Lucia of Alba

Lucia of Alba
Crown Princess of Ghant
File:Lucia of Alba.jpg
Born	(1899-06-19)19 June 1899 Palace of Augustus, Palatine, Castellum, Latium
Died	2 June 1935(1935-06-02) (aged 35) Ghish, Ghant
Burial	2 June 1935 Imperial Crypt, Ghish, Ghant
Spouse	Robert, Crown Prince of Ghant (m. 1916; died 1919)
Issue Detail	Michael I of Ghant Prince Alexander of Ghant Teresa, Empress of Vannois
Full name Lucia Ancia Probina Fausta Alexandra
House	Anicia
Father	Prince Michael, Duke of Alba
Mother	Marie-Amélie of Prusson
Religion	Church of Ghant Fabrian Catholic (until 1916)

Lucia of Alba (Lucia Ancia Probina Fausta Alexandra; 19 June 1899 – 2 June 1935) was the only child of Prince Michael, Duke of Alba and Marie-Amélie of Prusson. She was Crown Princess of Ghant by virtue of her marriage to Robert, Crown Prince of Ghant, with whom she had three children: Michael, Alexander, and Teresa. Once anticipated to become Latin Empress, she became a controversial figure in Latium during her lifetime for breaking a betrothal to elope with Robert, for which she lost her succession rights. She died of complications due to illness in June 1935, though rumors of her execution remain rampant.

Early life and education

Lucia was born on 19 June 1899, at the Palace of Augustus, in Castellum. She was the only child of then second in line to the Latin throne, Prince Michael, Duke of Alba and his wife, Marie-Amélie of Prusson. She was baptized at Sancta Sapientia by the Patriarch of Castellum. Her godparents were Emperor John XIII (her paternal grandfather), and Joanna, Duchess of Beroea (her paternal aunt). Lucia was often referred to as "Lux" by her grandfather.

Lucia was primarily raised at court in Ascanium, where she received an education from tutors throughout Belisaria. Her grandfather would often provide lessons on the constitution, with primary constitutional lessons provided by the top jurisits in Latium due to her status as the only child of the then heir apparent. Her parents were known to have a difficult relationship with one another, reportedly due to her father's rumored homosexuality, though had warm relationships with each of her parents.

Personal life

Betrothal

As the only child of the heir apparent to the Latin throne, Lucia was considered one of the most eligible women in Latium. Court documents indicate that her grandfather, John XIII, considered many matches, most of which were with domestic nobles. By early 1914, John XIII entered into negotiations with Peter Claudius, 34th Duke of Adrianople for a betrothal between Lucia and Jason Claudius, Count of Corcyra, Adrianople's eldest son and heir apparent to the Dukedom of Adrianople. News of the negotiations split court, though, according to a biographer, the match was personally favored by Emperor John XIII as a "reconciliatory matter to bring the Claudii back into the fold", as the House of Claudius, remained one of the most powerful families in Latium as western-based nobles often favored the Claudii dukes over the Crown. Despite protests from high ranking courtiers, the betrothal was announced a year later, with a marriage to take place in summer 1917 at Sancta Sapientia.

Through publicly consenting to the arrangement at her grandfather's urging, Lucia wrote of the announcement in her personal diary, saying that, "I would sooner marry a fish monger from Ostia than the boy without a smile". After the announcement she often wrote of her displeasure and dislike of her betrothed, referring to him as "the boy without a smile", due to his cold demeanor. Claudius arrived at Imperial court in Ascanium in April 1915, where he and Lucia began courting; however, Lucia would often break plans with Claudius at a moment's notice.

Elopement

Lucia traveled to Gaemar, Ghant with her father in spring 1916 to visit her father's cousin, Desmera, Queen of Gaemar. During her visit to Gaemar, Queen Desmera hosted festivities that featured many prominent figures, in an event that lasted days. It was here that Lucia first met her second cousin, Robert, Crown Prince of Ghant. At the time, Robert was betrothed to Wylla, Princess Royal of Izotza, whom he reportedly was likewise uninterested in marrying. While what transpired in Gaemar between Lucia and Robert remains unknown, it was eventually announced that Robert and Lucia married in a private ceremony at a small church, in nearby Voorherri, southern Gaemar. Robert's sister, Princess Andrea of Ghant, served as a witness to the marriage that was officiated by a local pastor.

