Constantine Cominato Arianiti (
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
: ''Constantino Cominato Arianiti'',
Albanian: ''Kostandin Komneni Arianiti''; 1456/1457 – 8 May 1530) also known as Constantine Komnenos Arianites, was a 15th and 16th-century Albanian nobleman, military leader, diplomat and
pretender
A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term is often used to suggest that a claim is not legitimate.Curley Jr., Walter J. P. ''Monarchs-in-Waiting'' ...
who lived most of his life in exile in Italy due to the conquest of his homeland by the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Constantine sought to establish himself as a leader among the Christian Balkan refugees in Italy and claimed lordship over various former Christian lands in Greece, using the titles Prince of
Macedonia, Duke of
Achaea and
Despot of the Morea
The Despotate of the Morea ( el, Δεσποτᾶτον τοῦ Μορέως) or Despotate of Mystras ( el, Δεσποτᾶτον τοῦ Μυστρᾶ) was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centu ...
.
The son of
Gjergj Arianiti
Gjergj Arianiti (1383–1462) was an Albanian feudal lord who led several successful campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. He was the father of Donika, Skanderbeg's wife, as well as the grand-uncle of Moisi Arianit Golemi. Gjergj Arianiti was ...
, an Albanian lord who had fought alongside the Albanian national hero
Skanderbeg
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468
, predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti
, successor = Gjon Kastrioti II
, spouse = Donika Arianiti
, issue = Gjon Kastrioti II
, royal house = Kastrioti
, father ...
against the Ottomans, Constantine was taken to Italy for his safety in 1469, after the death of his father. In Italy, Constantine was noticed by
Pope Sixtus IV, who provided him with a pension, and he quickly made a successful career for himself. In 1489, he married into the
Palaeologus-Montferrat
The House of Palaeologus-Montferrat or Palaiologos-Montferrat, or just Palaeologus or Paleologo, was an Italian noble family and a cadet branch of the Palaiologos dynasty, the last ruling family of the Byzantine Empire. The cadet branch was created ...
family, a branch of the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
imperial
Palaiologos
The House of Palaiologos ( Palaiologoi; grc-gre, Παλαιολόγος, pl. , female version Palaiologina; grc-gre, Παλαιολογίνα), also found in English-language literature as Palaeologus or Palaeologue, was a Byzantine Greek f ...
dynasty, through marriage to
Francesca of Montferrat, a probably illegitimate daughter of
Boniface III, Marquis of Montferrat. The marriage resulted in Constantine's wealth and status increasing, and also paved the way for his tenure as regent of Montferrat, on behalf of Boniface's young son
William IX, from 1495 to 1499.
In the early 16th century, Constantine served as a diplomat to the popes and the future
Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, with both parties finding him to be a talented ambassador. Following his assumption of the titles 'Prince of Macedonia' and 'Duke of Achaea', to which he had no real claim, in the 1490s, Constantine partook in various schemes to organize expeditions against the Ottoman Empire, being involved in at least three separate crusade-related plans throughout his life. At some point between 1502 and 1507, Constantine assumed the title 'Despot of the Morea', previously legitimately used by
Andreas Palaiologos
Andreas Palaiologos or Palaeologus ( el, Ἀνδρέας Παλαιολόγος; 17 January 1453 – June 1502), sometimes anglicized to Andrew, was the eldest son of Thomas Palaiologos, Despot of the Morea. Thomas was a brother of Constantine& ...
, another title which he had no genealogical claim to. Despite his tenuous association with these titles, Constantine adamantly defended his use of them and, as seen through the roles he was expected to play in the various schemes he engaged in, was ready to risk his life to enforce his claims.
In 1514 of 1515, Constantine was appointed as the local governor of the town of
Fano
Fano is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region of Italy. It is a beach resort southeast of Pesaro, located where the '' Via Flaminia'' reaches the Adriatic Sea. It is the third city in the region by po ...
in the
March of Ancona by
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X ( it, Leone X; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521.
