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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]
Francesca Paleologo Lady of Refrancore was an illegitimate daughter of Boniface III, Marquis of Montferrat. [2]
She married Costantino ArArianitiin 1489 or 1492. The marriage was possibly arranged by the groom's niece, Maria of Serbia who was married to Francesca's father.
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 a lady in waiting to the young duchess and later in the Christinas second marriage a governess to the duchess daughters. [3] [4] She was seen as an ideal candidate because of her husbands loyalty to the pope and because her daughter Deianeiras husband was married to a loyal subject to Francesco Sforza to the . She was also related to Margaret Paleologa,Duchess of Mantua.
After leaving the position and returning to Italy she was given 4000 scudi by the son of Christina, Charles of Lorraine. [4]
Francesca died sometime after 1561. [5]
They had six children together.
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