Carlo Martello

This is the brand new Italian tug Carlo Martello, arriving with the Hermod this morning. The Martello is a sister ship of the Carlo Magno. For an Italian owner, it can't be very difficult to find enough famous Italian Carlo's to name a complete fleet, but did you ever heard of Carlo Martello before? Not me, but he is also known under other names. And these names are Charles Martel, also known as Charles I Martel, Charles Martel d'Anjou, and (in Italian) Carlo Martello (1271-1295). He was the eldest son of King Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary, the daughter of King Stephen V of Hungary. The 18-year-old Charles Martel was set up by Pope and ecclesiastical party as the titular King of Hungary as successor of his maternal uncle. He never managed to govern Hungary. However, he was successful in asserting his claims in parts of Croatia, a Kingdom then in personal union with Hungary. Charles Martel died young, during the lifetime of his parents. His son, also named Charles (or Charles Robert), would ultimately succeed where he had failed in winning the throne of Hungary. Charles was apparently known personally to Dante. Dante was his escorting knight. In Dante's Divine Comedy, the poet speaks warmly of and to Charles's spirit when they meet in the Heaven of Venus.