Beatrice was the third of eight children, all of them living to adulthood apart from one sister, Violente. Beatrice's siblings included: Frederick III the Simple, Euphemia, Constance (both regents of Sicily), Eleanor, wife of Peter II of Aragon, Louis of Sicily, and Blanche, Countess of Ampurias.
Beatrice's parents resided in Palermo, where Beatrice was likely born.
In 1335, she was betrothed to John Henry IV of Gorizia, a cousin twice removed of her mother's. Her mother renounced her rights to Tyrol and Carinthia on Beatrice's behalf.[1] However, the betrothal was cancelled by John Henry's mother who decided to settle with the new Habsburg rulers of Carinthia instead.[1]
In 1345, Beatrice married Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine from the House of Wittelsbach. They needed a papal dispensation in order to marry. Rupert supported his uncle Prince Elector Rupert I actively with the Government of the Palatinate and was constantly on the move. Beatrice's mother-in-law Irmengard of Oettingen lived as a nun in the convent at Worms. Beatrice spent a lot of time here whilst her husband was away.
Beatrice died in 1365, 25 years before her husband became elector. She was buried in the Cistercian monastery of Schönau near Heidelberg. The House of Wittelsbach founded the Collegiate Church in memory for Beatrice.
References
^ abWilhelm Baum, I conti di Gorizia (LEG, 2000), p. 139
