Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lusignan Dynasties
The French-speaking lord of Cyprus, Guy de Lusignan, established a lengthy dynasty that
brought mixed fortunes to the island. He died in 1194 and was buried at the Church of the
Templars in Nicosia and succeeded by his brother, Amalric.
Guy had invited Christian families who had lost property in the Holy Land to settle in
Cyprus, many of whom were still concerned with the territorial affairs and disputes in Jeru-
salem. This proved to be a great economic strain on Cyprus, until the fall of Acre (Akko) in
1291.
For 100 years or so thereafter, Cyprus enjoyed a period of immense wealth and prosper-
ity, with current-day Famagusta (Mağusa) the centre of unrivalled commercial activity and
trade. Many of the Byzantine castles were added to in grandiose style, and fine buildings
and churches were erected. The Church of Agia Sofia in North Nicosia (Lefkoşa), Bel-
lapais Abbey in Kyrenia (Girne), and Kolossi Castle, near Lemesos, were completed during
this period.
Lusignan descendants continued to rule the Kingdom of Cyprus until 1474. The island's
prosperity reached its zenith under King Peter I (r 1359−69), who spent much of his time
overseas at war. He quashed many attempts at Turkish piracy raids, before mounting a
counter-attack in 1365. During this unsuccessful crusade, he only managed to sack the city
of Alexandria. Upon his assassination at the hands of his nobles, the fortunes of the Lusig-
nans took a turn for the worse.
Eyeing Cyprus' wealth and strategic position as an entrepôt, Genoa and Venice jostled
for control. Genoa ultimately seized Famagusta and held it for 100 years; the fortunes of
both Famagusta and the island declined as a result. The last Lusignan king was James II (r
1460−73), who managed to expel the Genoese from Famagusta. He married Caterina Corn-
aro, a Venetian noblewoman, who went on to succeed James. She was the last queen of
Cyprus and the last royal personage from the Lusignan dynasty. Under pressure, she even-
tually ceded Cyprus to Venice.
If you love ancient Cypriot pottery and sculpture, as displayed in museums and often emulated by local artists, get
more information at
www.thebritishmuseum.org
.
