Philippa of Catania, also known Philippa the Catanian or Filippa Catanese (died in 1345), was a Sicilian woman of low birth who became an influential figure in the royal court of the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...

Early life

Born in Catania, Philippa was a local fisherman's daughter. Boccaccio, who met her when she was already an elderly woman, noticed that she was "attractive in manner and appearance". She worked as a washerwoman when Robert, Duke of Calabriason of

Charles II, King of Naples Charles II, also known as Charles the Lame (french: Charles le Boiteux; it, Carlo lo Zoppo; 1254 – 5 May 1309), was King of Naples, Count of Provence and Forcalquier (1285–1309), Prince of Achaea (1285–1289), and Count of Anjou and Maine ( ...

invaded Catania in 1328. His wife, Violante of Aragon, accompanied him to the military campaign. After discovering her pregnancy, Violante had to hire local staff and she chose Philippa as wet nurse for her son,

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

. Philippa was a diligent servant and Violante brought her back to Naples after her husband had been forced to withdraw his troops from Sicily.

Career and fall

Philippa was married off to

Raymond de Campagne Raimondo de' Cabanni, also called Raymond of Campania (died October 1334), was a Neapolitan knight and courtier of black African origin. Through a combination of his own abilities and an advantageous marriage to one of the queen's inner circle, he ...

, a former slave of Ethiopian origin. Being Charles II's favorite and a successful military commander, Raymond had become one of the wealthiest landowners in the Kingdom of Naples. Philippa and her granddaughter, Sancia de' Cabanni were accused of participating in the murder of Andrew, Duke of Calabria.

References

Sources

* * * {{Refend People from Catania 1345 deaths People from Naples 14th-century Italian women Court of Joanna I of Naples