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Peter II of Courtenay

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Peter
Latin Emperor of Constantinople
Reign1216 – 1217
PredecessorHenry
SuccessorRobert I
Died1219
Spouse
Issue
Detail
HouseCourtenay
FatherPeter I of Courtenay
MotherElizabeth de Courtenay
ReligionRoman Catholic

Peter, also Peter II of Courtenay (French: Pierre de Courtenay; died 1219), was emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople from 1216 to 1217.

Biography

Peter II was a son of Peter I of Courtenay (died 1183), the youngest son of Louis VI of France and his second wife, Adélaide de Maurienne.[1] His mother was Elisabeth de Courtenay, daughter of Renaud de Courtenay (died 1194) and Hawise du Donjon.[2]

Peter first married Agnes I, via whom he obtained the three counties of Nevers, Auxerre, and Tonnerre.[3] He took for his second wife Yolanda of Flanders (died 1219),[3] a sister of Baldwin and Henry of Flanders, who were afterwards the first and second emperors of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. Peter accompanied his cousin, King Philip Augustus, on the crusade of 1190 and fought (alongside his brother Robert) in the Albigensian Crusade in 1209 and 1211, when he took part in the siege of Lavaur. He was present at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214.[4]

When his brother-in-law, the emperor Henry, died without sons in 1216, Peter was chosen as his successor, and with a small army he left his residence of château de Druyes in France to take possession of his throne. He was consecrated emperor at the Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls in Rome by Pope Honorius III on 9 April 1217. He then borrowed some ships from the Venetians, promising in return to conquer Durazzo for them, but he failed in this enterprise, and sought to make his way to Constantinople by land.[5] On the journey he was seized by the despot of Epirus, Theodore Komnenos Doukas, and, after an imprisonment of two years, died,[5] probably by foul means. Peter thus never governed his empire, which, however, was ruled for a time by his wife, Yolanda, who had succeeded in reaching Constantinople. Two of his sons, Robert and Baldwin, reigned in turn as emperors of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.[4]

Family

By his first wife Agnes I, Countess of Nevers he had one child, Matilda I, Countess of Nevers.[citation needed]

By his second wife Yolanda of Flanders,[6] he had 10 children:

He had an illegitimate son:

References

  1. ^ Rasmussen 1995, p. 9.
  2. ^ Commire, Anne, ed. (1999). "Elizabeth of Courtenay (d. 1205)". Women in World History: A biographical encyclopedia. Waterford, CT: Yorkin Publications, Gale Group. ISBN 0787640808. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
  3. ^ a b Bouchard 1987, p. 349.
  4. ^ a b Chisholm 1911, p. 294.
  5. ^ a b Ostrogorsky 1995, p. 433.
  6. ^ Bouchard 1987, p. 342.

Sources

  • Bouchard, Constance Brittain (1987). Sword, Miter, and Cloister:Nobility and the Church in Burgundy, 980–1198. Cornell University Press. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Ostrogorsky, George (1995). History of the Byzantine State. Translated by Hussey, Joan. Rutgers University Press. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Rasmussen, Ann Marie (1997). Mothers and Daughters in Medieval German Literature. Syracuse University Press. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Vincent, Nicholas (1999). "Isabella of Angouleme:John's Jezebel". In Church, S. D. (ed.). King John: New Interpretations. The Boydell Press. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)


Peter II of Courtenay
Cadet branch of the House of Capet
Born: c.1155 Died: 1218
Regnal titles
Preceded by Latin Emperor of Constantinople
1216–1217
Succeeded byas regent
Royal titles
Preceded by Count of Nevers, Auxerre and Tonnerre
1184–1200
Succeeded by