Born into the prominent political an ...
. Constantine may have aspired to become a leading figure among the many Balkan refugees in the March of Ancona, but any such dreams did not come to fruition. Instead, papal taxation policies made Constantine, as the governmental representative, disliked, and contemporary writings mock his insistence on his high-sounding titles. He was removed from office by Leo in 1516, following a riot by the locals, but was reinstated by
Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...
in 1524, whereafter Constantine governed Fano from a mountain fortress at
Montefiore Conca
Montefiore Conca ( rgn, Munt Fior) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about south of Rimini.
Montefiore Conca borders the following municipali ...
until his death in 1530. His only son,
Arianitto Arianiti
Arianitto Cominato Arianiti (died 16 November 1551) was a 16th-century Italian nobleman of Albanian descent, the only son of the diplomat and pretender Constantine Arianiti. After his father's death in 1530, Arianitto continued Constantine's pre ...
, continued his father's pretensions by using the title 'Prince of Macedonia', but relinquished Constantine's other titles.
Biography
Background and early life
Constantine Cominato Arianiti was born in 1456 or 1457 as the son of
Gjergj Arianiti
Gjergj Arianiti (1383–1462) was an Albanian feudal lord who led several successful campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. He was the father of Donika, Skanderbeg's wife, as well as the grand-uncle of Moisi Arianit Golemi. Gjergj Arianiti was ...
(or 'George Komnenos Arianites'). Constantine's mother was Pietrina Francone from
Apulia, a daughter of Oliviero Francone, an
Aragonese officer in
Lecce. Constantine had numerous siblings, including two brothers George and Thomas, and several sisters. Through Gjergj, Constantine and his siblings were descendants of both Albanian and
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
noble families. Gjerg had been an Albanian military leader and lord, governing the settlements of
Cerminitza and
Catafigo in the vicinity of the city of
Ragusa. Their family had originated as the Byzantine
Arianites family and originally hailed from
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
and through the use of 'Komnenos', they also proclaimed a connection to the
Komnenos
Komnenos ( gr, Κομνηνός; Latinized Comnenus; plural Komnenoi or Comneni (Κομνηνοί, )) was a Byzantine Greek noble family who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 1081 to 1185, and later, as the Grand Komnenoi (Μεγαλοκομνην ...
dynasty of emperors, which had ruled the Byzantine Empire 1081–1185. Later historians, such as
George Francis Hill
Sir George Francis Hill, KCB, FBA (22 December 1867 – 18 October 1948) was the director and principal librarian of the British Museum (1931–1936). He was a specialist in Renaissance medals.
Early years
George Hill was born in Berhampur, ...
, have deemed the use of that name a 'false assimilation' of the name of the famous dynasty.
The Arianiti had grown increasingly influential in Albania just prior to the
conquest of the country by the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Three of Constantine's sisters were married to highly influential figures: his sister
Angelina was the wife of
Stefan Branković
Stefan Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Бранковић; c. 1417 – 9 October 1476), also known in historiography as Stefan the Blind (Стефан Слепи), was briefly the despot (ruler) of the Serbian Despotate between 1458 and 1459, m ...
, the
Despot of Serbia, his sister Gojisava was the wife of
Ivan Crnojević
Ivan Crnojević ( sr-Cyrl, Иван Црнојевић, italics=no, lit=Ivan the Black) was the lord of Zeta and Serbian leader from 1465 to 1490. Having formed an alliance with the Republic of Venice, he led the Serb resistance against the expandi ...
, the
Lord of Zeta
The Principality of Zeta ( sr, Кнежевина Зета, Kneževina Zeta) is a historiographical name for a Late Middle Ages, late medieval principality located in the southern parts of modern Montenegro and northern parts of modern Albania, a ...
