# Louis III of Naples

> titular king of Naples, count of Provence and duke of Anjou and Calabria,

**Wikidata**: [Q447535](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q447535)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_III_of_Anjou)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/louis-iii-of-naples

## Summary
Louis III of Naples was a titular king of Naples, count of Provence, and duke of Anjou and Calabria. He was a member of the House of Valois-Anjou and a claimant to the Kingdom of Naples during the 15th century.

## Biography
- Born: September 25, 1403
- Nationality: French
- Education: Not specified in source material
- Known for: Claimant to the Kingdom of Naples and ruler of Provence
- Employer(s): House of Valois-Anjou
- Field(s): European nobility, territorial governance

## Contributions
Louis III of Naples held the titles of titular king of Naples, count of Provence, and duke of Anjou and Calabria. He was a claimant to the Kingdom of Naples during the 15th century, representing the House of Valois-Anjou in their dynastic disputes over Italian territories.

## FAQs
**What titles did Louis III of Naples hold?**
He held the titles of titular king of Naples, count of Provence, and duke of Anjou and Calabria, representing his family's claims to these territories.

**Which royal house did Louis III belong to?**
Louis III belonged to the House of Valois-Anjou, a cadet branch of the French royal family that claimed various territories in Italy and Provence.

**When did Louis III of Naples live?**
He was born on September 25, 1403, and died on November 12, 1434, living during the early 15th century.

## Why They Matter
Louis III of Naples represented the continuation of the Angevin claim to the Kingdom of Naples during a period of significant political instability in Italy. His position as a titular ruler connected the French royal house to Italian territorial ambitions, influencing the complex web of alliances and conflicts that characterized 15th-century European politics.

## Notable For
- Claimant to the Kingdom of Naples during the 15th century
- Member of the influential House of Valois-Anjou
- Ruler of Provence as count
- Duke of Anjou and Calabria
- Participant in the Angevin dynastic claims in Italy

## Body
### Early Life and Family Background
Louis III was born on September 25, 1403, into the House of Valois-Anjou, a cadet branch of the French royal family. He was the son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon, placing him in a prominent position within European nobility. His family had longstanding claims to the Kingdom of Naples, which had been inherited through the Angevin dynasty's earlier rule in southern Italy.

### Territorial Holdings and Titles
As count of Provence, Louis III ruled over this significant French territory that bordered the Kingdom of Naples. His title as duke of Anjou connected him to one of the most important duchies in France, while his claim as titular king of Naples represented the Angevin family's dynastic ambitions in Italy. The title of duke of Calabria specifically referred to the Angevin claim over the southern Italian region that was part of the Kingdom of Naples.

### Political Context and Dynastic Claims
Louis III's lifetime coincided with the complex political landscape of 15th-century Italy, where various powers including the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, and other Italian city-states were in constant competition. The Angevin claim to Naples had been established earlier but was contested by the House of Aragon, creating a long-standing dispute over southern Italian territories. As a titular king, Louis III represented the Angevin position in this ongoing conflict, though he never actually ruled the Kingdom of Naples in practice.

### Death and Legacy
Louis III died on November 12, 1434, at the age of 31. His relatively short life was spent primarily in the context of maintaining his family's territorial claims and titles rather than achieving significant military or political victories. The Angevin claims to Naples would continue through his successors, maintaining the connection between the French royal house and Italian territorial ambitions well into the 15th century. His role as count of Provence and duke of Anjou ensured that the Angevin presence remained significant in both French and Italian political calculations during this period.

## References

1. Medieval Lands
2. general catalog of BnF
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. IdRef
6. Sejm-Wielki.pl