View source for King of Thessalonica

{{Short description|Ruler of the crusader-state of Thessalonica (1204–1224)}}
{{Infobox former monarchy
| royal_title       = King
| realm             = Thessalonica
| native_name       = ''Rex Thessalonicae''
| coatofarms        = Kingdom of Thessalonica arms.png
| coatofarmssize    = 110
| coatofarmscaption = Coat of arms per ''[[The Lord Marshal's Roll]]'' (1295)
| image             = <!-- Bonifacio-de-Montferrato.jpg -->
| caption           = <!-- '''First to rule<br />[[Boniface I, Marquis of Montferrat|Boniface I]]'''<br />1204 – 1207 -->
| first_monarch     = [[Boniface I, Marquis of Montferrat|Boniface I]]
| last_monarch      = [[Demetrius of Montferrat|Demetrius]]<br><small>(ruling)</small><br>[[Philip I, Prince of Taranto|Philip II]]<br><small>(titular)</small>
| appointer         = Hereditary, vassal of the Latin Emperor
| began             = 16 May 1204
| ended             = December 1224<br><small>(loss of the kingdom)</small><br>26 December 1331<br><small>(last use of title)</small>
}}
The '''King of Thessalonica''' was the ruler of the [[Kingdom of Thessalonica]], one of the [[crusader states]] [[Frankokratia|founded in Greece]] in the aftermath of the [[Fourth Crusade]] (1202–1204). The King of Thessalonica was not an independent ruler; the Kingdom of Thessalonica was one of several vassal states created by the crusaders, subservient to the new [[Latin Empire of Constantinople]], which had supplanted the [[Byzantine Empire]].

The kingdom proved to be short-lived, with Thessalonica being captured by [[Theodore Komnenos Doukas]] of [[Despotate of Epirus|Epirus]] in 1224, just twenty years after the kingdom had been founded. The last king, Demetrius of Montferrat, escaped into exile and upon his death ceded the title to [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor]], who some years later ceded it back to Demetrius's family. Their line of titular Kings of Thessalonica ended with the marriage of [[Yolande of Montferrat]] to Byzantine emperor [[Andronikos II Palaiologos]] in 1284, at which point titular ownership of Thessalonica passed back to the Byzantine emperors.

Other lines of titular kings of Thessalonica originated in that [[Baldwin II, Latin Emperor|Baldwin II]], titular [[Latin Emperor of Constantinople]], perceived Frederick II's use of the title as invalid as he was excommunicated and had been denounced as a heretic. At two points, Baldwin granted the title to nobles in Western Europe, first to [[Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy|Hugh IV of Burgundy]] and then to [[Philip of Sicily]]. Claims to the title did not cease until the 1330s, more than a century after the kingdom's fall.

== Kings of Thessalonica, 1204–1224 ==

=== House of Aleramici (1204–1224) ===
{{See also|Aleramici}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! width="100" |Portrait
! width="305" |Name
! width="305" |Reign
! width="100" |Arms
! width="460" |Succession and Notes
! width="30" |Ref
|-
|[[File:Bonifacio-de-Montferrato.jpg|frameless|131x131px]]
|'''[[Boniface I, Marquis of Montferrat|Boniface I]]'''<br /><small>of Montferrat</small>
|16 May 1204 – 4 September 1207
|[[File:Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Thessalonica.svg|frameless|110x110px]]
|Leader of the [[Fourth Crusade]]. Due to already being a figure of influence, the [[Republic of Venice]] opposed Boniface becoming [[Latin Emperor|Emperor of Constantinople]]. Despite conflicting with the elected emperor, [[Baldwin I, Latin Emperor|Baldwin I]], Boniface was made the King of Thessalonica in 1204. Killed in battle by [[Kaloyan of Bulgaria|Kaloyan]] of [[Second Bulgarian Empire|Bulgaria]] in 1207.
|{{Sfn|Nishimura|2006|p=|pp=199–200, 204}}
|-
|
|'''[[Demetrius of Montferrat|Demetrius]]'''<br /><small>of Montferrat</small>
|4 September 1207 – December 1224
|[[File:Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Thessalonica.svg|frameless|110x110px]]
|Son and heir of Boniface I of Montferrat. The Kingdom of Thessalonica fell in 1224, when Thessalonica was captured by [[Theodore Komnenos Doukas]] of Epirus.
|{{Sfn|Nishimura|2006|p=200}}{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=304}}
|}

