Peter, also Peter II of Courtenay (french: Pierre de Courtenay; died 1219), was emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople from 1216 to 1217.

Biography

Peter II was a son of Peter I of Courtenay (died 1183), a younger son of

Louis VI of France Louis VI (late 1081 – 1 August 1137), called the Fat (french: link=no, le Gros) or the Fighter (french: link=no, le Batailleur), was King of the Franks from 1108 to 1137. Chronicles called him "King of Saint-Denis". Louis was the first member ...

and his second wife,

Adélaide de Maurienne Adelaide of Maurienne, also called Alix or Adele (1092 – 18 November 1154) was Queen of France as the second wife of King Louis VI (1115-1137). Family Adelaide was the daughter of Count Humbert II of Savoy and Gisela of Burgundy. Adelaide's olde ...

. His mother was Elisabeth de Courtenay, daughter of Renaud de Courtenay (died 1194) and Hawise du Donjon. Peter first married Agnes I, via whom he obtained the three counties of Nevers, Auxerre, and Tonnerre. In 1193 he married secondly to Yolanda, a sister of

Baldwin Baldwin is a Germanic name, composed of the elements ''bald'' "bold" and ''win'' "friend". People * Baldwin (name) Places Canada * Baldwin, York Regional Municipality, Ontario * Baldwin, Ontario, in Sudbury District * Baldwin's Mills, Qu ...

and Henry of Flanders, who were afterwards the first and second emperors of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. Peter accompanied his cousin, King

Philip Augustus Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), byname Philip Augustus (french: Philippe Auguste), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks, but from 1190 onward, Philip became the first French m ...

, on the third Crusade in 1190, returning to France in 1193. He fought (alongside his brother Robert) in the

Albigensian Crusade The Albigensian Crusade or the Cathar Crusade (; 1209–1229) was a military and ideological campaign initiated by Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, southern France. The Crusade was prosecuted primarily by the French crown ...

in 1209 and 1211, when he took part in the siege of Lavaur. He was present at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214. When his brother-in-law, the emperor Henry, died without issue in 1216, Peter was chosen as his successor, and with a small army he left his residence of château de Druyes in France to take possession of his throne. He was consecrated emperor at the Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls in Rome by Pope Honorius III on 9 April 1217. He then borrowed some ships from the Venetians, promising in return to conquer Durazzo for them, but he failed in this enterprise, and sought to make his way to Constantinople by land. On the journey he was seized by the despot of Epirus, Theodore Komnenos Doukas, and, after an imprisonment of two years, died, probably by foul means. Peter thus never governed his empire, which, however, was ruled for a time by his wife, Yolanda, who had succeeded in reaching Constantinople. Two of his sons, Robert and

, reigned in turn as emperors of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.

Family

By his first wife Agnes I, Countess of Nevers he had: * Matilda I, Countess of Nevers By his second wife Yolanda of Flanders, of the House of Flanders he had: *

Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

(died 1226), Marquis of Namur, who declined the offer of the crown of the Latin Empire * Robert of Courtenay (died 1228), Latin Emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople * Henry (died 1229), Marquis of Namur * Baldwin II of Constantinople (died 1273), Latin Emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople *

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

(died 1270), Marchioness of Namur, who first married Raoul, Lord of Issoudun, and then

Henry I, Count of Vianden Henry I (c.1200–1252) was the hereditary Count of Vianden from 1210 and, through his wife, Marquis of Namur from 1229. Family background Henry was the son of Frederic III, Count of Vianden (de) (c. 1160 - 1210), and Mechthild (Mathilde) of Ne ...

* Elizabeth of Courtenay who married Walter count of Bar and then Eudes sire of Montagu * Yolanda de Courtenay, who married Andrew II of Hungary, King of Hungary and King of Croatia * Eleanor, who married Philip of Montfort, Lord of Tyre * Marie de Courtenay, who married Theodore I Lascaris, Emperor of Nicaea * Agnes, who married

Geoffrey II Villehardouin Geoffrey II of Villehardouin (french: Geoffroi II de Villehardouin) (''c.'' 1195- after May 6, 1246) was the third prince of Achaea (''c.'' 1229-1246).Longnon 1969, p. 242. From his accession to the princely throne, he was a powerful and respected ...

, Prince of Achaea He had an illegitimate son: * Geoffrey, marquis of Lavaur (died 1229).

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Peter 02 Of Courtenay 1219 deaths 13th-century Latin Emperors of Constantinople Christians of the Third Crusade People of the Albigensian Crusade Capetian House of Courtenay Year of birth unknown 13th-century rulers in Europe Prisoners and detainees of the Despotate of Epirus People who died in prison custody