John I of Aragon

John I
John I of Aragon, portrayed as a hunter.
King of Aragon, Valencia and Majorca and Count of Barcelona
Reign	6 January 1387 – 19 May 1396
Predecessor	Peter IV
Successor	Martin
Born	27 December 1350 Perpignan
Died	Foixà
Burial	Poblet Monastery
Consort	Martha of Armagnac Violant of Bar
Issue among others...	Joanna, Countess of Foix Yolande, Duchess of Anjou
House	House of Barcelona
Father	Peter IV of Aragon
Mother	Eleanor of Sicily
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature

John I (27 December 1350 – 19 May 1396), called by posterity the Hunter (Juan el Cazador in Castilian, Chuan lo Cazataire in Aragonese and Joan el Caçador in Catalan) or the Lover of Elegance (el Amador de la Gentileza in Castilian and l'Amador de la Gentilesa in Catalan), but the Abandoned (el Descurat) in his lifetime, was the King of Aragon from 1388 until his death.

Biography

John was the eldest son of Peter IV and his third wife, Eleanor, who was the daughter of Peter II of Sicily. He was born in Perpignan, in the province of Roussillon, which at that time belonged to Aragon. He was a man of character, with a taste for verse. He was a Francophile and married Violant of Bar against the wishes of his father, 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.

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, in the Western Schism. John also made an alliance with Castile, and confirmed in 1388 a treaty with Navarre fixing borders between these kingdoms.

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 taifa 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 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, like his namesake, cousin, and contemporary, John I of Castile. He left no sons, and was succeeded by his younger brother Martin. Two daughters, however, survived to adulthood.

Family and children

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

• James (Valencia, 24 June 1374 - Valencia, 22 August 1374)
• Joanna (Daroca, October 1375 - Valencia, September 1407), who married in 4 June 1392 at Barcelona to Mathieu, Count of Foix. Together they claimed the throne of Aragon after her father's death. Matthew of Foix invaded Aragonese territories, but was driven back by the new King Martin. Joanna died soon after, childless.
• John (Barcelona, 23 July 1376 – 24/31 July 1376)
• Alfonso (9 September 1377 – 1377)
• Eleanor (Zaragoza, 13 July 1378 – Zaragoza, 1378)

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

• James (22 March 1382 – 1 September 1388), Duke of Girona and Count of Cervera
• Yolande (Zaragoza 1384 - Saumur 14 November 1442), married in 2 December 1400 to Louis II of Naples
• Ferdinand (18 March 1389 - Monzón, October 1389), Duke of Girona and Count of Cervera
• Antonia (1391 – 1392)
• Eleanor (2 January 1393 – July 1393)
• Peter (13 January 1394 – January 1394), Duke of Girona and Count of Cervera
• Joanna (12 January – 4 August 1396)

Ancestors

Family of John I of Aragon

16. Peter III of Aragon               8. James II of Aragon                       17. Constance of Sicily               4. Alfonso IV of Aragon                             18. Charles II of Naples               9. Blanche of Anjou                       19. Maria of Hungary               2. Peter IV of Aragon                                   10. Gombald d'Entença                       5. Teresa d'Entença                             22. Sancho, Baron of Antilon               11. Constance of Antilon                       23. Eleanor of Urgel               1. John I of Aragon                                         24. Peter III of Aragon =16               12. Frederick III of Sicily                       25. Constance of Sicily =17               6. Peter II of Sicily                             26. Charles II of Naples =18               13. Eleanor of Anjou                       27. Maria of Hungary =19               3. Eleanor of Sicily                                   28. Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia               14. Otto III of Carinthia                       29. Elisabeth of Bavaria               7. Elisabeth of Carinthia                             30. Henry V, Duke of Legnica               15. Euphemia of Legnica                       31. Elisabeth of Kalisz

Sources

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 

John I of Aragon House of Aragon Cadet branch of the House of Barcelona Born: 27 December 1350 Died: 19 May 1396
Regnal titles
Preceded by Peter IV	King of Aragon, Valencia, Majorca, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica; Count of Barcelona, Roussillon and Cerdagne 1387–1396	Succeeded by Martin
	Duke of Athens 1387–1388	Succeeded by Nerio I Acciaioli
	Duke of Neopatria 1387–1390