Richard V of Genovia

Richard V of Genovia by his court painter Perugino.

Cecily of Burgundy

Berengaria of Bulgaria

(m. 1525)

Frederick IV of Sicily,

Anna II of Genovia, Holy Roman Empress

**With Berengaria-Zoe Cheksitia:**

Irina-Zoe, Empress of Bulgaria

**Richard V** (Genovianese: *Richaris*; 3 March 1475 - 25 July 1530) was **King of Genovia** from 1490 to 1530 and **King of Sicily** as the wife of the Sicilian Queen Charlotte I. After Charlotte died, he married a Bulgarian Princess named Zoe Cheksitia, whom he persuaded to become Catholic. Zoe then took the name Berengaria. He was a patron of the arts, and was heavily invested in dealings of the cotton trade. He is famously remembered for hiring Perugino as his court painter in 1490.

## Early Life

Richard was born in Relante in 1475 as the eldest son of Queen Constance IV of Genovia and John of Portugal. At the time, there were accusations of his legitimacy, as his mother Constance IV was Louis XI of France's mistress at the time. Genovian Nobles suspected that Richard was the product of the liaison between Constance and Louis. Nether the less, John acknowledged the son as his own despite the accusation's of Richard's illegitimacy. There is still a dispute over Richard's paternal parentage, and weither Louis or John was the father of Richard.

Richard was educated alongside his sisters Constance and Isabella of Genovia at the *Royal Relante Cathedral School* in Relante. He was placed in Iustitia House and graduated in 1487 with Royal Honours. Constance and Isabella would never graduate the school, having been pulled out to marry.

## Marriage

It was known that the idea of marrying Richard to Charlotte came from Constance's visit to Sicily in 1485, but the official offer came in from Charlotte's mother Cecily of Burgundy in 1486. The two were betrothed in 1487 and married on July 4 1487. Richard was known as a loving husband towards Charlotte, and Charlotte was a loving wife. Richard kept no mistresses during their marriage, and he devoted himself to her. Charlotte also devoted herself to her husband. Upon his marriage, Charlotte made her husband King of Sicily alongside her.

## Accession

Constance IV grew ill in June 1490, and died in July. Richard, who was 15, took the throne of Genovia as Richard V. He appointed his sister, Mary, his regent as he was away in Sicily at the time his mother died. Richard was proclaimed as Richard V of Genovia on July 12 1490, and he made his wife joint-monarch with him. This made Genovia and Sicily united under two monarchs: Charlotte and Richard. Richard sailed from Sicily to Genovia in late July with his wife, and the two were crowned in Relante on August 1 1490. After their coronation, Richard was thought to have dined with his crown on his head whilst his wife wore the crown of Sicily on hers. This symbolised the unity between Sicily and Genovia.

## Abdication

In 1493, following the marriage of his sister Isabella of Genovia to Philip IV of Burgundy, Richard was forced to draw up the *Treaty of Relante*, which declared Isabella and Philip as the new King and Queen of Genovia and made Richard Prince of Genovia. Richard still retained Sicily. He was present for his sister and brother-in-law's coronation on 23 March 1494, and for his niece Isabelle of Austria's birth in 1495. Richard was fond of his brother-in-law, and he treated him with the utmost respect. Isabella was happy that relations between Richard and Philip were becoming stronger, however Philip's kingship was cut short when Isabella died of tuberculosis on 4 March 1496. Richard re-ascended the throne, and Philip was forced to marry Joanna of Castile.