House of Lusignan
French noble family, 10th century on / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about House of Lusignan?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The House of Lusignan (/ˈluːzɪn.jɒn/ LOO-zin-yon; French: [lyziɲɑ̃]) was a royal house of French origin, which at various times ruled several principalities in Europe and the Levant, including the kingdoms of Jerusalem, Cyprus, and Armenia, from the 12th through the 15th centuries during the Middle Ages. It also had great influence in England and France.
| House of Lusignan Maison de Lusignan | |
|---|---|
| Crusader royal family | |
 Royal banner of Janus of Cyprus | |
| Country |  Kingdom of France Kingdom of Jerusalem Kingdom of Cyprus Kingdom of Cilician Armenia |
| Etymology | From the city of Lusignan, Vienne |
| Place of origin | Poitou, France |
| Founded | 10th century |
| Founder | Hugh I of Lusignan |
| Current head | None; extinct |
| Final ruler | James III |
| Titles |
|
| Motto | Pour Loyauté Maintenir (To retain loyalty) |
| Estate(s) | Château de Lusignan (ancestral seat) Royal Palace (Cypriot seat) |
| Dissolution | 1267 (1267) (agnatic line) 1487 (1487) (cognatic line) |
The family originated in Lusignan, in Poitou, western France, in the early 10th century. By the end of the 11th century, the family had risen to become the most prominent petty lords in the region from their castle at Lusignan. In the late 12th century, through marriages and inheritance, a cadet branch of the family came to control the kingdoms of Jerusalem and Cyprus. In the early 13th century, the main branch succeeded to the Counties of La Marche and Angoulême.
As Crusader kings in the Latin East, they soon had connections with the Hethumid rulers of the Kingdom of Cilicia, which they inherited through marriage in the mid-14th century. The Armenian branch fled to France,[1] and eventually Russia,[2][unreliable source?] after the Mamluk conquest of their kingdom.
The claim was taken by the Cypriot branch,[3][4] until their line failed. This kingdom was annexed by the Republic of Venice in the late 15th century.