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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2001-07 > 0994729638


From: "Stewart, Peter" <>
Subject: RE: Saracena, Lusignan & Sanseverino (was: Muslim/Christian descents in
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 11:47:18 +1000


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Todd A. Farmerie [mailto:]
> Sent: Tuesday, 10 July 2001 10:51
> To:
> Subject: Re: Saracena, Lusignan & Sanseverino (was: Muslim/Christian
> descents in
>
>
> "Stewart, Peter" wrote:
> >
> > In the recent discussion of the name of Hugues VII of
> > Lusignan's wife Saracena, someone suggested this might
> > be a mistranscription for Sarafina. This didn't strike me
> > as at all likely, but I wasn't thinking then of another
> > contemporary instance of this name, which could
> > conceivably belong to the same woman: the mother of
> > Robert II of Sanseverino, count of Caserta & constable
> > of Sicily (died 1182/3) was also Saracena. Her husband
> > Robert I of Sanseverino died before 1114, and I suppose
> > it's possible that his widow remarried Hugues VII of
> > Lusignan afterwards. However, this is merely speculation
> > from the co-incidence of a highly unusual name & the
> > fitting chronology -- I don't know of any actual evidence,
> > and of course there could have been two different
> > Saracenas living in France and Italy at the same time.
>
> Hmm. Any idea whether Hugh VII spent time in Sicily, or was
> somehow in contact with the family (i.e. crusading together)?

I have no glimmer of an idea - I did have a remote hope that someone in SMG
might know a bit about Hugh of Lusignan's crusading career and movements. I
guess the odds are fairly good that he would have encountered a lovelorn
widow or three in Italy at some point in his coming(s) & going(s) to
Palestine.

There is a rather loose chronology to deal with in Hugh's life & family: his
parents are supposed to have married before 1069 and yet his eldest son's
only known marriage may not have taken place until ca 1140, with his
youngest sons born in turn ca 1160. Supposing Hugh VII was born ca 1080 he
could have married his Saracena ca 1114, whether or not she was a recent
Sanseverino widow at the time.

If the lady in Italy was a converted Muslim then a Christian baptismal name
would probably have surfaced after a prominent marriage producing at least
one important son (Robert II of Sanseverino, count of Caserta, justiciar &
constable of Sicily in 1166, who died in 1182/3). The same applies to the
Lusignan wife who is credited with six sons and at least one possible
daughter. It seems odd that in both cases the only surviving identifier is
the mysterious name Saracena. I wonder if this is because the name was
distinctive for some lost reason, more compelling than an Arab family
background.

Peter Stewart

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