== Titular Kings of Thessalonica, 1224–1331 ==

=== House of Aleramici (1224–1230) ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! width="100" |Portrait
! width="305" |Name
! width="305" |Reign
! width="100" |Arms
! width="460" |Succession and Notes
! width="30" |Ref
|-
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Demetrius of Montferrat|Demetrius]]'''<br /><small>of Montferrat</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |December 1224 – 1230<br /><small>(previously ruling king 1207–1224)</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Thessalonica.svg|frameless|110x110px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Previously the ruling King of Thessalonica. Escaped into exile after losing Thessalonica, fleeing to the court of [[Holy Roman Emperor]] [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] in Italy.
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=304}}
|}
After Demetrius's death, the succession to the defunct kingdom was contested, with three separate, conflicting, lines of titular 'kings of Thessalonica' forming in the 13th century.{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}} Demetrius's own preferred heir was Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, who he ceded his titles to.{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=304}}

=== Montferrat line (1230–1284) ===

==== House of Hohenstaufen (1230–1239) ====
{{See also|Hohenstaufen}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! width="100" |Portrait
! width="305" |Name
! width="305" |Reign
! width="100" |Arms
! width="460" |Succession and Notes
! width="30" |Ref
|-
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Frederick II (HRE).jpg|frameless|139x139px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick]]'''<br /><small>of Hohenstaufen</small>
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |1230 – 1239
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Attributed Coat of Arms of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (Historia della Città e Regno di Napoli).svg|frameless|114x114px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Holy Roman Emperor ({{Reign}}1220–1250). Demetrius lacked heirs of his own and ceded the title 'King of Thessalonica' to Frederick. The reason for Frederick's interest in the title is unclear; acquiring it might have been part of wider ambitions in the [[Levant]].
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=|pp=304, 309, 316}}
|}
==== House of Aleramici (1239–1284) ====
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! width="100" |Portrait
! width="305" |Name
! width="305" |Reign
! width="100" |Arms
! width="460" |Succession and Notes
! width="30" |Ref
|-
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Boniface II, Marquis of Montferrat|Boniface II]]'''<br /><small>of Montferrat</small>
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |1239 – 12 June 1253
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Thessalonica.svg|frameless|110x110px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Marquis of Montferrat ({{Reign}}1225–1253). Son of William VI of Montferrat and grandson of Boniface I. Granted the title by Frederick.
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}
|-
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[William VII, Marquis of Montferrat|William]]'''<br /><small>of Montferrat</small>
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |12 June 1253 – 1284
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Thessalonica.svg|frameless|110x110px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Marquis of Montferrat ({{Reign}}1253–1292). Son of Boniface II.
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}
|}
William's daughter [[Irene of Montferrat|Yolande]] married the Byzantine emperor [[Andronikos II Palaiologos]] ({{Reign}}1282–1328) in 1284. As her [[dowry]], William abandoned the title 'King of Thessalonica', with his titular claim to the city and region surrounding it returning to its actual owners, the Byzantine Empire.{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}

=== Burgundian line (1266–1320/1321) ===
In 1266, the titular Emperor of Constantinople, [[Baldwin II, Latin Emperor|Baldwin II]], sold the title 'King of Thessalonica' to [[Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy]]. Baldwin considered the rights of the Montferrat line of titular kings to be void as they had been granted the title by Frederick II, who was excommunicated and condemned as a heretic.{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}

==== House of Burgundy (1266–1320) ====
{{See also|House of Burgundy}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! width="100" |Portrait
! width="305" |Name
! width="305" |Reign
! width="100" |Arms
! width="460" |Succession and Notes
! width="30" |Ref
|-
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy.jpg|frameless|102x102px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy|Hugh I]]'''<br /><small>of Burgundy</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |1266 – 27/30 October 1272
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Old Arms of the Dukes of Burgundy.svg|frameless|119x119px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Duke of Burgundy ({{Reign}}1218–1272). Sold the title 'King of Thessalonica' by Baldwin II, titular Emperor of Constantinople, in 1266.
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}
|-
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Robert II of Burgundy.jpg|frameless|100x100px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Robert II, Duke of Burgundy|Robert]]'''<br /><small>of Burgundy</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |27/30 October 1272 – 21 March 1306
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Old Arms of the Dukes of Burgundy.svg|frameless|119x119px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Duke of Burgundy ({{Reign}}1272–1306). Son and heir of Hugh I.
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}
|-
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Hugo V.jpg|frameless|100x100px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Hugh V, Duke of Burgundy|Hugh II]]'''<br /><small>of Burgundy</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |21 March 1306 – 1313
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Old Arms of the Dukes of Burgundy.svg|frameless|119x119px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Duke of Burgundy ({{Reign}}1306–1315). Son and heir of Robert.
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}
|-
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Louis of Burgundy.jpg|frameless|101x101px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Louis of Burgundy|Louis I]]'''<br /><small>of Burgundy</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |1313 – 2 August 1316
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Armoiries Louis de Bourgogne.svg|frameless|110x110px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Prince of Achaea ({{Reign}}1313–1316). Son of Robert. Granted the title by his brother Hugh II in exchange for his own rights to Burgundy.
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=316}}
|-
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Eudes4.jpg|frameless|108x108px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Odo IV, Duke of Burgundy|Odo]]'''<br /><small>of Burgundy</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |2 August 1316 – 14 April 1320
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Armoiries Eudes Bourgogne-Nevers.svg|frameless|111x111px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Duke of Burgundy ({{Reign}}1315–1349). Son of Robert. Inherited the title upon the death of his brother Louis I. Recorded as complaining to [[Pope John XXII]] about the "usurpation" by the Angevins of the Principality of Achaea.
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{sfn|Topping|1975|p=115}}
|}

