John II, Marquis of Montferrat

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John II, Marquess of Montferrat
Marquess of Montferrat
Reign1338 - 1372
PredecessorTheodore I Palaiologos
SuccessorOtto III Palaiologos
Born(1321-02-05)5 February 1321
Died(1372-03-19)19 March 1372 (aged 51)
Volpiano
Noble familyHouse of Palaiologos
Spouse(s)Isabel of Majorca
IssueSecondotto, Marquess of Montferrat
John III, Marquess of Montferrat
Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat
Margaret
William
FatherTheodore I of Montferrat
MotherArgentina Spinola

John II Palaeologus (5 February 1321 – 19 March 1372)[1] was the Margrave of Montferrat from 1338.

Career

John was the son of Theodore I of Montferrat, with whom he was associated in the government from 1336. He had great fortune in extending the boundaries of the margraviate against his neighbours. With the help of his cousin Otto of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, John turned against the Angevins of Naples, who had large possessions in Piedmont and Savoy. On 9 October 1338, he was named governor of Asti.

In 1343, when Robert, King of Naples died and his young granddaughter Joanna I took the crown, John took the opportunity to expand his control in northern Italy. By 1344, he had conquered Alessandria, Asti, Tortona, Bra and Alba. On 22 April 1345, at the Battle of Gamenario, he defeated the Angevine vicar Reforza d'Angoult, who died in the battle.[2] With the tacit support of Luchino Visconti, John occupied Alba, Bra, Valenza and, in 1348, Cuneo. His power grew in 1355 when he accompanied the Emperor Charles IV through Italy. At that time he received the cities of Cherasco, Novara and Pavia.

By a marriage to the last titular Queen of Majorca, Isabella, he lost the support of the emperor and had to fend off attacks from imperial and Visconti troops. This conflict concluded with restitution of territory around Pavia occupied by John to the Visconti in exchange for Visconti possessions in the area of Asti. John lost many vassals to the Visconti. In his will of 1372, John left the tutelage of his children to Otto of Brunswick and Amadeus VI of Savoy. He had four sons, three of whom succeeded him in turn, and a daughter with his wife Isabella (Secondotto, John III, Theodore II, Margaret and William). John died at Volpiano[1] near Turin soon after composing his testament and was buried at Chivasso.

Ancestry

Family of John II, Marquis of Montferrat
16. Andronikos Doukas Komnenos Palaiologos
8. Michael VIII Palaiologos
17. Theodora Angelina Palaiologina
4. Andronikos II Palaiologos
18. John Doukas Vatatzes
9. Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina
19. Eudokia Angelina
2. Theodore I Palaeologos, Marquess of Montferrat
20. Boniface II, Marquess of Montferrat
10. William VII, Marquess of Montferrat
21. Margaret of Savoy
5. Irene of Montferrat
22. Alfonso X of Castile
11. Beatrice of Castile
23. Violant of Aragon
1. John II Palaeologus
24. Corrado Spinola
12. Sbaralia Spinola
6. Opicino Spinola
3. Argentina Spinola
28. Manfred III, Marquess of Saluzzo
14. Thomas I, Marquess of Saluzzo
29. Beatrice of Savoy
7. Violante of Saluzzo
30. William II, Marquess of Ceva
15. Luigia di Ceva
31. X of Saluzzo

References

  • Cox, Eugene L. (1967). The Green Count of Savoy. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. LCCN 67-11030.
  1. ^ a b Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, vol.LVI, Roma 2000, pp. 123-129.
  2. ^ Cox 1967, p. 63.


Preceded by Margrave of Montferrat
1338–1372 		Succeeded by
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