Maria of Serbia, Marchioness of Montferrat

Maria of Serbia, Marchioness of Montferrat
Maria of Serbia, Marchioness of Montferrat
Princess of Serbia, Marchioness of Montferrat
Born	1466
Died	27 August 1495
Noble family	Branković dynasty; Palaiologos
Spouse(s)	Boniface III, Marquess of Montferrat
Issue	William IX, Marquess of Montferrat; John George, Marquess of Montferrat
Father	Stefan Branković
Mother	Angjelina Arianiti

Maria of Serbia or Marija Branković (Serbian Cyrillic: Марија Бранковић; 1466 – 27 August 1495) was Princess of Serbia by birth, and Marchioness of Montferrat by marriage. She was regent of Montferrat during the minority of her son in 1494-1495.

She was daughter of despot Stefan Branković of Serbia and the Albanian Princess Angjelina Arianiti. In 1485, she married Boniface III, Marquess of Montferrat.^[1]

Biography

Since 1459, when Serbia fell under Ottoman rule,^[2] Maria's father, Despot Stefan Branković, was living in exile, mainly in northern Italy, where Maria was born in 1466. In 1485, she married Boniface III Palaiologos, marquess of Montferrat, who fell ill in 1493, and Maria became regent.^[3] Boniface died in 1494, and his widow continued to act as regent since their sons were still minor. Maria died in 1495.^[4]

Maria and Boniface had two sons: William IX (1486-1518), who became Marquess of Montferrat between 1494 and 1518, and John George (1488-1533) who became the last Marquess of Montferrat, between 1530 and 1533.