On 30 July 1468, James II of Cyprus married a 14-year-old Venetian, Catherine Cornaro, by proxy in Venice, seeking political support.

[1] She finally travelled to Cyprus and married in person at Famagusta in October or November, 1472.

His mother had assumed the regency before his birth, but her power was practiced by her Venetian relatives.

James died in Famagusta, probably of malaria, on August 26, 1474, twenty days after his first birthday.

His mother, Catherine Cornaro, was appointed as the Queen of Cyprus, under strict Venetian surveillance and was forced to abdicate in 1489 where she spent the rest of her life in Asolo until 1509 where she fled to exile in Venice where she died in 1510.