure1489 - 8 May 1530
PredecessorPietrina Francone
Princess consort of Macedonia
(titular)
Tenurec. 1494 - 8 May 1530
Duchess consort of Achaea
(titular)
Tenurec. 1494 - 8 May 1530
Despotess consort of Morea
(titular)
Tenure1502/1507 - 8 May 1530
PredecessorCaterina Palaiologina
Bornc. before 1486
Diedc. after 1561
SpouseConstantine Arianiti
IssueArianitto Arianiti
Andronica Arianiti, Despotess of Epirus
Penthesilea Arianiti
Ippolita Arianiti
Polissena Arianiti
Deianira Arianiti
Elena Arianiti
HousePalaeologus-Montferrat
(by birth)
Arianiti
(by marriage)
FatherBoniface III, Marquis of Montferrat
ReligionRoman Catholicism

Life

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Francesca Paleologa, Lady of Refrancore was an illegitimate daughter of Boniface III, Marquis of Montferrat.[2]

Constantine Arianiti

Between 1489 and 1492, Francesca married exiled Albanian prince Constantine Arianiti Komneni, son of prince and military leader Gjergj Arianiti and Pietrina Francone, an Italian noblewoman. Like most medieval Albanian nobility, the Arianitis were exiled to Italy after their territories, specifically the Principality of Arianiti, fell to the Ottomans. Her sister-in law Andronika Arianiti was the wife of Albania's national hero Skanderbeg.

Francesca's marriage to Constantine was likely arranged by her step-mother, Maria of Serbia, the groom's niece, as she was the daughter of his elder sister Angelina Arianiti. She brought a good dowry to the marriage, which enabled Constantine to be able to purchase some fiefs.

After the death of her husband in 1531, Francesca gained a position at the court of Christina of Denmark in Milan, as chief lady in waiting to the young duchess. Later, during Christina's second marriage, she was appointed as governess to the duchess' daughters, Renata and Dorothea.[3][4]

Francesca was seen as an ideal candidate because of her husband's loyalty to the pope, as well as, her daughter Deianira's husband, being a loyal subject to Francesco Sforza. Moreover, she was the paternal aunt of Margaret Paleologa, the Marquise regnant of Montferrat. After leaving the position and returning to Italy, Francesca was given 4000 scudi by Charles III, Duke of Lorraine,[4] Christina's son. She died sometime after 1561.[5]

Family

[edit]

Francesca of Montferrat had seven children with Constantine Arianiti:

References

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  1. ^ Sainty, Guy Stair (2018-12-01). The Constantinian Order of Saint George: and the Angeli, Farnese and Bourbon families which governed it. Boletín Oficial del Estado. ISBN 978-84-340-2506-6.
  2. ^ Ernstberger, Anton (1960). Post und Politik: zum Abwehrkampf Kaiser Leopolds I. gegen König Ludwig XIV (in German). Verlag der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften; in Kommission bei Beck.
  3. ^ a b Cartwright, Julia (2023-10-27). Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan and Lorraine, 1522-1590. Good Press.
  4. ^ a b "Arianiti Costantino |" (in Italian). 2017-02-01. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  5. ^ Ricaldone, Giuseppe Aldo Di (1972). Annali del Monferrato (951-1708) (in Italian). La cartostampa.