James of Baux

Coat of arms of the principality of Achaea.

Coat of arms of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.

James of Baux (French: Jacques des Baux), Duke of Andria, was the last titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1374 to 1383 and Prince of Achaea from 1382 to 1383.

James was the son of Francis of Baux, Duke of Andria (who died in 1353) by Margaret of Taranto (c. 1325-1380), daughter of Prince Philip I of Taranto and his second wife, Catherine of Valois. Margaret was the sister of Robert of Taranto and Philip II of Taranto, both of whom reigned as princes of Achaea and titular emperors of Constantinople (Robert II and Philip III).

On the childless death of Philip II of Taranto, James succeeded his uncle as titular emperor. The principality of Achaea had been turned over to Queen Joan I of Naples, and James sought to recover it as his inheritance. He met with some success in 1380 but did not have complete control until Joan's death in 1382, when he became the only legitimate claimant to Achaea. He did not live to enjoy his principality long, as he died on 7 July 1383. In his attempt to reclaim his inheritance in Greece, James had hired the services of the Navarrese Company, which took over Achaea for a short period after James' death. In 1382, James had married Agnes of Durazzo, a daughter of Charles, Duke of Durazzo, and Maria of Calabria, the sister of Queen Joan I of Naples. The marriage remained childless.

References

• Lock, Peter. The Franks in the Aegean 1204-1500. New York, 1995.

James of Baux Capetian House of Anjou Died: 1383
Regnal titles
Preceded by Philip II, Prince of Taranto	Prince of Taranto 1374–1383	Succeeded by Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
Preceded by Joan I of Naples	Prince of Achaea 1380–1383	Succeeded by Charles III of Naples
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Philip II, Prince of Taranto as Philip III	— TITULAR — Latin Emperor of Constantinople 1374–1383 Reason for succession failure: Conquest by Empire of Nicaea in 1261	Willed to Louis I, Duke of Anjou,¹ who never used the title
Notes and references
1. His feudal heir was John of Artois, Count of Eu (eldest son of Joan of Valois, sister of Empress Catherine II, James' grandmother) but he was bypassed. Neither John, nor his descendants made any claim.