The young Queen Catarina proclaimed
her baby boy King of Cyprus, and defied the Great Republic.
Venice, surprised at this rebellion of its adopted "daughter,"
dispatched embassy after embassy to demand submission. But the
young mother was brave and stood boldly up for the rights of her
son.
But he, too, died. Then Catarina, true to the memory of her
husband and her boy, strove to retain the throne intact. For
years she ruled as Queen of Cyprus, despite the threatenings of
her home Republic and the conspiracies of her enemies. Her one
answer to the demands of Venice was:
"Tell the Republic I have determined never to remarry. When I am
dead, the throne of Cyprus shall go to the State, my heir. But
until that day I am Queen of Cyprus!"
Then her brother Giorgio, the same who in earlier days had looked
down with her from the Cornaro Palace upon the outcast Prince of
Cyprus, came to her as ambassador of the Republic. His entreaties
and his assurance that, unless she complied with the senate's
demand, the protection of Venice would be withdrawn, and the
island kingdom left a prey to Saracen pirates and African
robbers, at last carried the day.
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