Background
Catherine Cornaro was the queen of Cyprus, was the daughter of Marco Comaro, a Venetian noble, whose brother Andrea was an intimate friend of James de Lusignan, natural son of King John II of Cyprus.
Catherine Cornaro was the queen of Cyprus, was the daughter of Marco Comaro, a Venetian noble, whose brother Andrea was an intimate friend of James de Lusignan, natural son of King John II of Cyprus.
In the king's death in 1458 the succession was disputed, and James, with the help of the sultan of Egypt, seized the island.
The proposal was agreed to, and approved of by Caterina herself and the senate, and the contract was signed in 1468.
But further intrigues caused delay, and it was not until 1471 that James's hesitations were overcome.
Enemies and rival claimants arose on all sides, for Cyprus was a tempting bait.
The Venetians returned, and order was soon restored, but the republic was meditating the seizure of Cyprus, although it had no valid title whateverb and after the death of Caterina's child in 1474 it was Venice which really governed the island.
Caterina at first refused, for she clung to her royalty, but Venice was a severe parent to its adopted daughter and would not be gainsaid; she was forced to abdicate in favour of the republic, and returned to Venice in 1489.
The government conferred on2 Whence the kings of Italy derive their title of kings of Cyprue and Jerusalem. her the castle and town of Asolo for life, and there in the midst of a learned and brilliant little court, of which Cardinal Bembo (q. v. ) was a shining light, she spent the rest of her days in idyllic peace.
Catherina married James II of Cyprus.
