LADISLAUS, King of Naples. — Born in Naples on 11 Feb. 1377, died there on 6 Aug. 1414. He succeeded (1386) his father Charles III, assassinated at Buda. The circumstances forced the regent Margaret to leave Naples, which was seized by the partisans of Louis II of Anjou. Declared of age (1393), he nevertheless remained for many years under the influence of his mother.
At the beginning of his reign he defeated the barons and rebellious populations, and in 1399 he occupied Naples and the rest of the Kingdom. After his marriage to Constance of Chiaramonte, he married Maria of Lusignan. Having landed at Zara, he proclaimed himself King of Hungary, but later renounced this in order to seek the imperial crown; however, his efforts failed. After the death of Boniface IX and the outbreak of an uprising in Rome, he entered the city as a mediator and the new Pope Innocent VII proclaimed him “of Inserte, conservator and standard-bearer of the Church.” He besieged Taranto twice and, after marrying Maria d’Enghien, conquered that principality. On 21 Apr. 1408 he occupied Rome militarily, with the aim of controlling Gregory XII. When John XXIII crowned Louis II of Anjou King of Naples, he rose in revolt and suffered a defeat at Roccasecca (1410), but later managed to prevail. Having occupied Rome a third time, he came to terms with the Pope and, as he was preparing to resume the struggle, fell ill at Narni; returning to Naples, he died there.