Caterina Cornaro was a Venetian noblewoman who became queen of Cyprus through her marriage to King James II of Cyprus. After her husband's death, Caterina became the regent of Cyprus on behalf of her son. However, in 1489, due to pressure from the Republic of Venice and Ottoman threats, Caterina was forced to abdicate and handed over control of Cyprus to Venice. This handover of the keys of Famagusta to Venice marked the beginning of Venetian rule on the island of Cyprus.
