House of Valois-Anjou
| House of Valois-Anjou | |
|---|---|
 Arms of the Dukes of Anjou | |
| Parent house | House of Valois(male line) Capetian House of Anjou(female line) |
| Country |  Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of France Kingdom of Naples |
| Founded | 1356; 668 years ago |
| Founder | Louis I, Duc d'Anjou |
| Final ruler | Charles IV, Duc d'Anjou |
| Titles | |
| Style(s) | "Majesty" "Grace" |
| Estate(s) | Château d'Angers(seat) Château de Baugé Reggia di Quisisana(seat in Naples) |
| Dissolution | 1481 |
| Deposition | 1442(Aragonese conquest of Naples) |
TheHouse of Valois-Anjou(French:Maison de Valois-Anjou,Italian:Casa Valois-Angiò) was a noble French family and cadet branch of theHouse of Valois.Members of the house served as monarchs ofNaples,as well as several other territories.
History[edit]
The house was founded in the 1350s, when KingJohn II of France,of theValoisline ofCapetians,came to power. His paternal grandmother, CountessMargaret of Anjou and Maine,had been a princess of theCapetian House of Anjouor Elder Angevin Dynasty. She was the eldest daughter of KingCharles II of Naplesand gaveAnjouto the second son of king John II of France,Louis.
Within a couple of decades, QueenJoanna of Naples,also of thesenior Angevin line,realized that she would remain childless. Although there were extant heirs of the senior branch, for example, the Anjou-Durazzocadet line,she decided to adopt Louis as her final heir.
Thus, in addition to the struggle of the Angevins withAragonin Southern Italy, the two Angevin lines, senior and junior, now began to contest with each other for the possession of theKingdom of Naples.
The Anjou-Durazzo line was initially successful in securing control of Naples, but the Valois House of Anjou managed to secureProvenceand continued to contest the throne, withLouis IIactually in control of the city of Naples from 1389 to 1399.
The extinction of the line of the House of Anjou-Durazzo in 1435 temporarily secured Naples for the Valois House of Anjou, but they were driven from Naples byAlfonso V of Aragonin 1442.
René,the last duke of this, third, Angevin line, died in 1480, and Anjou reverted to the French crown. With the death of his nephew CountCharles IV of Mainein 1481, all Angevin possessions, includingProvence,reverted to the crown.
The Angevin pretensions to Naples were continued intermittently by theHouse of Lorraine,which descended from René's eldest daughterYolande.Notably, theValois-Habsburg Warof 1551 to 1559 sawDuke Francis of Guise,a member of acadet branchof the House of Lorraine, lead an unsuccessful French expedition against Naples.
Evolution of Arms[edit]
See also[edit]
- Angevin Empire
- House of Plantagenetor first Angevin dynasty
- Capetian House of Anjouor second Angevin dynasty
- Armorial of Plantagenet
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