, and his sister
Donika was the wife of the Albanian national hero
Skanderbeg
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468
, predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti
, successor = Gjon Kastrioti II
, spouse = Donika Arianiti
, issue = Gjon Kastrioti II
, royal house = Kastrioti
, father ...
, who led the Albanian resistance against the Ottomans from 1443 to 1468. Their fathr Gjergj was an ally of Skanderbeg against the Ottomans, though he also sought to depose Skanderbeg in favor of himself, being defeated, pardoned and received back as an ally once again after such a rebellion in 1456. After the death of both Skanderbeg and Gjergj in 1468, the Ottomans slowly managed to crush the Albanian resistance, successfully having incorporate the country into their empire by 1479. During the long and drawn-out process of Ottoman conquest, many of the Albanians who chose to remain Christian fled across the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...
to Italy. Among these refugees was Constantine, who was taken to Italy for his safety in 1469, at the age of twelve.
Early career and claims
![Italy 1494 shepherd](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Italy_1494_shepherd.jpg)
Constantine would go on to have a successful career in Italy. In his youth, he was noticed by
Pope Sixtus IV (1471–1484), who provided him with a pension of 32 a month. From the 1490s onwards, Constantine sought a leadership position among the many Christian Balkan refugees in Italy, following in his father's footsteps. Though his father had only claimed connection to Albania itself, Constantine had wider aspirations and began claiming to be the rightful ruler of the regions of
Macedonia and
Thessaly
Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, The ...
. To cement his claim, Constantine began to use the title 'Prince of Macedonia', and later also added 'Duke of Achaea', presumably adding the
Peloponnese to the regions he claimed lordship over.
Although the assumption of Constantine's Greek titles may appear to be nothing more than bombastic and ephemeral pretensions, Constantine was adamant in defending them and ready to risk his own life in attempting to make them a reality. In 1494,
Charles VIII of France purchased the title '
Emperor of Constantinople' from
Andreas Palaiologos
Andreas Palaiologos or Palaeologus ( el, Ἀνδρέας Παλαιολόγος; 17 January 1453 – June 1502), sometimes anglicized to Andrew, was the eldest son of Thomas Palaiologos, Despot of the Morea. Thomas was a brother of Constantine& ...
, the nephew of the final Byzantine emperor
Constantine XI Palaiologos (1449–1453) and claimant emperor and
Despot of the Morea
The Despotate of the Morea ( el, Δεσποτᾶτον τοῦ Μορέως) or Despotate of Mystras ( el, Δεσποτᾶτον τοῦ Μυστρᾶ) was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centu ...
, as part of preparations for a crusade (which ultimately never took place). In the autumn of 1494, Charles and his ambassador,
Philippe de Commines
Philippe de Commines (or de Commynes or "Philippe de Comines"; Latin: ''Philippus Cominaeus''; 1447 – 18 October 1511) was a writer and diplomat in the courts of Burgundy and France. He has been called "the first truly modern writer" ( Charle ...
, who was a friend of Constantine, met with Constantine in
Montferrat
Montferrat (, ; it, Monferrato ; pms, Monfrà , locally ; la, Mons Ferratus) is part of the region of Piedmont in northern Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of Province of Alessandria, ...
and agreed to a plan in which Constantine and Martin Albaro, the bishop of
Durazzo, were to stir up a rebellion in Albania as a diversion for Charles' invasion of the Ottoman Empire. The records of these meetings are the first time Constantine's claimed titles are attested. Constantine apparently boasted of his titles to Commines, stating that his rightful lands, Macedonia and Thessaly, "had once been the inheritance of Alexander the Great. As a reward for stirring up rebellion in Albania, Commines hoped that Charles, upon victory against the Ottomans, would reward Constantine by making him the "King of Macedonia". Albaro travelled to Venice to make preparations, but the plan was doomed before it even began given that Albaro proved to be unable to keep it a secret and the information soon leaked to the Ottomans. Alarmed, the Venetian government arrested Albaro in January 1495 and assured the Ottomans that Venice had nothing to do with the plans. Constantine had also been in Venice at the time, but managed to escape imprisonment by fleeing on a ship to Apulia.
