Best Historical Novels About James II of Cyprus

James II of Cyprus

1438–1473

James II was the illegitimate son of John II of Cyprus and the half-brother of Queen Charlotte. With support from the Mamluk sultan and local allies, he seized control of Cyprus and drove Charlotte into exile.

He married the Venetian noblewoman Caterina Cornaro, strengthening ties with Venice, but died suddenly in 1473 before the birth of their son. The infant’s death left Caterina as queen and opened the way for eventual Venetian annexation. James II of Cyprus was born in Nicosia and died in Famagusta.

In Dorothy Dunnett’s Race of Scorpions, in 1462, Nicholas is drawn into the struggle between Charlotte of Cyprus and her half-brother James for control of the island. Both claimants want his money, soldiers and strategic skill, while Genoese, Venetian, Mamluk and papal interests compete around them. His attempt to profit without becoming captive to either side turns Cyprus into a test of loyalty, command and personal responsibility.

Historical novels and book series featuring James II of Cyprus (1 series)

House of Niccolo in Order

by Dorothy Dunnett 8 books 4.6(4,501)

The House of Niccolò follows Claes, later Nicholas de Fleury, from an underestimated Bruges apprentice into an international merchant, banker and political operator. Set across fifteenth-century Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa and the Black Sea, the series connects commerce, dynastic rivalry, war, family secrets and the ancestry of characters…