Frederick the Simple

Friedrich III. (* Around 1341 in Catania, † July 27, 1377 in Messina), called the Simple or the Simple, was King of Sicily from 1355, and Duke of Athens and Neopatria.

Life

Friedrich III. was a son of King Peter II of Sicily from the House of Aragon and his wife Elisabeth of Carinthia. He followed in 1355 his brother Ludwig, who had died without legitimate offspring, as King of Sicily and after the death of Frederick I of Athens Duke of Athens and Neopatria.

He was initially under regency of his oldest sister Constance, after whose death in 1355 led his younger sister Eufemia until 1357 the government. In 1361 he married Constance, daughter of Peter IV, King of Aragon, with whom he had his only legitimate child: Mary I, Queen of Sicily.

The beginning of Frederick's reign was marred by multiple intermittent wars with the Kingdom of Naples. In 1372 he came up with the Neapolitans and the pope to make peace, after which he was referred to as a tributary king of " Trinacria ", which amounted to de facto recognition of the autonomy of Sicily. In support of this peace Frederick married in 1377 the Neapolitan nobles Antonia del Balzo, daughter of Francesco I, Duke of Andria.

Frederick showed his duties as king in constant rivalry has grown to the barons in any way. He leaned on his favorite Count Enrico di Ventimiglia Gerace, who was eventually expelled in a rebellion. 1374 Friedrich escaped an assassination attempt in the church of Messina.

Negotiations on a third marriage of the king with Antonia, daughter of Bernabo Visconti became useless by the death of Frederick in 1377.

" Frederick the Simple " often with Frederick II ( reigned 1296-1337 ) is confused, who describes himself Frederick III. named in memory of its predecessor, the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II, who was also King of Sicily.

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