Giovanni Antonio del Balzo Orsini

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Giovanni Antonio (Gianantonio) del Balzo Orsini (1386 or 1393 – November 15, 1463 in Altamura) was Prince of Taranto, Duke of Bari, Count of Lecce, Acerra, Soleto and Conversano, as well as Count of Matera (1433-63) and of Ugento (1453-63).

He was the son of Raimondo del Balzo Orsini, Prince of Taranto, and Mary of Enghien, an heiress of the Brienne main branch.

Prince Gianantonio acted as the Grand Constable of the Kingdom of Naples.

[edit] Succession of niece and death

In 1419, Gianantonio married Anna Colonna, daughter of lord Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna. Quite early, it was evident that he would be succeeded by the issue of his siblings. Gianantonio's niece, Isabella of Clermont, was the heiress presumptive of remarkable feudal possessions in Southern Italy. By royal intervention, she was married in 1444 to Ferdinand I of Naples, the illegitimate son of King Alfonso V of Aragon, who had seized Southern Italy from its Angevin kings in the 1430s and 1440s. In 1458, by the will of King Alfonso, Isabella's husband became king of his conquered territories (making Isabella queen consort). As such, Ferdinand used the title King of Naples and Jerusalem.

Giovanni Antonio died a rebel in 1463 without legitimate issue; he was strangled in Altamura and King Ferrante confiscated most of his lands. Isabella died soon afterwards in 1465. Her heir was her eldest son, the future Alfonso II of Naples (1448-1495), who like his father used the title King of Naples and Jerusalem during his reign (1494-95).

[edit] Illegitimate children

Caterina, Countess of Conversano, Signora di Casamassima e Turi. Married Giuliantonio Acquaviva d’Aragona, 7th Duke of Atri, 1456.
Maria Conquesta (died after 1487), Countess of Ugento, Signora di Nardò e Castro from 1463. Married Angilberto del Balzo, Count of Tricase and 1st Duke of Nardo circa 1463.
Margherita, married Antonio Centelles, Count of Catanzaro and Justiciar of Calabria.
Francesca, married Jacopo Sanseverino, Count of Saponara.
Bertoldo (died after 1488), Baron of Salice. Some issue. Count of Lecce 1463-64.
Another illegitimate daughter (name unknown), married Giacomo di Sanseverino, Count of Mileto. Apparently that marriage did not produce any surviving children.