
Robert II of Taranto (1319 or early winter 1326 – 10 September 1364), of the
Angevin family,
Prince of Taranto (1331–1346),
King of Albania (1331–1332),
Prince of Achaea (1332–1346), and titular
Latin Emperor (1343 or 1346 – 1364).
He was the oldest surviving son of Prince
Philip I of Taranto (1278–1331) and Empress
Catherine II of Valois.
In 1332, an exchange occurred in which his uncle
John of Gravina arranged to surrender Achaea to him in exchange for Robert's rights to the
Kingdom of Albania and a loan of 5,000 ounces of gold raised upon
Niccolo Acciaiuoli. Robert then officially became Prince of Achaea. Because of his youth, authority was effectively exercised by his mother Catherine II of Valois until her death in 1346. At that point Robert inherited the throne of the Latin Empire, and was recognized as emperor by the
Latin states of Greece. His actual power, such as it was, remained based upon his authority as prince of Achaea. In
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, on 9 September 1347 , Robert married
Marie of Bourbon, the daughter of
Louis I, Duke of Bourbon Constable of Cyprus, but the marriage was childless. He died on 10 September 1364 in
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
and was buried there. After he died, his widow attempted to keep the principality for herself and her son from her previous marriage. However, Robert's younger brother
Philip II of Taranto succeeded as the legitimate heir.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Robert, Prince of Taranto
14th-century births
1364 deaths
Year of birth uncertain
14th-century Latin emperors of Constantinople
House of Anjou-Taranto
Princes of Achaea
Princes of Taranto
Albanian monarchs
Kings of Albania
County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
Sons of empresses regnant