Word of the marriage quickly reached courts in Ghant and Latium. Robert's father, Emperor Nathan III of Ghant, begrudgingly accepted the marriage, though according to courtiers blamed not only his half-sister, Desmera, but also his wife and "scheming Latins". In Latium, reaction to the marriage was also negative, and ultimately resulted in Latin Emperor John XIII issuing a public statement denouncing the marriage for taking place without Imperial consent. The address by John XIII attainted Lucia of her rights as a Latin princess and removed her and any descendants from the line of succession. It is said that John's decision weighed heavily on him, and Empress Alexandra contributed to the decision.

Similarly, the House of Claudius removed Jason Claudius from court and issued a strongly worded statement to Emperor John XIII in private while dispatching a similar statement to the court of Nathan III in Ghish.

Marriage and children

After their marriage, Lucia and Robert took up residence at a minor estate in Lurberdea, Ghant, seeking to avoid the court of Nathan III and Ghish. Their first child, Michael I of Ghant, was born on 31 May 1917; followed by the birth of their second child, Alexander on 3 October 1919. After Alexander's birth, Robert gathered a force to invade the Allamunnic Kingdom of Onneria to assert his mother's claim as rightful ruler. The adventure was unsuccessful and resulted in Robert's death. The couple's third child, Teresa, was after her father's death, on 2 January 1920.

Despite Robert's death in Onneria, Lucia continued to raise their three children at the Lurberdea estate, until 1925 when Imperial Legionnaires from Ghish arrived to take the new Crown Prince, Michael, to court, which is reportedly the last time Lucia saw or had contact with Michael. They remained undisturbed in Lurberdea until 1935, when Lucia and Teresa were called to court by Emperor Nathan III. Eye witness reports claim that Lucia and Teresa were separated at the walls of Ghish. Days later, Ghantish Imperial Offices informed Latin Emperor Constantine XIX that his "beloved cousin Princess Lucia has succumbed to an illness"; however, rumors of Lucia's execution quickly spread following the announcement. Lucia died on 2 June 1935, and was interned the same day that Ghish crypts.

Issue

Name	Date of birth	Date of death	Spouse
Michael I of Ghant	31 May 1917	26 June 1986(1986-06-26) (aged 69)	Married Beladore of Gelonia; had issue.
Prince Alexander of Ghant	DATE	20 January 2011(2011-01-20) (aged 91)	Married Sophia of Montgisard; had issue.
Teresa, Empress of Vannois	(1920-01-02) 2 January 1920		Married Thibault I of Vannois; had issue.

Titles, styles, and honors

• 19 June 1899 – 17 April 1916: Her Imperial Highness Princess Lucia of Youth
• 17 April 1916 – 2 June 1935: Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess of Ghant

Ancestry

Ancestors of Lucia of Alba

16. Nicephorus, Duke of Beroea 8. Theophylactus I Augustus of Latium 17. Anastasia, Princess Imperial 4. John XIII of Latium 18. 9. Princess Galara of Gaemar 19. 2. Prince Michael, Duke of Alba 20. John III of Ghant 10. Nathan II of Ghant 21. Princess Constantia of Latium 5. Princess Alexandra of Ghant 22. Aelius Maximus 11. Princess Elena of Garza 23. Princess Maria of Garza 1. Princess Lucia of Alba 24. 12. 25. 6. Eugène II of Prusson 26. 13. 27. 3. Marie-Amélie of Prusson 28. Guillaume de Hauteville, 16th Duke of Montjoie 14. Robert de Hauteville, 17th Duke of Montjoie 29. 7. Alexandrine of Hauteville 30. 15. 31.

See also

• House of Ancius