James I (French: Jacques de Lusignan; 1334 – September 9, 1398) was the youngest son of King Hugh IV of Cyprus and by 1369 held the title "Constable of Jerusalem."

When his father King Hugh IV died in 1359, his eldest brother, Peter I, took the throne and reigned for 10 years, until he was murdered in 1369.

James's second brother, John, titular Prince of Antioch, Constable of Cyprus, as the eldest living son of Hugh IV, was regent for three years during the minority of Peter II, who was crowned in January of 1372.

During the regency, Peter I's widow Eleanor of Aragon, to avenge her husband's murder, invited the Genoese to invade Cyprus.

Since the Genoese had commercial and financial interests in Cyprus that they wanted to protect and exploit, they invaded the island in April 1373.

After achieving the takeover of the well-fortified city of Famagusta, they arrested and held captive Peter II and his mother Eleanor, who had invited them.

[1] After Peter II's death without an heir in 1382, the Parliament of Cyprus decided on James to be the king, while he was still held captive in Genoa.

Perot privately encouraged the widow of Peter II, Queen Valentina, to take over the island, but publicly he supported her daughter Mariette or Margaret.

James, who at this time held the title of Constable of Cyprus, ordered two defenseless towns burned when the inhabitants, in fear of the rebellious nobles, did not give their allegiance to him as their sovereign.

James's escorts from Genoa were unable to complete their mission according to the terms of the agreement, and the time limit they had been given ran out.

In April 1385, leaving his son Janus in prison in Genoa as a hostage, James again returned to Cyprus and went to Nicosia, where he was welcomed with great enthusiasm.