Giving the Kingdom of Cyprus a new lease on life

[DrakeRlugia]

I've always been interested in the Crusader states, mostly due to the fact they managed to last as long as they did all while surrounded by hostile populations, governing hostile populations, and being amongst few of their own. They even managed to alienate potential allies such as Greek Orthodox Christians by imposing Latin Christianity (this seemed to be a huge issue in Armenian Cilicia where the Luisignans imposed Catholicism. It was accepted by the aristocracy but just caused issues amongst the peasantry, but I disgress.

The Kingdom of Cyprus was, I suppose, one of the last vestiges of the Crusades, although certainly not the only one given Venice's numerous Aegean holdings. But the fact it survived almost three hundred years was amazing. The question is, can Cyprus be given a new lease on life. It doesn't have to survive to a certain time period; even if something only buys a few years, that is perfectly fine. I think the Ottomans would definitely turn on them once they were done with Egypt if they were still aroujnd then, but's just IMO.

Cyprus got a shitty hand of cards overall. Tons of regencies where young boys succeed their fathers, economic domination by Genoa, and even being a vassal of the Mamluks. Their 15th century history is especially terrible, with the Genoese occupying Famagusta and the Cypriots being heavily taxed by Janus to support pay his freedom,,, only to try and raid Egypt and end up captured by the Mameluks and ransomed again. It seems like Cyprus was probably doomed by the reign of John II and the instability brought about through his legitimate daughter and bastard son claiming the throne.

So, what can be done to give Cyprus a little more time? Obvious keep Janus from being so hotheaded; he'll definitely probably have to ransom himself out of Genoa and take back Famagusta. It was odd he also basically renewed their trading rights and expanded them... maybe look for some other mercantile spot? Of course Venice comes to mind, but that'd be replace domination by one for the other... and Venice has much bigger muscles. Perhaps Ragusa?

John II also needs to sort his things out. Either butterflies give him a different wife or son, or he makes a definitely choice: Charlotte or his bastard Jacques. Charlotte's pros are that if she makes a good foreign match, it could mean tangible aid, but she married pretty poorly IMO. A prince of Porugal and a Savoyard one. A French Prince would be a get way to open up new avenues of income, and perhaps an Aragonese one as well. If in Italy, a Medici could work -- I mean, the last "Queen" of Cyprus was pretty low born. A Medici match means Medici gold, and even more importantly favorable loans from them too. If she has money, she could at the very least buy off the Mamluks from supporting her brother.

If James II succeeds though... he needs to find some different support, ASAP. Siding with Venice and asking them to provide your bride is just asking for trouble. I know he's legitimate, but the Italian princely states are crawling with them. And if it's money, I'm sure the Medici would loan funds for favorable concessions.

So, is it possible? Can Cyprus get a clean bill of health, at least for a little while? Or she on her already dead and just on life support out of pity?

 

[Avitus]

My TL is hardly Cypriot, but in it I had the sons of Thomas Palaiologos of Morea inherit the Cypriot throne by marrying to John II's daughters (in the TL he had two, and both wound up marrying to sons of Thomas Palaiologos due to political circumstances). This alone doesn't help that much, but with nominally more successful (grudgingly tolerated) attempt at reunion of the churches imposed by the Emperors in Constantinople the religious divide in Cyprus is fading. Added to the mix, the Ottomans haven't deveoped their navy like they did in OTL, Genoa was conquered by the French in the alt-Italian wars, the Mamluks are busy dealing with a shakily restored Kingdom of of Jerusalem, and Venice has prior engagements in the Black Sea and the Atlantic, and Cyprus has no natural predators. Sadly they have a pretty crappy king, but I've got some very interesting plans for his successor.

 

[Bee]

Peter I lives longer. This is a gamble, because Peter was provocative and could have led Cyprus into disaster if his future plans went wrong, but he was dynamic and was able to recruit crusaders from the west. Cyprus was rich and a true regional power during Peter's reign, and he successfully took the fight to the Turks and Marmelukes.

Peter's long-term survival might avoid the disaster which followed almost immediately after he was assassinated. It began with a food fight between the Genoan and Venetian representatives at the coronation banquet of Peter's underage successor, Peter II, which led to a full scale war during which the Genoese wrecked the kingdom. Cyprus was much poorer and weaker thereafter, and never regained its momentum.

 

[Faeelin]

t began with a food fight between the Genoan and Venetian representatives at the coronation banquet of Peter's underage successor, Peter II, which led to a full scale war during which the Genoese wrecked the kingdom. Cyprus was much poorer and weaker thereafter, and never regained its momentum.

It was an island based on sugar. How strong is it likely to be in this period?

 

[DrakeRlugia]

It was an island based on sugar. How strong is it likely to be in this period?

Yeah, I have to ask this too, Bee.

Peter I lives longer. This is a gamble, because Peter was provocative and could have led Cyprus into disaster if his future plans went wrong, but he was dynamic and was able to recruit crusaders from the west. Cyprus was rich and a true regional power during Peter's reign, and he successfully took the fight to the Turks and Marmelukes.

