Stephen of Durazzo


Stephen of Durazzo was an Italian nobleman and warrior, the claimed youngest son of John, Duke of Durazzo, ruler of the Kingdom of Albania, by his wife Agnés de Périgord and a grandson of king Charles II of Naples. But this is a posterior fabrication, as the origin of the surname de Nápoles, for there is no notice of any such legitimate or bastard son of a Prince of Naples. He moved to Portugal as a crusader, having fought the Moors alongside "his cousin" king Afonso IV of Portugal at the battle of Salado, as mentioned in Duarte Nunes de Leão's Chronicles of the Kings of Portugal. Known in Portugal as Estêvão de Nápoles, he gave origin to the Portuguese family Nápoles, a false branch of the royal Capetian House of Anjou-Naples.

Marriage and children

Stephen of Durazzo is known to have married in Portugal, but his wife's name is not known. His only son was Leonardo Estêvão de Nápoles, although an unnamed daughter is sometimes referred.