Frederick IV of Naples

Frederick IV (April 19, 1452 – November 9, 1504), sometimes known as Frederick I or Federico d'Aragona,^[1] was the last King of Naples of the House of Trastámara, ruling from 1496 to 1501. He was the second son of Ferdinand I, younger brother of Alfonso II, and uncle of Ferdinand II, his predecessor.

Born in Naples to Ferdinand I and his first wife, Isabella of Taranto, the daughter of Tristan, Count of Copertino and Caterina Orsini, he succeeded his childless nephew Ferdinand II after the latter's early death in 1496, at the age of 28.

A combination of King Louis XII of France and Frederick's famous cousin King Ferdinand II of Aragon had continued the claim of Louis's predecessor, King Charles VIII of France, to Naples and Sicily. In 1501 they deposed Frederick; Naples initially went to Louis, but by 1504 a falling-out led to Naples' seizure by Ferdinand, after which it remained part of the Spanish possessions until the end of the War of the Spanish Succession.

Frederick died in Tours in 1504.

Marriages and children

Like his father, he married twice. His first wife was Anne of Savoy--daughter of Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy, and Yolande of Valois, daughter of Charles VII, King of France--whom he married on September 11, 1478, in Milan. His second wife was Isabella del Balzo. With Anne he had one daughter, Charlotte; he also had five children from his second marriage to Isabella.^[2]

• Charlotte, married Count of Laval
• Ferdinand of Aragón, Duke of Calabria (15 December 1488 – 1550). Married first Germaine of Foix (her third marriage) and secondly Mencia of Mendoza, Marchiones Cenete.
• Giulia d'Aragona (c. 1492 – 10 March 1542). Married John George of Montferrat.
• Isabella d'Aragona (died 1550).
• Alfonso d'Aragona (1499–1515).
• Cesare d'Aragona (1510–1519).

Ancestry

Notes