Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria

For the prince known by this name between 1825 and 1830, see Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies. For the head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies from 1934 to 1960, see Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Calabria.

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Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria (Spanish: Fernando de Aragón, Duque de Calabria) (December 15, 1488 – October 20, 1550) was a Neapolitan prince who played a significant role in the Mediterranean politics of the Crown of Aragon in the early 16th century.

File:Coat of Arms of Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria.svg

Coat of arms of Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria

Life

Born in Andria, Apulia as son of the future King Frederick and his second wife, Isabella del Balzo. He held the titles of Duke of Calabria and of Apulia.

An alliance of Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon (Frederick's cousin) had continued the claim of Louis's predecessor, Charles VIII, to the thrones of Naples and Sicily, and in 1501 they deposed Frederick, and Naples initially went to Louis, but by 1504 a new war led to Naples' seizure by Ferdinand of Aragon.

Ferdinand was then taken prisoner by Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, and was moved to Barcelona as a hostage. Nevertheless, he gained the King of Aragon's friendship and later that of his grandson and successor Charles. Charles even arranged Ferdinand of Naples' marriage with his stepgrandmother, Ferdinand of Aragon's widow Germaine of Foix, in 1526. He designated them as joint viceroys of Valencia in 1537.

After Queen Germaine's death in 1538, Ferdinand married the cultivated widow Mencía de Mendoza in 1541. They became renowned for their patronage of artistic and literary works.

Ancestry

Family of Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria

16. Ferdinand I of Aragon               8. Alfonso V of Aragon                       17. Eleanor of Alburquerque               4. Ferdinand I of Naples                             18. Enrique Carlino               9. Giraldona Carlino                       19. Isabel               2. Frederick of Naples                                   10. Tristan de Clermont, Count of Copertino                       5. Isabella of Clermont                             22. Raimondo Del Balzo Orsini               11. Caterina del Balzo Orsini                       23. Mary of Enghien               1. Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria                                         24. Guglielmo del Balzo, Duke of Andria               12. Francesco II del Balzo, Duke of Andria                       6. Pietro del Balzo, Duke of Andria                             26. Tristan de Clermont, Count of Copertino               13. Sancia de Clermont, Countess of Copertino                       27. Caterina del Balzo Orsini               3. Isabella del Balzo                                   28. Raimondo Del Balzo Orsini               14. Gabriele Orsini, Duke of Venosa                       29. Mary of Enghien               7. Maria Donata Orsini                             30. Sergianni Caracciolo dei Duchi di Melfi               15. Giovanna Caracciolo del Sole                       31. Caterina Filangieri

See also

• Kingdom of Sicily
• Kingdom of Naples
• Kingdom of Valencia
• History of Italy

Sources

• Bernadette Nelson, The court of Don Fernando de Aragón, Duke of Calabria in Valencia, c.1526–c.1550: music, letters and the meeting of cultures. Oxford University Press. Early Music, Volume 32, Number 2, May 2004, pp. 194–224(31)

External links

• Digitized manuscripts from his personal collection, at SOMNI.