Louis, Duke of Durazzo

Not to be confused with Louis, Count of Évreux.

Louis of Évreux (also called "of Navarre"; 1341 – 1376) was the youngest son of Philip III of Navarre and Joan II of Navarre.^[1] He inherited the county of Beaumont-le-Roger from his father (1343) and became Duke of Durazzo in right of his second wife, Joanna, in 1366.

Louis, Duke of Durazzo
Count of Beaumont-le-Roger Duke of Durazzo
Arms of Louis
Duke of Durazzo
Reign	1365–1368, 1376
Predecessor	Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo
Successor	Robert IV of Artois, Count of Eu
Born	1341
Died	1376 (aged 34–35)
Spouse	Maria de Lizarazu Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo
Issue	Juana de Beaumont Carlos de Beaumont Tristan de Beaumont
House	House of Évreux
Father	Philip III of Navarre
Mother	Joan II of Navarre

Louis's first marriage was to Maria de Lizarazu in 1358.^[2] He took part on behalf of his brother Charles II of Navarre in the war against the Dauphin Charles.

His second marriage to Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo, brought him the rights to Durazzo and the Kingdom of Albania, which he strove to recover.^[1] He received assistance from both his brother and the king of France in this undertaking^[3][4] for Durazzo (the remnant of the kingdom) was in the hands of Charles Thopia.^[5][6] In 1372, he brought over the Navarrese Company of mercenaries, who had fought with him during the war in France, to assist him in taking Durazzo.^[7][8] Their ranks swelled considerably in 1375 with new recruits directly from Navarre. Many documents survive providing information on the complex nature of the military planning and engineering which was undertaken to ensure success. This they attained, taking the city in midsummer 1376 during the Durrës Expedition.^{[9][10][11][12]} Louis died shortly after in the same year.^{[13][14][15][16]}

He had an illegitimate son, Carlos de Beaumont, who would be the founder of the House of Beaumont, which would have a main role in the Navarrese Civil War next century. Carlos de Beaumont had a daughter named Juana Margaret de Beaumont who was the grandmother of Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz, famous for his defense of the Navarrese kingdom against the spanish conquest at the battle of Amaiur-Maya in 1522.^[17]

Family

Louis had no legitimate children with his Angevin wife Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo, although he had many illegitimate children with his mistress Maria de Lizarazu who was a Navarrese noblewoman.^[18] Louis's three illegitimate children were Carlos, Tristan, and Juana.^[19]

1. Juana de Beaumont (1359; † 1411), was the first born of Louis.^[20] She married Pedro de Lasaga in 1373.^[21]
2. Carlos de Beaumont (1361; † 1432), was second born of Louis.^[22] He became lieutenant of the Kingdom of Navarre by his uncle Charles II of Navarre in 1379, castellan of San Juan de Pie de Puerto and Lord of Asiáin in 1381. He was first married to Maria Jimenez de Urrea in 1396 and had two children. His second marriage to Anne of Curton in 1407 and had six children. He also had five illegitimate children as well.^[23]
3. Tristan de Beaumont (1363; † 1396), was the youngest of Louis's children.^[24] He was the canon of the Pamplona Cathedral.^[25]

See also

• Battle of Durazzo (1376)
• Joanna, Duchess of Durazzo
• Kingdom of Albania (medieval)