Peter's long-term survival might avoid the disaster which followed almost immediately after he was assassinated. It began with a food fight between the Genoan and Venetian representatives at the coronation banquet of Peter's underage successor, Peter II, which led to a full scale war during which the Genoese wrecked the kingdom. Cyprus was much poorer and weaker thereafter, and never regained its momentum.

Peter I surviving may work, but he seems so tyrannical that him living longer could cause the rot to set in sooner, not later. Not to mention his constant trips to Europe he made to find funds and supporters were the very trips that ate up money they needed,

One can't blame his military prowess, but I don't see much in taking a few coastal cities in Armenia. All it does is add a further burden with little economic value. It seems that in my mind it'd be better for the Cypriot monarchs to make peace with the Mamluks, although how that would even be remotely possible given relations between Muslims and Christians in the period, nor can one fault him for looking west for funding; it was what his predecessors in Jerusalem had done too, although by the 14th century no one seemed to have the stomach for further campaigns in the east. Promises were made, but never followed through with.

The Luisignans ruled over the Kingdom of Armenia and that of Cyprus, although different branches of the family. Would a personal union be of any use? The Armenian monarchy certainly would've reestablished itself in Cyprus had there not already been a branch of the family reigning there. Would such a union be of any help, or is just adding a few extra resources while adding further external threats on the mainland?

 

[Emperor Constantine]

Well I'll be the first to admit I know little about the crusader states, besides their founding but I'll take a crack at it. I don't think a union with Armenia would help. Armenia fell in 1375 but had been a Vassal state of the Mongols and later the Mamluks for pretty much a century. I can't see that being any help unless the union was during 1200s after the fall of the Sultanate of Rum. I could see them being able to grab some coastal territories during that time. Could Cyprus play Genoa and Venice of of each other, like Byzantium did? Looking at the Cypriot Kings, was Peter I ruler of both Cyprus and Armenia? Because the Wikipedia page implies that he was. Could Cyprus become a trade power in its own right? Like a Merchant Kingdom? Perhaps with a large fleet? Is this possible/realistic or no?

 

[DrakeRlugia]

Well I'll be the first to admit I know little about the crusader states, besides their founding but I'll take a crack at it. I don't think a union with Armenia would help. Armenia fell in 1375 but had been a Vassal state of the Mongols and later the Mamluks for pretty much a century. I can't see that being any help unless the union was during 1200s after the fall of the Sultanate of Rum. I could see them being able to grab some coastal territories during that time. Could Cyprus play Genoa and Venice of of each other, like Byzantium did? Looking at the Cypriot Kings, was Peter I ruler of both Cyprus and Armenia? Because the Wikipedia page implies that he was. Could Cyprus become a trade power in its own right? Like a Merchant Kingdom? Perhaps with a large fleet? Is this possible/realistic or no?

Nope, there was no union between the two kingdoms. They were both ruled by the Luisignans in the end though. Leo IV was the King of Armenia during Peter I's reign. Peter did raid the Armenian coast, though.

Cyprus could sort of become a middle man possibly, but it'd require better relations with the Mamluks, which I'm not sure if it's possible. It also means just being the middle man of the middle man, as entering into the spice trade through the Levant means competition with Genoa and Venice. Now perhaps they could broker something with Venice, but I don't see why they wouldn't directly trade with the Muslims rather than trading with Cyprus and having to pay a mark up.

I honestly don't know how realistic a merchant kingdom could be. For instance, how would Cypriots afford to upkeep a fleet? They resorted to piracy at times, often against the Muslims and even the Genoese, but I don't know if they could maintain a permanent war fleet without having funds to do so. That would require trading and trading something the west needs that Venice isn't supplying or perhaps reversing it and trading the Muslims goods they desired -- but at the time I'm not sure there's anything the West had that the Muslims had need for. Famagusta was a great port and it's something the Cypriots could take advantage of, it's just a question of how.

 

[Bee]

To Drake and Faeelin:

Cyprus is reported to have been a rich kingdom in the 1300s; here's what the current Encyclopedia Britannica says:

The earliest kings of the Lusignan dynasty were involved in the affairs of the small territory still left to the kingdom of Jerusalem, and this commitment drained the resources of Cyprus until the kingdom collapsed in 1291 with the fall of Acre. Over the next hundred years, Cyprus gained a reputation in Europe for having immense riches, especially among its nobles and Famagustan merchants. Famagusta’s wealth derived from its position as the last entrepôt for European trade adjacent to the Levant.

____

You may be right that sugar was the main Cypriot crop, I have no knowledge about that issue, but it reads like there were other sources of revenue too.

 

[Elfwine]

It'd be interesting to see how much of that wealth was available to the kings, though. The Italian city-states were very good at avoiding giving up any profit in the form paying custom dues and the like.

 

[Emperor Constantine]

It'd be interesting to see how much of that wealth was available to the kings, though. The Italian city-states were very good at avoiding giving up any profit in the form paying custom dues and the like.

Sad but true. Venice and Genoa, and to a lesser extent Pisa, were pretty good at screwing over the various Crusader and Mediterranean states. What about having King Janus be successful in his plot to retake Famagusta in 1402? Assuming that Genoa isn't able to retake the city, would that be enough of a help up to give Cyprus a new lease on life?