Francesca of Montferrat was a noblewoman of the Palaeologus-Montferrat family, a cadet branch of the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty. She married Costantino Arianiti Comneno of the Arianiti family.[1]
| Consort: | yes |
| Succession1: | Princess consort of Macedonia (titular) |
| Succession2: | Duchess consort of Achaea (titular) |
| Succession3: | Despotess consort of Morea (titular) |
| Reign3: | 1502/1507 - 8 May 1530 |
| Predecessor3: | Caterina Palaiologina |
| Succession: | Princess consort of Arianiti (in exile) |
| Reign: | 1489 - 8 May 1530 |
| Predecessor: | Pietrina Francone |
| Francesca Palaeologus-Montferrat | |
| House: | Palaeologus-Montferrat (by birth) Arianiti (by marriage) |
| Spouse: | Constantine Arianiti |
| Issue: | Arianitto Arianiti Andronica Arianiti, Despotess of Epirus Penthesilea Arianiti Ippolita Arianiti Polissena Arianiti Deianira Arianiti Elena Arianiti |
| Father: | Boniface III, Marquis of Montferrat |
| Religion: | Roman Catholicism |
Francesca Paleologa, Lady of Refrancore was an illegitimate daughter of Boniface III, Marquis of Montferrat.[2] Between 1489 and 1492, Francesca married exiled Albanian prince Constantine Arianiti Komneni, son of prince and military leader Gjergj Arianiti and Pietrina Francone, an Italian noblewoman. Like most medieval Albanian nobility, the Arianitis were exiled to Italy after their territories, specifically the Principality of Arianiti, fell to the Ottomans. Her sister-in law Andronika Arianiti was the wife of Albania's national hero Skanderbeg.
Francesca's marriage to Constantine was likely arranged by her step-mother, Maria of Serbia, the groom's niece, as she was the daughter of his elder sister Angelina Arianiti. She brought a good dowry to the marriage, which enabled Constantine to be able to purchase some fiefs.
After the death of her husband in 1531, Francesca gained a position at the court of Christina of Denmark in Milan, as chief lady in waiting to the young duchess. Later, during Christina's second marriage, she was appointed as governess to the duchess' daughters, Renata and Dorothea.[3] [4]
Francesca was seen as an ideal candidate because of her husband's loyalty to the pope, as well as, her daughter Deianira's husband, being a loyal subject to Francesco Sforza. Moreover, she was the paternal aunt of Margaret Paleologa, the Marquise regnant of Montferrat. After leaving the position and returning to Italy, Francesca was given 4000 scudi by Charles III, Duke of Lorraine, Christina's son. She died sometime after 1561.[5]
Francesca of Montferrat had seven children with Constantine Arianiti: