LOUIS, the name of three kings of Naples.
Louis I., duke of Anjou and count of Maine (1339-1384), was the second son of John II., king of France, and was born at Vincennes on July 23, 1339. As duke of Anjou he led a wing of the French army at the battle of Poitiers. He was a hostage for the treaty of Bretigny in 136o, but he broke his parole in 1363 and so brought about King John's return into captivity. He took part in the war against England which was renewed in 1369, uniting the rival houses of Foix and Armagnac in the common cause, and in other ways rendering good service to his brother, King Charles V. Anjou's entrance into the troubled politics of Italy was one result of the papal schism which opened in 1378. Anxious to secure the support of France, the antipope Clement VII. persuaded the queen of Naples, Joanna I. (q.v.), to name Louis as her heir, and about the same time the death of Charles V. (Sept. 138o) placed the duke in the position of regent of France. Neglecting France to prosecute his ambitions in Italy, he collected money and marched on Naples ; but although helped by Amadeus VI., count of Savoy, he was unable to drive his rival, Charles, duke of Durazzo, from Naples. His army destroyed by disease, Louis died at Biseglia, near Bari, on Sept. 20, 1384, leaving two
sons, his successor, Louis II., and Charles, duke of Calabria.
Louis II., duke of Anjou (1377-1417), born at Toulon on Oct. 7, 1377, took up the struggle for Naples after his father's death and was crowned king by Clement VII. in 1389. After carrying on the contest for some years he took refuge in France. He made other attempts to secure the kingdom of Naples, which was now in the possession of Ladislas, a son of Charles of Durazzo, and he gained a victory at Roccoserra in May 1411. He was again driven back to France, and he died at Angers on April 29, 1417. He married Yolande, a daughter of John I., king of Aragon.
Louis III., duke of Anjou (1403-1434), born on Sept. 25, son of Louis II., attempted to conquer Naples in 1420; he died at Cosenza on Nov. 15, 1434. In 1424 Louis received from King Charles VII. the duchy of Touraine.
Another titular king of Naples of this name was Louis, a son of Philip, prince of Taranto. In 1346 he became the husband of Joanna I., queen of Naples, and in 1352 he was crowned king. After attempting to conquer Sicily he died on May 26, 1362.