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Caterina Cornaro
Queen of Cyprus
(1454–1510)

Biographical

Queen of Jerusalem (titular) 1473–89 abd
Queen of Armenia 1473–89 abd
Lady of Asolo 1489

When King John II of Cyprus died in 1458, his succession was contested. His illegitimate son James, with backing from the Sultan of Egypt, took control of the island. However, opposition quickly gathered. The Duke of Savoy claimed the throne through his son Louis, who had married Charlotte—John’s only legitimate daughter—and the Genoese and the Pope supported this claim. James needed a marriage that would strengthen his position, and Andrea Cornaro proposed his niece Caterina, known for her beauty, believing the match would win Venice’s support. The idea was accepted, with Caterina and the Venetian senate both giving their approval. The marriage contract was signed in 1468, though political manoeuvring delayed her departure until 1471, when James finally committed to the alliance. Caterina was formally adopted by the Doge as a daughter of the Republic and set sail for Cyprus in 1472, arriving with the titles of queen of Cyprus, Jerusalem, and Armenia. Her time with James was brief—he died of fever in 1473, leaving her pregnant and newly widowed. Soon after the birth of her son James III, factions rose against her. A plot emerged to install Zarla, James’s illegitimate daughter, on the throne, and Caterina was briefly held captive. The Venetians returned to restore order, but from that point onward, they effectively ruled Cyprus. When the child-king died in 1474, the republic took full control, though Caterina remained queen in name. While loved by the people of the coastal towns, she faced hostility from the local nobility and constant intrigue. In 1488, fearing an Ottoman attack and suspecting Caterina might marry King Alphonso II of Naples—a union she didn’t seem to oppose—Venice ordered her to return. She resisted at first, unwilling to give up her crown, but Venice was firm. In 1489 she was forced to abdicate, and the island was annexed. As compensation, she was granted the castle and town of Asolo, where she spent her remaining years in peace, surrounded by scholars and poets, including Cardinal Bembo.

Place of birth: Venice
Place of marriage: Famagusta
Place of death: Venice

Daughter of Marco Cornaro and Fiorenza Crispo, she married Jacques II, King of Cyprus (Lusignan) in 1468, and had issue.