'Maria of Antioch' (d. after 10 December 1307), daughter of Prince
Bohemond IV of Antioch and his second wife
Melisende of Cyprus, was the pretender to the throne of Jerusalem from
1269 to
1277. By her mother, she was the granddaughter of
Isabella, Queen of Jerusalem and her fourth husband, King-Consort
Amalric II of Jerusalem.
Prior to 1268, the principle Pretender to the throne of Jerusalem was
Conradin, a great-grandson of Isabella of Jerusalem. He was executed in 1268 by
Charles of Anjou, who had by papal authority seized Conradin's rightful Kingdom of Sicily. At the time of his death, Mary was the only living grandchild of Queen Isabella; this allowed her to claim the throne of Jerusalem on basis of
proximity in blood to the Kings of Jerusalem (in feudal successions, proximity - a form of
seniority - was a strong claim). The ''
Haute Cour of Jerusalem'' of Jerusalem ignored her claims, however.
Maria then went to Rome and proposed the sale of her rights to Charles of Anjou; with papal blessing and confirmation, these were sold to Charles in
1277. Charles then took the title ''King of Jerusalem'', and conquered Acre, holding it until 1285. Thereafter, the claim to the Kingdom of Jerusalem frequently changed hands, being passed down by testament or conquest rather than by direct inheritance.
Maria died, childless, in Castello de Canosa, Apulia after 10 December 1307.