==== House of Bourbon (1320–1320/1321) ====
{{See also|House of Bourbon}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! width="100" |Portrait
! width="305" |Name
! width="305" |Reign
! width="100" |Arms
! width="460" |Succession and Notes
! width="30" |Ref
|-
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Louis I, Duke of Bourbon|Louis II]]'''<br /><small>of Bourbon</small>
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |14 April 1320 – 1320/1321
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Blason Louis de Clermont.svg|frameless|110x110px]]
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Count of [[Clermont-en-Beauvaisis]] ({{Reign|1317|1342}}) and [[Duke of Bourbon]] ({{Reign|1327|1342|link=no}}). Odo sold his claims to the titles 'King of Thessalonica' and 'Prince of Achaea' to Louis in 1320. Great-grandson of Hugh I.
|style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{sfn|Topping|1975|p=115}}
|}
During Louis of Bourbon's purchase of the titles,{{sfn|Topping|1975|p=115}} [[Philip I, Prince of Taranto|Philip of Taranto]], Angevin pretender to the title,{{sfn|Mariani|2005}} intervened and offered the same sum to purchase them. Through his purchase of the titles, Philip acquired the Burgundian claim to the titles as well, ensuring that there was now only a single line of pretenders. Louis of Bourbon likely only agreed to selling the titles because of the 1321 engagement between Philip's [[Philip, Despot of Romania|son of the same name]] and Louis's daughter [[Beatrice of Bourbon, Queen of Bohemia|Beatrice]].{{sfn|Topping|1975|p=|pp=115–116}}

=== Angevin line (1274–1331) ===
In the 1267 [[Treaty of Viterbo]], signed by Baldwin II, [[Charles I of Sicily]], and [[William II Villehardouin]], Prince of Achaea, it was agreed that Baldwin's sale of the title 'King of Thessalonica' to Hugh IV of Burgundy would only be considered valid if Hugh supported Baldwin (and his heir, [[Philip of Courtenay]]) in recapturing Constantinople. If this were to not occur, it was agreed among the signatories that the title should be transferred to Charles I and his heirs.{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=317}}

==== House of Anjou (1274–1331) ====
{{See also|Capetian House of Anjou}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
! width="100" |Portrait
! width="305" |Name
! width="305" |Reign
! width="100" |Arms
! width="460" |Succession and Notes
! width="30" |Ref
|-
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Philip of Sicily|Philip I]]'''<br /><small>of Anjou</small>
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |1274 – 1277
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Coat of arms of the Anjou-Naples dynasty (Capetians).svg|frameless|117x117px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |Son of Charles I of Sicily. Granted the title by Baldwin II in 1274, as per the agreement reached in the Treaty of Viterbo.
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=|pp=316–317}}
|-
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Palazzo Reale di Napoli - Carlo I d'Angiò.jpg|frameless|150x150px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Charles I of Anjou|Charles I]]'''<br /><small>of Anjou</small>
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |1277 – 7 January 1285
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Coat of Arms of Charles I of Anjou (per pale Jerusalem and France Ancient).svg|frameless|117x117px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |King of Sicily ({{Reign|1266|1285}}) and Prince of Achaea ({{Reign|1278|1285|link=no}}). Father of Philip of Anjou, inherited the title upon Philip's early death.
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=|pp=317–318}}
|-
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Charles 2 of Naples.jpg|frameless|100x100px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Charles II of Naples|Charles II]]'''<br /><small>of Naples</small>
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |7 January 1285 – 5 May 1309
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Arms of Charles II dAnjou.svg|frameless|117x117px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[King of Naples]] ({{Reign|1285|1309}}) and Prince of Achaea ({{Reign|1285|1289|link=no}}). Son of Charles I.
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{sfn|Mariani|2005}}{{Sfn|Burkhardt|2017|p=|pp=317–318}}
|-
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Filippo-dangio.jpg|frameless|149x149px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |'''[[Philip I, Prince of Taranto|Philip II]]'''<br /><small>of Taranto</small>
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |5 May 1309 – 26 December 1331
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[File:Arms of Robert de Tarente.svg|frameless|117x117px]]
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |[[Prince of Taranto]] ({{Reign|1294|1331}}), Prince of Achaea ({{Reign|1307|1313|link=no}}) and titular Emperor of Constantinople ({{Reign|1313|1331|link=no}}). Younger son of Charles II and heir to his claims in Greece. Also bought the claims of the Burgundian line of claimants in 1320/1321. Though he had heirs, who among other titles claimed the imperial one, Philip was the last person to claim the title 'King of Thessalonica'.
| style="background:#F0FFFF;" |{{sfn|Mariani|2005}}{{sfn|Topping|1975|p=|pp=115–116}}
|}

