John I
Tomb effigy
King of Aragon, Valencia and Majorca
Count of Barcelona
Reign6 January 1387 – 19 May 1396
PredecessorPeter IV
SuccessorMartin
Born27 December 1350
Perpignan
Died19 May 1396(1396-05-19) (aged 45)
Foixà
Burial
Poblet Monastery
SpousesMartha of Armagnac
Violant of Bar
Issue
among others...		Joanna, Countess of Foix
Yolande, Duchess of Anjou
HouseHouse of Barcelona
FatherPeter IV of Aragon
MotherEleanor of Sicily
SignatureJohn I's signature

John I (27 December 1350 – 19 May 1396), called by posterity the Hunter[a] or the Lover of Elegance,[b] or the Abandoned[c] in his lifetime, was the King of Aragon from 1387 until his death.

Biography

John was the eldest son of Peter IV[1] and his third wife, Eleanor,[2] who was the daughter of Peter II of Sicily. He was born in Perpignan,[3] capital of the Rousillon, which at that time was part of the Principality of Catalonia, in the Crown of Aragon. He was a man of character, with a taste for verse. He was a Francophile[3] and married Violant of Bar against the wishes of his father,[3] who had wanted him to marry a princess of Sicily. His last marriage was happy. His wife frequently participated in government, since the king was often ill.[4]

Once on the throne, John abandoned his father's relatively Anglophile policy and made an alliance with France. He continued Aragon's support for the Pope of the Avignon line, Clement VII,[5] in the Western Schism. John also made an alliance with Castile, and confirmed in 1388 a treaty with Navarre fixing borders between these kingdoms.[5]

In 1389–90, the Aragonese battled the troops of the Count of Armagnac, John III, who was attempting to conquer the lands of the vassal Kingdom of Majorca. The attack went from Empordà to Girona. The invaders were defeated in 1390 by Aragonese troops commanded by John's brother Martin.

During 1388–90, John gradually lost all lands of the Duchies of Athens and Neopatras in Greece. In 1391, John promulgated legislation on Jews in different cities of the Kingdom of Aragon. Also in 1391, his administration faced a revolt in the vassal kingdom of Sicily, where the population had proclaimed Louis II of Naples as king.

John was a protector of culture of Barcelona. He established in 1393 the Consistory of Barcelona (jocs florals), imitating the same office in Toulouse.

Aragon had been attempting to subjugate Sardinia since the reign of James II, and gradually the Aragonese had conquered most of the island. However, in the 1380s, the remaining independent principality Arborea became a fortress of rebellion and the Aragonese were rapidly driven back by Eleanor de Bas-Serra. The Aragonese continued in John's reign to attempt to suppress rebels in Sardinia and regain lost territories. However, during John's reign, practically the whole of Sardinia was lost.

John's reign was characterized by disastrous financial administration.

He died during a hunt in forests near Foixà by a fall from his horse. Leaving no sons, he was succeeded by his younger brother Martin.[6]

Family and children

From his first marriage on 24 June 1373 to Martha of Armagnac (18 February 1347 - 23 October 1378),[3] daughter of Count Jean I of Armagnac:

From his second marriage on 2 February 1380 to Yolande of Bar (c. 1365 - 3 July 1431),[3] daughter of Robert I, Duke of Bar and Marie of Valois:[7]

Ancestors

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Notes

  1. ^ Joan el Caçador in Catalan, Chuan lo Cazataire in Aragonese and Juan el Cazador in Castilian
  2. ^ l'Amador de la Gentilesa in Catalan and el Amador de la Gentileza in Castilian
  3. ^ el Descurat in Catalan

References

  1. ^ O'Callaghan 1975, p. 682.
  2. ^ Matilla 1999, p. 46.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Bisson 1986, p. 121.
  4. ^ Bisson 1986, p. 122.
  5. ^ a b Bisson 1986, p. 123.
  6. ^ Bisson 1986, p. 125.
  7. ^ Lanz 2002, pp. 59–60.
  8. ^ Previte-Orton 1960, p. 903.

Sources

John I of Aragon House of BarcelonaCadet branch of the House of BarcelonaBorn: 27 December 1350 Died: 19 May 1396 Regnal titles Preceded byPeter IV King of Aragon, Valencia, Majorca,Sardinia and Corsica;Count of Barcelona, Roussillon and Cerdagne 1387–1396 Succeeded byMartin Duke of Athens 1387–1388 Succeeded byNerio I Acciaioli Duke of Neopatria 1387–1390
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