Sancha di Maiorca

Sancha of Majorca, sometimes also referred to as Sancia, was born around 1285 and was one of the most significant female figures of the Kingdom of Naples in the 14th century. Daughter of James II of Majorca and Esclaramunda of Foix, she belonged to a branch of the Aragonese dynasty and was educated in a context profoundly influenced by Christian mysticism, courtly culture and Franciscan spirituality. This religious and intellectual education profoundly marked her lifestyle and her work as queen. In 1304, she married Robert of Anjou, then Duke of Calabria and future King of Naples. When Robert ascended the throne in 1309, Sancha became queen consort of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily. Their marriage, as well as a personal union, was also an important diplomatic tool to strengthen the ties between the Angevin dynasty and the crown of Mallorca. The couple had no children, but Sancha took a central role in the education and care of the king's children, especially Joan, who would become queen of Naples. Sancha tried to convey his religious and moral values to her. During the reign of Robert, Sancha was distinguished by an intense and autonomous activity in the spiritual and charitable sphere. She was deeply attracted by the ideals of Franciscanism, in particular by the spiritual movement, which hoped for a radical return to evangelical poverty. In this context, Sancha strongly supported the mendicant orders and in particular the Franciscan friars and the Poor Clares, promoting religious life inspired by simplicity, renunciation and contemplation. His action took the form of numerous works: he committed himself to the foundation of hospitals, convents and reception places for the poor and pilgrims, encouraged the work of preachers, theologians and mystics linked to the Franciscan spiritual current and favored the circulation of religious books and theological texts. In this way he contributed to the cultural growth of the Kingdom, making the Angevin court a vital center of medieval Christian thought. In the social field, Queen Sancha and King Roberto worked hard for the Congregation of the Santissima Annunziata which from 1343 grew with the support of the royal house, assuming the legal role of Royal House of the Annunziata. The most emblematic intervention of his religious and political vision, however, was the foundation of the monumental complex of Santa Chiara, in the heart of the city of Naples. Starting in 1310, Sancha and Roberto promoted the construction of a large monastery dedicated to Saint Clare of Assisi, built in Provençal Gothic style by the architect Gagliardo Primario, inspired by the sober and bright architecture typical of mendicant churches. The project was born as a place of worship and Franciscan spirituality, but also as a symbol of dynastic memory. Sancha was the soul behind the complex, conceived as a double structure: a convent for the Friars Minor and one for the Poor Clares. Not only did she participate in the project as a spiritual promoter, but she contributed directly to the financing of the work, also offering her own supervision to the definition of the monastic rule for religious women, strongly inspired by the original Rule of Clare of Assisi, based on absolute poverty, seclusion and prayer. The complex also included a library and scriptorium, reflecting the queen's willingness to promote religious culture and spiritual study within the monastery. After Robert's death in 1343, Sancha briefly attempted to exercise a political role in favor of the young queen Joanna I. However, quickly marginalized by power struggles and deeply disappointed by the direction the kingdom was taking, Sancha decided to abandon all ambitions earthly. She voluntarily renounced titles and privileges, and retired as a simple religious in the convent of Santa Croce di Palazzo (which she founded), definitively embracing monastic life. She wore the habit of the Poor Clares, living the last years of her existence in prayer, penance and evangelical poverty, according to the principles she had upheld throughout her life. She died on 28 July 1345 and was buried next to her husband and other members of the royal family in the church of Santa Chiara. Sancha of Mallorca represents a rare example of a medieval sovereign capable of combining spirituality, culture and power. The Santa Chiara complex, which still dominates the historic center of Naples today, is the most visible and significant legacy of his vision: a monumental work that combines faith, architecture and dynastic memory. Through his efforts, Sancha contributed decisively to transforming Naples into a first-rate cultural and religious center in the medieval Mediterranean. Although she was never canonized, her figure was venerated as blessed by popular tradition, and her memory is still preserved today as a symbol of piety, generosity and dedication to the life of the spirit.