Major notable characters within the kingdom.
Friedrich von Wettin
Title: King of Both Sicilies
Born: 1367
Religion: Catholic (Neutral)
Pedigree: Legitimate.
Heir: Duke Wilhelm von Wettin of Noto (brother).
Father: Margrave Friedrich III von Wettin of Meissen (aka Friedrich IV of Both Sicilies in Friedrich's revised list)
Mother: Katherine von Henneberg (heiress of Coburg, Neustadt, etc.)
Wife: Queen Maria I of Trinacria (Sicily until 1383)
Children: N/A
Text Color: #00FFFF
Description: The House of Wettin are very proud of their ancestry. For over a century they have named all of their primary heirs Friedrich as a testimony to their claim to the Hohenstaufen legacy. This began in 1257 when Albrecht von Wettin and his wife Margaret von Hohenstaufen gave birth to their son Friedrich I, who, upon reaching adulthood named both of his sons Friedrich. His elder son Friedrich died before he did, so the younger Friedrich became Friedrich II upon his death. Friedrich II named his first two sons Friedrich as well, to ensure he was succeeded by a Friedrich. His elder son Friedrich died in infancy, but the younger Friedrich became Friedrich III. Friedrich III also named his first two sons Friedrich, and, like with his own youth, the older Friedrich died in infancy, and his second son became Friedrich IV of Meissen in 1381 upon his (F. III's) death. As the family were the "legitimate" heirs of the Hohenstaufens, they had a few supporters throughout the old Hohenstaufen domains. In 1383, this led to an attempt by Nikolaus von Kues to get Friedrich IV to go to Sicily and attempt to take that throne. With the consent of his mother, Friedrich obliged and set out for Sicily. He was able to capture vast amounts of land and force the unmarried queen in Sicily to not only marry him, but recognize his claims. Shortly after his Sixteenth birthday, he had succeeded in doing what his family had been seeking for since the murder of Konrad V in 1268 -- To have a Wettin reclaim Hohenstaufen territories as the heir to the Hohenstaufen legacy.
King of Both Sicilies, Margrave of Meissen and Osterland.
Maria d'Aragon
Title: Queen of Trinacria
Born: 1361
Religion: Catholic (Avignon)
Pedigree: Legitimate.
Heir: Crown Prince Juan of Aragon (first cousin).
Father: Federico d'Aragon, King of Trinacria (Used title King of Sicily until 1372).
Mother: Costanza d'Aragon, Princess of Aragon.
Husband: King Friedrich V of Both Sicilies
Children: N/A
Text Color: #FFCF00
Description: Born in 1361 as the only legitimate child of the king, Maria was raised without a mother, as her mother died during her second year of infancy. Her father, when he had time for her, was her favorite person, but he too would die before she reached maturity, in her 15th year. For several years, powerful courtiers effectively ruled in her name, until recently. Her attempts at pleasing the nobility caused a search for a suitor. She chose a minor baron of questionable history, and this angered many in the nobility and caused them to ally with the powerful Nicola Cusano in bringing in a more 'suitable' suitor. This caused a Saxon invasion with the Cusano faction's support and forced Maria to agree to marry the Saxon invader, Friedrich IV von Wettin, a candidate for the throne by his own right.
Queen of Trinacria, Duchess of Athens, Countess of Palermo, Messina, Siracusa, and Athens.
Luis Fadrique d'Aragon
Title: Count of Malta
Born: 1340
Religion: Catholic (Avignon)
Pedigree: Legitimate member of an illegitimate branch of the House of Barcelona.
Heir: Maria (daughter).
Father: Jaime Fadrique d'Aragon, Count of Malta.
Mother: ???
Wife: Helene Cantakuzene (M.1361), Countess of Salona, Princess of Byzantium.
Children: Maria, born 1370.
