Andrew, Duke of Calabria

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Coats of Arms of Andrew, Duke of Calabria, and Charles III of Naples.

Andrew, Duke of Calabria (October 30, 1327 – September 18/19, 1345, Aversa) was the second surviving son of Charles I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Poland.

He was betrothed in 1334, at a young age, to his cousin Joan I of Naples, daughter of Charles, Duke of Calabria (eldest son of king Robert of Naples), who was three years his senior. Robert had taken the throne of Naples while his older brother's son Charles was occupied in winning Hungary, and wished to atone for his usurpation. He made Andrew Duke of Calabria, title of the heir to the throne, and on his death in 1343, his will instructed that Andrew and Joan be married and crowned monarchs of Naples in their own right.

This, however, sat ill with the Neapolitan people and nobles; nor was Joan content to share her sovereignty. With the approval of Pope Clement VI, Joan was crowned as sole monarch of Naples in August 1344. Fearing for his life, Andrew wrote to his mother Elizabeth that he would soon flee the kingdom. She intervened, and made a state visit; before she returned to Hungary, she bribed Pope Clement to reverse himself and permit the coronation of Andrew. She also gave a ring to Andrew, which was supposed to protect him from death by blade or poison, and returned with a false sense of security to Hungary.

Hearing of the Pope's reversal, a group of noble conspirators (probably including Queen Joan) determined to forestall Andrew's coronation. During a hunting trip at Aversa, Andrew left his room in the middle of the night and was set upon by the conspirators. A treacherous servant barred the door behind him; and as Joan cowered in their bed, a terrible struggle ensued, Andrew defending himself furiously and shrieking for aid. He was finally overpowered, strangled with a cord, and flung from a window.

The horrible deed would taint the rest of Joan's reign. Andrew's elder brother Louis I of Hungary several times invaded Naples and drove out Joan, only to meet with reverses. Ultimately, Louis' kinsman, Charles III of Naples, conquered Naples with Hungarian aid and put Joan to death.

Andrew and Joan had one posthumous son, who died young in Hungary:

• Charles Martel (Naples, December 25, 1345 – aft. May 10, 1348)