References

1. Woodacre 2013, p. xx.
2. Leroy 2003, p. 238.
3. Setton, Kenneth. A History of the Crusades: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, edited by Harry W. Hazard. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-2990-6670-3. ...Louis received much assistance from his royal brother of Navarre and from Charles V of France. ...
4. Rodd, Rennell (9 February 2018). The Princes of Achaia and the Chronicles of Morea: A Study of Greece in the Middle Ages, Volume 2. Forgotten Books. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-6561-3237-9. ...when there is evidence that a supreme effort was made to re-establish his ascendency in Albania with the support of his brother the King of Navarre...
5. J. M. Hussey. The Cambridge medieval history. Volume IV. Part I, The Byzantine empire. Byzantium and its neighbours. University Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-5210-4535-3. ...In 1368, however, Albania , together with Durazzo, had fallen to the Albanian lord Charles Topia, who took the title of king...
6. Setton, Kenneth. A History of the Crusades: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, edited by Harry W. Hazard. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-2990-6670-3. ...In 1368 the kingdom of Albania, together with the city of Durazzo, had fallen to the Albanian lord Charles Topia, and Louis of Évreux was faced with no inconsiderable task if he would give effect to his right to rule over the "kingdom" he had thought to possess through his marriage to the heiress Joanna...
7. John V. A. Fine (jr.), John Van Antwerp Fine (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Interested in realizing these rights, Louis hired four companies of knights from Navarre, who are usually referred to as the Navarrese Company, and took Durazzo, probably in 1376. ...
8. Setton, Kenneth. A History of the Crusades: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, edited by Harry W. Hazard. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-2990-6670-3. ...In 1372 very active recruiting added to the numbers of the new Navarrese Company, but the chief contingents and most important leaders were engaged in 1375 and 1376, and they passed, for the most part, directly from Navarre to Albania. Extensive preparations were made for the expedition, and almost a score of names of military contractors have come down to us in the enrolment lists of 1375-1376. Of the details of Louis's Albanian expedition little is known...
9. Setton, Kenneth. A History of the Crusades: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, edited by Harry W. Hazard. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 216. ISBN 978-0-2990-6670-3. ...but Durazzo was apparently occupied in the midsummer of 1376...
10. John V. A. Fine (jr.), John Van Antwerp Fine (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...and took Durazzo, probably in 1376...
11. John L. La Monte (1949). The world of the Middle Ages : a reorientation of medieval history. Appleton-Century-Crofts. p. 526. ISBN 978-0-8919-7473-4. ...the Navarrese Company, who attacked Albania and captured Durazzo in 1376...
12. J. M. Hussey. The Cambridge medieval history. Volume IV. Part I, The Byzantine empire. Byzantium and its neighbours. University Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-5210-4535-3. ...The Navarrese Company succeeded in occupying Durazzo, apparently in the midsummer of 1376...
13. John V. A. Fine (jr.), John Van Antwerp Fine (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ... Shortly thereafter Louis died, probably still in 1376...
14. Setton, Kenneth. A History of the Crusades: The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, edited by Harry W. Hazard. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 215. ISBN 978-0-2990-6670-3. ...Louis died about the same time, and shortly thereafter his widow Joanna married duke Robert of Artois...
15. Rodd, Rennell (9 February 2018). The Princes of Achaia and the Chronicles of Morea: A Study of Greece in the Middle Ages, Volume 2. Forgotten Books. p. 221. ISBN 978-0-6561-3237-9. ...Louis himself appears to have died in 1376...
16. J. M. Hussey. The Cambridge medieval history. Volume IV. Part I, The Byzantine empire. Byzantium and its neighbours. University Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-5210-4535-3. ...But Louis died about this time, and when his wife Joanna promptly remarried...
17. "JAIME VELAZ, EL CAPITÁN DE AMAIUR – Editorial Mintzoa – Historia de Navarra" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
18. Woodacre, Elena. Joan of Navarre: Infanta, Duchess, Queen, Witch? (Lives of Royal Women). Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-4295-3661-8. ...though he had no legitimate offspring with his Angevin wife, he left several illegitimate children....
19. Woodacre, Elena. Joan of Navarre: Infanta, Duchess, Queen, Witch? (Lives of Royal Women). Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-4295-3661-8. ...Carlos was only one off Luis of Navarre's illegitimate children; his siblings Tristan and Juana were also born from Luis's relationship with Maria de Lizarazu, a Navarrese noblewoman who was accorded a level of respect as Luis's virtual wife, even referred to as Condesa or countess.....
20. Woodacre, Elena. Joan of Navarre: Infanta, Duchess, Queen, Witch? (Lives of Royal Women). Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-4295-3661-8. ...between his sister Juana who was born in 1359...
21. "Gran Enciclopedia de Navarra". Retrieved 10 June 2024.
22. Woodacre, Elena. Joan of Navarre: Infanta, Duchess, Queen, Witch? (Lives of Royal Women). Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-4295-3661-8. ...Carlos was likely born c. 1361 and it appears that he was the middle sibling...
23. "Gran Enciclopedia de Navarra". Retrieved 10 June 2024.
24. Woodacre, Elena. Joan of Navarre: Infanta, Duchess, Queen, Witch? (Lives of Royal Women). Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-4295-3661-8. ...and Tristan who may have been born c. 1363..
25. "Gran Enciclopedia de Navarra". Retrieved 10 June 2024.

Sources

• Leroy, Beatrice (2003). "L'animation de la cour de Navarre (vers 1350 - vers 1430)". In Marchandisse, Alain; Kupper, Jean-Louis (eds.). A l'ombre du pouvoir: les entourages princiers au Moyen Age (in French). Librairie Droz.238
• Woodacre, Elena (2013). The Queens Regnant of Navarre: Succession, Politics, and Partnerships, 1274-1512. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Setton, Kenneth M.; Hazard, Harry W., eds. (1975). A History of the Crusades, Volume III: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. Madison and London: University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 0-299-06670-3.