John II, Duke of Lorraine

Who was John II, Duke of Lorraine?

John II of Anjou was Duke of Lorraine from 1453 to his death. He inherited the duchy from his mother, Duchess Isabelle, during the life of his father, Duke René of Anjou, also Duke of Lorraine and titular king of Naples. As heir-apparent of Naples, he was styled the Duke of Calabria, and spent most of his time engaging in plots for Angevin recovery of Naples. In 1466, the Catalonians chose his father as King of Aragon, and he was created Prince of Girona, as heir-apparent. He went into Catalonia to press the family's claims, but died, supposedly by poison, in Barcelona.

He married in 1444 Marie de Bourbon, daughter of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon. They had four children:

Isabelle, d. young

René, d. young

Marie, d. young

Jean,

Nicholas.

He also had several illegitimate children:

John, Count of Briey, married Nancy St. Georges

Albert, seigneur d'Essey

Jeanne d'Abancourt, married Achille, Bastard of Beauveu

a daughter named Marguerite

another daughter, married Jean d'Ecosse