Louis II of Anjou

Louis II of Anjou, born on October fifth, thirteen seventy-seven, was a prominent monarch who held the titles of Duke of Anjou and Count of Provence from thirteen eighty-four until his death in fourteen seventeen. He was the son of Louis I of Anjou, the founder of the House of Valois-Anjou, and the adopted son of Queen Joanna I of Naples. Following his father's death during a military campaign in Naples, Louis II inherited Anjou as a child, but faced significant challenges in asserting his rule.

His mother, Marie of Blois, endeavored to secure his position by persuading the Provençal nobles and towns to acknowledge him as their rightful ruler. Between thirteen eighty-five and thirteen eighty-seven, she successfully convinced them to swear fealty to Louis II, despite initial resistance. The support of his cousin, King Charles VI of France, further bolstered his claim to the Kingdom of Naples.

In a significant turn of events, Louis II was crowned king by Antipope Clement VII in Avignon on November first, thirteen eighty-nine. This coronation marked his official claim to Naples, although he could only manage to rule parts of the kingdom from thirteen ninety to thirteen ninety-nine. His forces struggled to maintain control, leading to a division of the kingdom with his rival, Ladislaus of Naples.

The political landscape shifted dramatically with the conflict between Antipope Benedict XIII and France, which ultimately weakened Louis II's position. By fourteen hundred, he was forced to retreat from Naples back to Provence, marking the end of his tumultuous reign over the contested kingdom.