Bianca Lancia

Bianca Lancia d'Agliano (also called Beatrice, – ), was an Italian noblewoman. She was the mistress and later, possibly the last wife of the Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II. Historians have different versions about the identification of her parents, there was no clarity among contemporaries either:

Salimbene di Adam mentioned Manfred's mother three times and could not unambiguously choose between "sister" and "niece" ("sister's daughter") of Manfred II Lancia. Tommaso Tosco in 1279 wrote the Manfred was born "from the sister of the Marquis of Lancia, who was the daughter of donna Bianca". In any case, the children of Bianca and Frederick II were born in the period after the death of Isabella II of Jerusalem in 1228, and before the Emperor's third marriage to Isabella of England, which took place in 1235. The Church did not recognize this marriage as canonical. Matthew Paris also writes that the circumstances of the marriage were kept secret: there are neither witnesses nor any records.

There is only circumstantial evidence that this marriage took place. Manfred (1232 – 26 February 1266), who succeeded his father as ruler of Sicily (initially as regent, before usurping the throne for himself). and Salimbene di Adam mention her, although they do not mention her name.

Death Contemporary sources, such as the Annales ianuenses, dated Bianca's death between 1234 and 1246. For example, Matthew Paris reported that Bianca died 20 years after the first meeting with Frederick II. This gives approximately 1246. Elsewhere, the chronicler wrote that this was 20 years before 1256, indicating around 1236. However, since marriage to the Emperor was a necessary condition for legitimizing his children, it must be admitted that she died no earlier than 1247. At the same time, Bianca probably died before Frederick II, since the castle of Monte Sant'Angelo, located in the cities of Vieste and Siponto (which, according to King William II of Sicily's will, was the traditional possession of the Queens of Sicily as a "gift morning" after the wedding night and would remain in their possession as a dower), was granted by the Emperor to his son Manfred.