== Table of rival successions ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Montferrat
!Burgundian
!Angevin
|-
| align="center" |'''[[Boniface I, Marquis of Montferrat|Boniface I]]''' (1204–1207)
| rowspan="4" colspan="2" align="center" style="background:#E6E6E6;"|—
|-
| align="center" |'''[[Demetrius of Montferrat|Demetrius]]''' (1207–1230)
|-
| align="center" |'''[[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick]]''' (1230–1239)
|-
| align="center" |[[Boniface II, Marquis of Montferrat|'''Boniface II''']] (1239–1253)
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |[[William VII, Marquis of Montferrat|'''William''']] (1253–1284)
| align="center" |[[Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy|'''Hugh I''']] (1266–1272)
| align="center" style="background:#E6E6E6;"|—
|-
| align="center" |'''[[Robert II, Duke of Burgundy|Robert]]''' (1272–1306)
| align="center" |'''[[Philip of Sicily|Philip I]]''' (1274–1277)
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center" style="background:#E6E6E6;"|—
| align="center" |[[Hugh V, Duke of Burgundy|'''Hugh II''']] (1306–1313)
| rowspan="2" align="center" |'''[[Charles I of Anjou|Charles I]]''' (1277–1285)
|-
| align="center" |[[Louis of Burgundy|'''Louis I''']] (1313–1316)
|-
| align="center" |'''[[Odo IV, Duke of Burgundy|Odo]]''' (1316–1320)
| rowspan="2" align="center" |'''[[Charles II of Naples|Charles II]]''' (1285–1309)
|-
| align="center" |'''[[Louis I, Duke of Bourbon|Louis II]]''' (1320–1320/21)
|-
| colspan="2" align="center" |[[Philip I, Prince of Taranto|'''Philip I''' or '''II''']] (1309/20/21–1331)
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|20em}}
=== Bibliography ===

* {{Cite book|last=Burkhardt|first=Stefan|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv6zdbwx|title=Transcultural Approaches to the Concept of Imperial Rule in the Middle Ages|publisher=Peter Lang AG|year=2017|isbn=978-3631706244|editor-last=Scholl|editor-first=Christian|pages=295–320|chapter=Intoxication with Virtuality: French Princes and Aegean Titles|jstor=j.ctv6zdbwx.13|editor-last2=Gebhardt|editor-first2=Torben R.|editor-last3=Clauß|editor-first3=Jan|chapter-url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv6zdbwx.13}}
*{{Cite journal|last=Nishimura|first=Michiya|date=2006|title=Propaganda and Denominations of the Byzantine Successor States and the Crusader States (1204-1261): An Essay on the Political History of the Empire in Exile|url=http://hermes-ir.lib.hit-u.ac.jp/hermes/ir/re/14905/chichukai0001801970.pdf|journal=Mediterranean World|volume=3|pages=197–209}}
* {{Setton-A History of the Crusades | volume = 3 | chapter = The Morea, 1311–1364 | pages = 104–140 | last = Topping | first = Peter | chapter-url=http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/History/History-idx?type=article&did=History.CrusThree.i0016&id=History.CrusThree&isize=M}}

=== Web sources ===

{{Monarchies}}
* {{Cite web|last=Mariani|first=Ornella|date=2005|title=The Angevins in the South|url=http://www.italiamedievale.org/portale/gli-angioini-nel-mezzogiorno/?lang=en|access-date=14 November 2020|website=Italia Medievale}}
[[Category:Kings of Thessalonica|*]]
[[Category:Lists of monarchs|Thessalonica]]