King Hugh IV of Cyprus took the throne when his childless uncle died. Unwilling to start a new crusade to fight the Arabs, Hugh was content to deal with the Venetians for a peaceful life.

He is my 16 x great-grandfather.

Hugh was born, in Cyprus, sometime between 1293-1296, son of Guy, constable of Cyprus, and Eschiva of Ibelin1.

Titles

Hugh’s uncle King Henri II appointed him Constable of Jerusalem in 13181.

He then succeeded his uncle as Hugh IV, King of Cyprus on 15 April 13241 or in 13262. They crowned him at the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Nicosia1.

They crowned him as titular King of Jerusalem at Saint Nicholas Cathedral on 13 May 1324 in Famagusta1.

Family

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Hugh married twice; first on 16 July 1307 to Marie d’Ibelin3 with whom he had a son Guy de Lusignan (born between 1315 and 1316 and died before 13 September 1343). Pope Clement V signed the Papal dispensation for this marriage3.

He married again on 18 June 1318, to Alix (or Alice) of Ibelin3. Pope John XXII signed the Papal dispensation for this marriage3. Together they had 9 children3:

  • Guy of Cyprus
  • Eschiva of Lusignan, born in 1325, died in 1363 of the plague.
  • Peter (Pierre) who became Pierre I, King of Cyprus. In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Peter I is the “worthy Peter” in his catalogue of fallen heros4.
  • John (Jean) of Cyprus (born between 1329 and 1330), murdered in Nicosia in 1375. He inherited the title of Titular Prince of Antioch.
  • James (Jacques) I of Lusignan (1334-1398).
  • Thomas of Cyprus, who died on 15 November 1340.
  • Isabelle, who died in June 1340.
  • Marguerite of Lusignan who married in 1337 and in 1347.

Hugh may have had an illegitimate son, Pierre, but it is not clear with whom3.

An impression of Hugh IV of Cyprus on coins minted during his reign.
Hugh IV of Cyprus on coins minted during his reign.

Notable events

Hugh was content to rule Cyprus and he prevented his son from getting support from Western European powers for a new crusade. In 1344, he joined a league with Venice and the Knights Hospitaller to fight the Turks in Smyrna (present day Turkey), where they captured the city1. This was a crusade organised by Pope Clement VI3.

Death

Hugh died in Nicosia, Cyprus on 10 October 13592 3. The cause of death, and his final resting place, are unknown.

Lineage

This person is my 16 x great-grandfather.

  1. “Medieval Lands Project – Jerusalem nobility: Genealogy of the Count and Lords of Jaffa (Ibelin)”. Foundation for medieval genealogy[↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
  2. Leventis Municipal Museum of Nicosia; As observed by author; 2022-04-10[↩][↩]
  3. Cyprus; Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-10-01) [↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
  4. History, Mission, and Crusade in the “Canterbury Tales”; Celia M Lewis; The Chaucer Review Vol. 42, No. 4 (2008) [↩]