Constantine had been in Montferrat since 1486, in service to his niece
Marija Branković, who was married to
Boniface III, Marquis of Montferrat. In Montferrat he also met
Francesca of Montferrat, presumably an illegitimate daughter of Boniface, whom he married 1489. The advantageous marriage resulted in Constantine being granted his own castle and accompanying lands, increasing his status and wealth considerably. After Boniface's death in 1494, Marija became the regent for her's and Boniface's young son
William IX. After Marija herself died in 1495, Constantine became the regent and guardian of his nephew. Constantine's regency in Montferrat lasted for five years. In 1499,
Louis XII
Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Maria of Cleves, he succeeded his 2nd cousin once removed and brother in law at the tim ...
of France deposed Constantine during the
Second Italian War
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds each ...
, on account of "lukewarmness in the French cause", and had him imprisoned in the city of
Novara
Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It i ...
. Constantine shortly thereafter managed to escape imprisonment, fleeing south to
Pisa where he was appointed to a military command.
Papal and German diplomat
From 1501 onwards, Constantine served the Papacy as a diplomat, travelling between Italy and Germany. Although opinion of him later appears to have soured, Constantine initially appears to have been highly skilled, as records exist of Constantine receiving praise both from the popes and from
Maximilian I, the
King of the Romans (who would later rule as Holy Roman Emperor 1508–1519). The contemporary Venetian historian
Marino Sanuto the Younger Marin Sanudo, italianised as Marino Sanuto or Sanuto the Younger (May 22, 1466 – 1536), was a Venetian historian and diarist. His most significant work is his ''Diarii'', which he had intended to write up into a history of Venice.
Biography
...
recorded that Constantine, in addition to being tall and black-haired, was also a skilled speaker. In 1504, Constantine was sent by
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or th ...
(1503–1513) as an ambassador to Maximilian. Constantine's diplomatic ability impressed Julius to such an extent that his monthly pension was increased to 200 and he was put in charge of his own detachment of papal soldiers. The negotiations in which Constantine was involved eventually resulted in the formation of the unsuccessful
League of Cambrai
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
Sports
* Sports league
* Rugby league, full contact footba ...
in 1508, an alliance to counteract the Ottomans and the Republic of Venice. According to the historian Jonathan Harris, Constantine's involvements in these affairs illustrates his willingness to make good on his claims in Greece and aspire to his father's role of anti-Ottoman leadership. Constantine's contemporaries appear to have respected his claims to lands in Greece, given that Maximilian referred to Constantine by both 'Prince of Macedonia' and 'Duke of Achaea' when sending him back as an ambassador to Rome in 1504.
After the death of Andreas Palaiologos in June 1502, Constantine added 'Despot of the Morea' to his claimed titles. It is unclear when exactly Constantine began to claim this title, though it may have begun only a few months after Andreas's death given that a letter from Antonio Giustiniani, Venetian ambassador to the Pope, mentions a 'despot' in command of a cavalry unit in October 1502. It is certain that the title was in use by October 1507, when it is among the titles applied to him during his diplomatic travels to Germany. Though Constantine had met Andreas while he was still alive, they were not genealogically related, which makes it unclear on what grounds he could claim to be Andreas's successor as despot. Perhaps he derived his claim through his connection to the Komnenos dynasty, or possibly through his marriage to Francesca of Montferrat. The ruling family of Montferrat, the house of
Palaeologus-Montferrat
The House of Palaeologus-Montferrat or Palaiologos-Montferrat, or just Palaeologus or Paleologo, was an Italian noble family and a cadet branch of the Palaiologos dynasty, the last ruling family of the Byzantine Empire. The cadet branch was created ...
