Peter I of Cyprus

Peter I
Jean Froissart: Assassination of Peter I
King of Cyprus
Reign	1358 - 1369
Predecessor	Hugh IV
Successor	Peter II
King of Lesser Armenia
Reign	1361 - 1368
Born	9 October 1328 Nicosia, Cyprus
Died	17 January 1369 Palace of La Cava
Spouse	Eschive de Montfort Eleanor of Aragon
Issue	Peter II of Cyprus Margaret
House	Poitiers-Lusignan
Father	Hugh IV
Mother	Alice d' Ibelin

Peter I of Cyprus or Pierre I de Lusignan (9 October 1328 – 17 January 1369) was King of Cyprus and titular King of Jerusalem from his father's abdication on 24 November 1358 until his own death in 1369. He was also Latin King of Armenia from either 1361 or 1368. He was the second son of Hugh IV of Cyprus, the first by his second wife Alice of Ibelin. He was also invested as titular Count of Tripoli when young, in 1346. He was the greatest King of Cyprus on a military basis, where he had great success. He was unable to complete many plans, due to internal dispute that culminated in his assassination at the hands of three of his own knights.

Peter was born in Nicosia in 1328. Hugh's heir apparent was his first born son, Guy, who had married Marie of Bourbon. Guy died before his father, however; and though his son, also named Hugh, demanded the throne, Peter was crowned King of Cyprus by Guy of Ibelin, bishop of Limassol in the Cathedral of Santa Sophia, Nicosia on 24 November 1359.

In 1349 he traveled secretly to Europe with his brother John. This upset their father who sent ships to find his sons and bring them back. When they were brought back, he imprisoned them for leaving without his permission.

Upon the expulsion of the Holy Roman Empire from Palestine a hundred years before, Cyprus became the stronghold of Christianity in the Middle East. Peter understood the importance of his kingdom, and believed that his mission was to fight Islam. He had ambitions to retake the Kingdom of Jerusalem to which the house of Lusignan yet pretended. Peter was crowned as Titular King of Jerusalem in Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Famagusta on 5 April 1360, succeeding his father.