Hugh IV of Cyprus

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Bassin 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 ^[1]

Hugh IV of Cyprus or Hughues IV de Lusignan (c. 1295 or 1293-1296 – October 10, 1359) was King of Cyprus from 1324 to his abdication on November 24, 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.

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 April 15 or April 25, 1324. In the same year, on May 13, he was crowned at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, in Famagusta as Titular King of Jerusalem. As a leader, the 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 problem with the Republic of Genoese who were contestors with Venicians, however he negotiated with them and had agreement in 1329. The Genoese demanded from Hugh to pay the debit of his uncle Henry II. He died in Nicosia.

Hugh married twice, both times to ladies of the house of Ibelin, firstly in 1307/1310 to Marie d'Ibelin (1294 – before June 30, 1318), daughter of Guy d'Ibelin, Count of Jaffa, and wife and cousin Marie d'Ibelin, Lady of Askalon and Naumachia, and secondly on June 18, 1318, to Alice d'Ibelin (1304/1306 – after August 6, 1386 and buried at Saint Dominic's, Nicosia), daughter of Guy II d'Ibelin, Seneschal of Cyprus and Constable of Cyprus by his wife and cousin Isabelle d'Ibelin.

He had eight children.

By his first marriage:

Guy de Lusignan (c. 1316 or 1315-1316 – soon before September 24, 1343 and buried in Nicosia), Constable of Cyprus (1336 – 1338) and Titular Prince of Galilee ca 1320. He married by proxy at the Château de Bourbon on November 29, 1328 and in person at Santa Sophia, Nicosia on January 15-30, 1330 to Marie of Bourbon (1315 – 1387 in Naples and buried there), Princess of Achaia - later remarried on September 9, 1347 in Naples to Prince Robert II of Tarento (1299/1319 – September 10, 1364 in Naples and buried there), Titular Emperor of Constantinople in 1343, etc, without issue - and they left one son:
- Hughues de Lusignan (1335 – 1385/1386 in Cyprus), who succeeded his father as Titular Prince of Galilee in 1343, Senator of Rome in August 12, 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

By his second marriage:

Eschive de Lusignan (c. 1323 or 1322-1324 – of the plague, 1363 and buried in Nicosia), married after March 5, 1337/1339, separated since April 22, 1341, Infante Fernando (Ferran) of Majorca (March/April, 1317 – ca 1343/1347), Vicomte d'Omelas or Aumelàs.
Pierre I de Lusignan (1328–1369), succeeded him as King of Cyprus and Jerusalem.
Jean de Lusignan (c. 1329 or 1329/1330 – 1375), Regent of Cyprus and Titular Prince of Antioch, murdered, married twice, firstly in 1343 to Constance, daughter of Frederick III of Sicily and Eleanor of Anjou, without issue, and secondly in 1350 to Alice d'Ibelin (d. after 1373), by whom he had issue
Jacques I de Lusignan (1334–1398), succeeded his nephew Peter II of Cyprus.

Uncertan filiation:

Thomas de Lusignan (d. November 15, 1340), unmarried and without issue
Perrot de Lusignan (d. June 29, 1353), unmarried and without issue
Marguerite de Lusignan, married in 1347/1349 Gautier de Dampierre(-sur-Salon) (d. after 1373), Seneschal of Cyprus.

During his reign, he was strict in issues about justice. When his two sons left wthout his permission for trip in Europe, he arrested the man who helped them to leave the island, he imprisoned and turtured him and he cut the one hand of him and the one foot of him and finally he hanged him in April 1349. He achieved to bring back his two sons and he imprisoned them, while he was crying for them out of the jail.

Other sources show that he was well educated and had a lot of interest in arts, literature and philosophy and had a lot of knowledfe in Latin literature. He had his sumer villa in Lapithos and organised philosophical meetings. The Italian writer Vocacious, while to his book wrote about Cyprus and its king, had written about Genealogy of Gods after the pleasure of Hugh IV.

Hugh resigned the crown to his son, Peter I (rather than his grandson Hugh) in 1358, and died on October 10, 1359 in Nicosia.