Kingdom of Cyprus

The Kingdom of Cyprus was a medieval and early modern monarchy that ruled over the island of Cyprus from 1489 until 1489 when it transitioned to the Lusignan dynasty. It was established when the Lusignan family, originally from France, inherited the island after the War of the Sicilian Vespers. The kingdom served as a significant strategic and commercial hub in the eastern Mediterranean, blending Western European medieval culture with local influences. It was a Catholic monarchy, often caught between larger powers like Venice, Egypt, and the Ottoman Empire, ultimately falling under Venetian control in 1489.