Margaret Paleologa (1364–1420)

Margaret (Italian: Margherita Paleologa; 1364 in Casale Monferrato – 1420 in Saragosa, Urgell) from the House of Palaeologus-Montferrat, was daughter of the marquess of Montferrat and lady of Acqui. By her marriage, she became countess of Urgell.

Margaret
Born	1364 Casale Montferrato
Died	1420 (aged 56) Saragosa, Urgell
Noble family	Palaeologus-Montferrat
Spouse(s)	Peter II, Count of Urgell
Issue	James II, Count of Urgell
Father	John II, Marquess of Montferrat
Mother	Isabel of Majorca

Coat-of-arms of Margaret's husband, Peter II Count of Urgell.

Biography

She was daughter of John II (r. 1338–1372), Lord of Asti and Novara and imperial vicar, and Isabel of Majorca. Her father was son of Theodore I, marquess of Montferrat and Argentina Spinola; her mother was daughter of James III of Majorca and his first wife Constance of Aragon.

Margaret was the only daughter of her father; her siblings were the marquesses Secondotto (r. 1372–1378, John III (r. 1378–1381 and Theodore II (r. 1381–1418).

Her son James II was appointed by the king of Aragon as governor-general (viceroy), i.e. heir, but failed to succeed. His great-grandchild John II of Aviz became king of Portugal.

Family and issue

Margaret married in 1375/6 to her mother's first cousin Peter II (1340-1408), count of Urgell, viscount of Àger, baron of Entença and Antillón, who ruled from 1347 to 1408. He was son of James I, Count of Urgell; Margaret was his second wife. They had issue:

• James II (1380–1433), Count of Urgell, ruled 1408–1413. In 1410, his father's cousin Martin of Aragon died and James II was the closest male relative, but the House of Trastámara, kings of Castile, managed to succeed in the kingdom of Aragon.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Margaret Palaiologina

16. Michael VIII Palaiologos 8. Andronikos II Palaiologos 17. Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina 4. Theodore I, Marquess of Montferrat 18. William VII, Marquess of Montferrat 9. Irene of Montferrat 19. Beatrice of Castile 2. John II, Marquess of Montferrat 20. Sbaralia Spinola 10. Opicino Spinola 5. Argentina Spinola 22. Thomas I, Marquess of Saluzzo 11. Violante of Saluzzo 23. Luigia di Ceva 1. Margaret Palaiologina 24. James II of Majorca 12. Ferdinand of Majorca 25. Esclaramunda of Foix 6. James III of Majorca 26. Isnard de Sabran 13. Isabella of Sabran 27. Margaret of Villehardouin 3. Isabella of Majorca 28. James II of Aragon 14. Alfonso IV of Aragon 29. Blanche of Anjou 7. Constance of Aragon 30. Gombald d'Entença 15. Teresa d'Entença 31. Constance of Attillon

Sources

• Alamán, Lucas; Manuel Orozco y Berra. Diccionario universal de historia y de geografía. p. 152.
• E. Michael Gerli, Samuel G. Armistead, ed. (2003). Medieval Iberia: an encyclopedia. Routledge.