Charlotte of Cyprus Archives - History of Royal Women

Helena Palaiologina and her rival

July 8, 2016 Moniek Bloks 2

Helena was born on 3 February 1428 as the daughter of Theodore II Palaiologos (Despot in the Morea) and Cleofa Malatesta at the Castle of Mistras in Greece. She was to be their only child. She was just five years old when her mother died, but not much else is known of her youth. On her 14th birthday, she married [read more]

Queens Regnant – Charlotte of Cyprus

March 7, 2016 Moniek Bloks 0

Charlotte of Cyprus was born on 28 June 1444 in Nicosia as the eldest and ultimately only surviving legitimate child of King John II of Cyprus and Helena Palaiologina. She had a younger sister Cleopha, who died young. She had an illegitimate half-brother James, who was the son of her father’s Greek mistress, Marietta de Patras. [read more]