Basin attributed to Hugh IV of Cyprus. An inscription in Arabic reads: "Made by the order of Hugh, favoured by God, the one at the vanguard of the elite troops of the Franks, Hugh of the Lusignans". Another inscription in French reads: "Très haut et puissant roi Hugues de Jherusalem et de Chipre que Dieu manteigne." ("Very high and powerful king Hugh of Jerusalem and Cyprus, may God maintain him"). 14th century, Egypt or Syria.
Louvre Museum or
Hughues IV de Lusignan (c. 1295 or 1293-1296 – 10 October 1359) was
King of Cyprus from 1324 to his abdication, on 24 November 1358 and, nominally,
King of Jerusalem, as Hugh II, until his death. The son of Guy of Lusignan,
Constable of Cyprus (son of
Hugh III of Cyprus and wife Isabelle of Ibelin), and Eschiva of Ibelin, Hugh succeeded his father as
Constable of Cyprus in 1318, and later succeeded to the throne of
Cyprus on the death of his uncle
Henry II, since Henry II had no son. He was a member of the
House of Lusignan.
History
Hugh appears to have been content to rule Cyprus, as he prevented his son,
Peter I, from going to
Western Europe to recruit support for a new
crusade to recover their
Kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1344, he joined a league with
Venice and the
Knights Hospitallers which burnt a Turkish fleet in
Smyrna and captured the city. In 1345 the allies defeated the Turks at
Imbros by land and sea, but Hugh could see little benefit for his kingdom in these endeavors and withdrew from the league.
He was crowned as King of Cyprus at
Santa Sophia, in
Nicosia, on 15 April or 25 April 1324. In the same year, on
13 May, he was crowned at
Saint Nicholas Cathedral, in
Famagusta as Titular King of Jerusalem. As a leader, King Hugh signed an agreement with
Venice, which had to do with the activities of the Venician merchants who were settling in Cyprus. That caused problems with the Republic of
Genoese who were rivals of the Venetians; however he negotiated with them and had agreement in 1329. The Genoese demanded that Hugh pay the debit of his uncle Henry II. He died in
Nicosia.
During his reign, he was strict about issues relating to justice. When his two sons left wthout his permission for a trip in
Europe, he arrested the man who helped them to leave the island, he imprisoned and tortured him, and he cut off a hand and a foot before he hanged him in April 1349. He managed to bring back his two sons and he imprisoned them.
Other sources show that he was well educated and had an interest in art, literature, and philosophy and had much knowledge of Latin literature. He owned a summer villa in
Lapithos and organised philosophical meetings. The Italian writer
Boccaccio, wrote
Genealogia Deorum Gentilium at the request of Hugh IV.
Hugh resigned the crown to his son, Peter I (rather than his grandson Hugh) in 1358, and died on 10 October 1359 in
Nicosia.
Family
Hugh was married twice, both times to ladies of the house of
Ibelin, whose fathers were both named "Guy of Ibelin", one being Count of Jaffa and the other Seneschal of Cyprus.
- Hugh's first marriage was in 1307/1310 to Marie d'Ibelin (1294 – before 30 June 1318), daughter of Guy of Ibelin (1250–1304), Count of Jaffa, and wife and cousin Marie d'Ibelin, Lady of Askalon and Naumachia. They had at least one son:
- ** Hughues de Lusignan (1335 – 1385/1386 in Cyprus), who succeeded his father as Titular Prince of Galilee in 1343, Senator of Rome on 12 August 1360 and Lord of Arnecha and Leondaki in January 1365. He married after Autumn 1365 Marie de Morphou (d. after 1383), dau.of Sir Jean de Morphou, Comte de Roucha, without issue
- His second marriage took place on 18 June [[1318, to Alice d'Ibelin (1304/1306 – after 6 August 1386 and buried at Saint Dominic's, Nicosia), daughter of Guy d'Ibelin by his wife and cousin Isabelle d'Ibelin. Children with Alice were:
- * Eschive de Lusignan (c. 1323 or 1322-1324 – of the plague, 1363 and buried in Nicosia), married after 5 March 1337/1339, separated since 22 April 1341, Infante Fernando (Ferran) of Majorca (March/April, 1317 – ca 1343/1347), Vicomte d'Omelas or Aumelàs.
Three other children of Hugh whose filiation is uncertain:
- Thomas de Lusignan (d. 15 November 1340), unmarried and without issue
- Perrot de Lusignan (d. 29 June 1353), unmarried and without issue
- Marguerite de Lusignan, married in 1347/1349 Gautier de Dampierre(-sur-Salon) (d. after 1373), Seneschal of Cyprus.
