Ladislaus of Naples
A ruthless and ambitious king, he turned the chaos of the Great Schism into an opportunity to dominate central Italy and control the papacy itself.
1377–1414 (age 37)·King of Naples from 1386 to 1414·Birthday: February 15
Biography
Ladislaus inherited the throne of Naples as a child, his reign immediately engulfed by the power struggles of a divided Italy and a divided Church. With the papacy weakened by the Western Schism, he saw not crisis, but opening. A cunning strategist and a formidable military commander, he used his armies not to unite Christendom but to expand his own domain. He marched into Rome, holding Pope Innocent VII under his influence, and seized vast swathes of the Papal States. At his peak, his authority stretched across much of central Italy, and he harbored grand designs on Hungary and the entire peninsula. His court was notorious for its excess, and his personal conduct fueled dark rumors that overshadowed his political acumen. His sudden death at age 37 halted his expansionist dreams, leaving behind a kingdom that swiftly crumbled without his forceful hand.
#1 When Ladislaus Was Born
The biggest hits of 1377
Ladislaus's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1377Born
1382Started school
1390Became a teenager
1393Could drive
1395Could vote
1398Turned 21
1407Turned 30
1414Died at 37
Key Achievements
- Greatly expanded the Kingdom of Naples by conquering much of central Italy, including Rome and the Papal States, during the Western Schism.
- Exerted direct political and military control over Pope Innocent VII, making the papacy a virtual instrument of Neapolitan policy.
- Successfully defended his throne against multiple challengers, including Louis II of Anjou and the forces of the Avignon papacy.
- Was the last male-line descendant of the Capetian House of Anjou, ending a major royal dynasty.
Did You Know?
He was crowned King of Hungary as an infant in 1390, but never effectively ruled the kingdom.
Contemporary chroniclers accused him of numerous vices, including heavy drinking and an alleged incestuous relationship with his sister.
He commissioned the famous "Hours of Ladislaus of Naples," an illuminated manuscript that is a masterpiece of Gothic art.
His rapid military campaigns earned him the epithet "the Magnanimous," though his enemies used it sarcastically.
“A crown is not given, it is taken and held.”