, were distant relatives of Andreas, being descended from emperor
Andronikos II Palaiologos (1282–1328). The title of 'Despot of the Morea' was also claimed by
Fernando Palaiologos
Don Fernando Palaiologos or Paleologo was a 15th and 16th-century nobleman of Greek descent who lived in Italy. After the death of Andreas Palaiologos in 1502, Fernando claimed the title of Despot of the Morea. Though Andreas Palaiologos is gener ...
, possibly an illegitimate son of Andreas.
Governor of Fano
![Rocca di Montefiore Conca](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Rocca_di_Montefiore_Conca.JPG)
In 1514 or 1515,
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X ( it, Leone X; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521.
Born into the prominent political an ...
(1513–1521) made Constantine the governor of the town of
Fano
Fano is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region of Italy. It is a beach resort southeast of Pesaro, located where the '' Via Flaminia'' reaches the Adriatic Sea. It is the third city in the region by po ...
in the
March of Ancona. The March of Ancone was a strip of territory facing the
Dalmatian coast
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
across the Adriatic Sea, making it a natural launching point for an invasion of the Ottoman Empire's lands in the Balkans. It is probable that Leo intended to use it as such, and appointed Constantine as governor of Fano as part of planning a new crusade. In September 1513, Leo had issued crusade indulgences for the first time in many years and the pope had concentrated efforts on promoting unity among the monarchs of Europe. In 1515, Leo had begun preparing a fleet in Ancona and in 1517, plans were made for a Papal contingent to sail from Ancona and meet up with the fleets of Spain, Portugal and England. Rumors were circulating that Leo had also offered to crown
Francis I of France
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...
(1515–1547) as Emperor of Constantinople if he agreed to lead the crusade. Francis was already claiming that title, through inheritance from Charles, and is recorded to have publicly stressed his imperial claim as late as 1532.
Although no crusade ultimately took place this time either, there might also have been another practical reason for Constantine's appointment in Fano. Given the March of Ancona's proximity to the Balkan coastline, the region, along with the southern region of Calabria and the city of Venice, was a natural point of settlement for refugees from Albania and Greece. The port in the city of Ancona was a particularly popular arrival point, and though many refugees moved on and settled elsewhere, there were a considerably number who stayed. By 1520, records indicate that there were about two hundred Greek families living in Ancona. Through using the architectural styles of their homelands and retaining traditions and customs, the refugees and their descendants in Ancona continued to foster links with their pasts. Though Constantine would ultimately not succeed in gaining control of the regions he claimed to be the rightful ruler of, he may have aspired to be accepted by the Balkan refugees in Fano and the rest of the March of Ancona as a leadership figure.
If Constantine had such aspirations, they were not successful. Constantine was not popular among the people of Fano, being disliked not only by the Italians but also by the Albanians and Greeks, who were mostly discontent over the heavy taxations by the Papacy owing to the recent wars in Italy. Though this was thus not Constantine's fault, his high-sounding titles were also a source of mockery among some of the populace. In the comedy ''
La Cortigiana'' by the contemporary author, playwright, satirist and poet
Pietro Aretino
Pietro Aretino (, ; 19 or 20 April 1492 – 21 October 1556) was an Italian author, playwright, poet, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his time and a ...
, Constantine's titles are explicitly mocked in the text. In the early 1525 edition of ''La Cortigiana'', the relevant passage reads "If noble blood were all that was needed to bring honor to men who don't deserve it, then the king of Cyprus and the prince of Fiossa wouldn't be in such bad shape. Signor Constantino would get the principality of Macedonia back; he'd think it beneath his dignity to be governor of Fano" and the later, more restrained, 1534 edition reads "But who is more noble than Signor Constantine who was despot of the Morea and prince of Macedonia and now is governor of Fano?", a more sarcastic and implied, rather than overt, mockery. In 1516, the townsfolk of Fano began rioting, forcing Constantine to flee to the castle. The affair led Leo to depose Constantine and install
Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino
Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (; 12 September 1492 – 4 May 1519) was the ruler of Florence from 1516 until his death in 1519. He was also Duke of Urbino during the same period. His daughter Catherine de' Medici became Queen Consort of France ...