Text Color: "Orange"
Description: His grandfather was a bastard son of King Federigo II, but was invested with the county of Malta, which continued with his descendants. His uncles were "Lord of Aegina", but their line died out with Pedro Fadrique d'Aragon in 1379, in an Aragonese prison. Luis is noted as a champion of Catalan unity, and for this reason he is looked at with contempt from many in the kingdom who are not fond of closer relations with Aragon. He was previously the Vicar of Athens, governing Sicilian territory in Greece before being revoked of that title in 1380 by the Sicilian nobility who ruled fin the name of Queen Maria. He continues to seek restoration to that position.
Count of Malta.
Minor notable characters within the kingdom.
Federico d'Altavilla-Gesualdo
Title: Baron of Bavuso
Born: 1352
Religion: Catholic (Rome)
Pedigree: Legitimate member of an illegitimate branch of both the Houses of Hauteville and Hohenstaufen.
Heir: N/A
Father: Francesco di Gesualdo d'Altavilla
Mother: Giovanna d'Antiocha von Hohenstaufen
Wife: N/A
Children: N/A
Text Color: "Skyblue"
Description: His path to Palermo was a long and complicated one. Born in the Kingdom of Naples, his mother died giving birth to him, and his father shunned him for it. He was raised by his mother's sister and her husband in Bavuso, Sicily, the latter of which adopted him and allowed him to inherit his barony. Federico planned to join the clergy as his two uncles had done, hoping to follow in their footsteps as Archbishop of Palermo, but was dissuaded from it by his aunt. It is unrealistic, but still possible to suggest that he has claim enough to Sicily to start a conflict over the throne, but such a thing would have nil support outside of a few Neapolitan relatives. After lying about an assassination plot, he was able to convince Queen Maria to marry him. Unfortunately, this angered many nobles on the island and this proposal was rebuffed. Federico was imprisoned in Trapani by supporters of the Saxons, where he remains.
Maria Fadrique d'Aragon
Title: Countess of Salona
Born: 1370
Religion: Catholic (Avignon)
Pedigree: Legitimate member of an illegitimate branch of the House of Barcelona.
Heir: Luis (Father)
Father: Luis Fadrique d'Aragon, Count of Malta.
Mother: Helene Cantakuzene (M.1361), Countess of Salona, Princess of Byzantium.
Husband: N/A
Children: N/A
Text Color: N/A
Description: Although barely a teenager, Maria has been said to be very physically advanced for her age and able to catch the eye of many married men in Malta. She is known to flirt as a game, but she wouldn't dare act on such games.
Nicola "Cardinal" Cusano
Title: Regent of Sicily
Born: ??
Religion: Catholic (Avignon)
Pedigree: Legitimate.
Heir: N/A
Father: ???
Mother: ???
Wife: N/A
Children: N/A
Text Color: "Grey"
Description: The cardinal was born "Nikolaus Krebs" in Kues, Germany and educated in Italy. Somehow, he later in life ended up a Bishop in Sicily. He became a Cardinal while the Papacy remained in Avignon, but after it returned to Rome, he lost his position. When Urban VII was crowned, he sided with Avignon and kept using the title of Cardinal, although outside of Sicily he received no support. He has always believed that the Barcelonas had no right to rule in Sicily and supported the Wettin right to claim the throne. Eventually, he acted upon this after Queen Maria announced her engagement to a minor courtier Nicola hated, who was of illegitimate descent. He brought Friedrich IV of Meissen to Sicily and was able to win Friedrich the throne. However, Friedrich agreed not to actually take the throne until after the wedding, leaving control in the hands of Nicola until then. It is easy to see why he was displaced as a Cardinal. He is not a very religious man and has no problems with Friedrich, despite the fact that Friedrich does not officially support a specific pope, and some of Friedrich's relatives are pro-Rome.
"Signore Doria"
Title: ???
Born: ????
Religion: Catholic (Rome)
Pedigree: ???
Heir: N/A
Father: ???
Mother: ???
Wife: ???
Children: ???
Text Color: "Orangered"
Description: The mysterious man who calls himself Doria claims to be an excommunicated sailor from Genoa. He has hinted at being from the future, but as such things are impossible, it is unlikely to be anything more than insinuation and rumor. He has not stated his religious beliefs, although he has basically suggested that he feels the Roman church is the true church. However, because of his fiery temper, he was imprisoned, where he remains to this day.