Pirates, princes and hostages: inside the mysterious life of the unnamed medieval princess of Cyprus

Throughout her life, the “Damsel of Cyprus” (born circa 1177) was used as a political and diplomatic tool in the conflicts of men. She was the daughter of Isaac Komnenos, the emperor of Cyprus. Her own name was never recorded, although historians have suggested it may have been either Beatrice or Maria.

While the princess was often powerless, the small snippets of evidence that we have about her present the life of a young woman with the resolve and tenacity to survive and thrive. She’s...