Florence Sanudo

Who was Florence Sanudo?

Florence Sanudo was the daughter and successor as the seventh Duchess of John I, Duke of the Archipelago, in 1362, reigning with her second husband until her death.

Her first marriage was to Giovanni dalle Carceri, Lord of Euboea, but he died in 1358. She tried to remarry, first to the Vignoso, Genoese Lord of Chios, and then to Nerio I Acciajuoli, the future Duke of Athens, but both potential husbands were vetoed by the Republic of Venice, which kidnapped her and brought to Crete. There she was forced to marry in 1364 her cousin Nicholas Spezzabanda, whom the Venetians entitled eight Consort Duke.

She died in 1371 and was succeeded by her son by Giovanni, Nicholas III dalle Carceri. By her cousin, she left only daughters: Maria, who inherited Andros, and Elisabetta Sanudo.