James II of Cyprus
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James II (the Bastard) of Cyprus (c.1440-1473) was the illegitimate son of King John II of Cyprus and Marietta of Patras. He was a great favourite of his father, and in 1456, at the age of 16, he was appointed to the archbishopric of Nicosia. After murdering the Royal Chamberlain, he was deprived of the archbishopric and fled to Rhodes. He was pardoned by his father, and the archbishopric returned to him.
In 1458 his father died, and his half-sister Charlotte became Queen of Cyprus. In 1460 James challenged her right to the throne, blockading her and her husband in the castle of Kyrenia for three years. When Charlotte fled to Rome in 1463, James was crowned King.
He was married to a Venetian, Catherine Cornaro, but died a few months after the wedding. There was some suspicion he had been poisoned by agents of Venice, possibly by Catherine's uncles. The couple's son James died as an infant, leaving Catherine as the last Queen of Cyprus.
| Preceded by: Charlotte | King of Cyprus 1464–1473 | Succeeded by: James III |
| Preceded by: Charlotte | Titular King of Jerusalem 1460–1473 | Succeeded by: James III |