, as the governor of Fano in Constantine's stead. Constantine was reappointed as governor of Fano by
Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...
(1523–1534) in 1524. During his second tenure as governor, Constantine lived in the nearby mountain village of
Montefiore Conca
Montefiore Conca ( rgn, Munt Fior) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about south of Rimini.
Montefiore Conca borders the following municipali ...
, also granted to him by Clement, rather than in Fano itself, given that the castle in Montefiore Conca was nearly impenetrable.
Constantine died in Montefiore Conca on 8 May 1530 and was buried in
Santi Apostoli or
Sant'Agostino in Rome. Two of Constantine's claimed titles, 'Prince of Macedonia' and 'Duke of Achaea', were inscribed on his tomb. The precise location of his grave is not known. Constantine's son
Arianitto continued his father's aspirations and pretensions, though the only of his father's titles he is attested to have used was 'Prince of Macedonia'.
Family
With his wife Francesca, Constantine had one son and six daughters. The names of the children were:
*
Arianitto, Constantine's only son. Served as a captain in the army of the
Papal States
The Papal States ( ; it, Stato Pontificio, ), officially the State of the Church ( it, Stato della Chiesa, ; la, Status Ecclesiasticus;), were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope fro ...
until his death on 16 November 1551. Arianitto's death ended the male line of the Arianiti family in Italy.
* Andronica, Constantine's eldest daughter. Married
Carlo III Tocco Carlo III Tocco (1464–1518) was the titular despot of Epirus and count palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from the death of his father Leonardo III Tocco to his own death in 1518. Carlo lived in Rome, where he received pensions from both the ...
, the claimant
Despot of Epirus
The despot of Epirus was the ruler of the Despotate of Epirus, one of the successor states of the Byzantine Empire in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade. The name "Despotate of Epirus" and the title "despot of Epirus" are modern historiographical ...
and
Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
The County Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos existed from 1185 to 1479 as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. The title and the right to rule the Ionian islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos was originally given to Margaritus of Brindisi for his serv ...
. Through their son
Leonardo IV Tocco
Leonardo IV Tocco (full name ''Giovanni Leonardo Tocco'', 1510–1564) was the titular Despot of Epirus and County Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos, Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from the death of his father Carlo III Tocco in 151 ...
she was ancestral to the later members of the
Tocco family
The House of Tocco ( ''Tocchi'', grc-gre, Τόκκος, Tókkos Τόκκοι, ''Tokkoi'') was an Italian noble family from Benevento that came to prominence in the late 14th and 15th centuries, when they ruled various territories in western Gree ...
. After Carlo III's death, Andronica remarried, marrying Milanese nobleman Giorgio Secco.
* Penthesilea, Constantine's second daughter. Married Lek Dukagjin of the Albanian
Dukagjini family.
* Ippolita, Constantine's third daughter. Married Zanobio de 'Medici of the Italian
Medici family. Remarried in 1532 to Lionello Pio di Carpi of the
Pio di Savoia family.
* Polissena, Constantine's fourth daughter. Married Rinaldo degli Ottoni di Matelica of the
Ottoni family.
* Deinaira, Constantine's fifth daughter. Married Giorgio Trivulzio of the
Trivulzio family.
* Elena, Constantine's sixth daughter. Married Juan de Luna, a
castellan in Milan.
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Arianiti, Constantine
1456 births
1457 births
1530 deaths
15th-century Albanian people
15th-century Italian nobility
16th-century Albanian people
16th-century Italian nobility
Arianites family
Albanian Christians
Albanian Roman Catholics
Diplomats of the Holy See
Fano
Byzantine pretenders after 1453