The general history of Spain from the first peopling of it by Tubal, till the death of King Ferdinand, who united the crowns of Castile and Aragon : with a continuation to the death of King Philip III / written in Spanish by the R.F.F. John de Mariana ; to which are added, two supplements, the first by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo, the other by F. Basil Varen de Soto, bringing it down to the present reign ; the whole translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens.

CHAP. VIII. John King of Aragon upon Complaint of his Subjects complies with their Demands. Irruptions of the French into Aragon. Henry the IIId proclaim'd King of Castile. The form of Government appointed there during his Minority.

JOHN the first, the new King of Aragon acted nothing like his Father, who was an active * 1.1 Man, warlike and ambitious of enlarging his Dominions. King John was meek and af∣fable, unless provok'd, more inclin'd to his Ease than warlike Affairs. He lov'd Hawking, Hunting, Musick, and Poetry, and all things that represent Grandeur, so that the Revenue was too small for his Expence. The Queen was in all things like her Husband, so that the Court was full of Foosting, Balls and Pleasure. Great Rewards were given to Poets, and so fond was the King of them, that he sent an Embassy into France only to have some choice ones sent him. The Nobility of Aragon offended at the King's Extravagancy, met at Cala∣sanz, at the same time the Cortes sat at Monçon. They sent their Complaints in Writing to the Cortes, which where chiefly the extraordinary Expences, the Lewdness of the Court, and that the Kingdom was govern'd by a Woman. This was meant of Da. Carroça de Villaragur Favourite to the Queen, who entirely rul'd the King. Messages pass'd to and fro, and at length the King being of an easy Nature, comply'd with their Demands, retrench'd his Ex∣pences, set out Proclamations for restraining the Disorders of the People, banish'd that La∣dy, and for bid the Queen intermedling in the Government. Thus those Discontents were lay'd, when at the same time a War seem'd to threaten from France. Bernard de Armugnac * 1.2 broke into Catalonia with a Body of Bretons, yet made more Noise than he did harm. Soon after he was follow'd by his Brother the Earl of Armagnac with greater Forces. Tomich a Catalonian Historian writes he had 18000 Horse; a falshood which yet shews their Number was great. There was no cause to make War, but the desire of Robbing. They burnt some Towns and Farms, and carry'd away a great Number of Prisoners and Cattle. This mis∣chief fell heaviest upon the Territories of Ampurias and Girona. The Forces of Aragon as∣sembl'd and had several Rancounters with them. In one, Bernard de Cabrera overthrew 8 Companies of French near Navarre. In another, Raymund Bages near Cavan̄as defeated a good Body of them, and took their Commander call'd Martin. The King set out from Girona to oppose them, but they return'd into France by the way of Russillon, where they did much harm. The King of Aragon had stir'd up Arigotte of Auvergne to make War upon the Lands of Armagnac, which mov'd the Earl to return to defend his own. Luis the Son of Luis Duke of Anjou, who dy'd in the Conquest of Naples, and stil'd himself King of Hierusa∣lem and Sicily, marry'd Violante, the Daughter of the King of Aragon at Barcelona. The end of this Match was that the Aragonian should assist his Son in Law in the Conquest of Naples. D. Martin Lord of Exerica the King of Aragon's Nephew, as being the Son of his Brother Martin, with the King's Consent marry'd Mary Queen of Sicily, the Pope also agreeing to it because that Kingdom is a Feofe of the Church. Sardinia was again in an uproar, for that Brancaleon. Doria not regarding the late Settlement, and the Pardon he had receiv'd, took up Arms again at the beginning of the Year 1391, on pretence of asserting the Peoples Liberties. With this specious pretence he drew to his side the Genoeses, and many of the * 1.3 Islanders, so that he took Sacer the Capital City of the Island, and many other Towns and Forts. To crush this Rebellion the King rais'd Men, and set forth a Proclamation com∣manding all that had Lands in the Island to go over to defend it. At this same time Pope Clement created Martin Bishop of Pamplona Cardinal, who was the first of those Prelates that obtained that Honour.

When King John of Castile fell with his Horse, as has been said, the Arch-bishop of Tole∣do who was by, caus'd a Tent to be set up in that Place, and guarded with trusty Persons con∣cealing the King's Death, and sending out several Messages in his Name. But this Fiction could not hold long. The first that resorted to behold this miserable Spectacle, was Queen Beatrix, before despoil'd of her Father's Kingdom, and now of her Husband, being left with∣out any Children to be a Comfort in her Widowhood. Prince Henry surpriz'd at his Fa∣ther's * 1.4 Death, set out from Talavera, and stopp'd at Madrid with his Brother Ferdinand. There the Arch-bishop caus'd him to be proclaim'd King, he was the third of the Name, and commonly call'd the Sickly, for his want of Health. All the great Men of the Kingdom flock'd to kiss his Hand, and offer their Persons and Estates. D. Alonso de Aragon Mar∣ques de Villena dissatisfy'd with the late King, was withdrawn into Aragon. He offer'd to re∣turn to Castile provided he might be restor'd to the Office of Constable. The King and Queen condescended to his Request, and yet he came not, being detain'd for certain Reasons in Aragon. The Ceremony of proclaiming the King being perform'd, he went to Toledo to bury his Father in the Royal Chappel, as he had ordain'd. Next the Cortes assembl'd at Madrid, and took in hand to settle the Government, the King being but 11 years of Age. Ellenor the only Daughter to the Earl of Albuquerque, for her great Fortune commonly call'd the Rich Female, was then at Court. Many courted her, and among them her Cousin the Duke of Benavente; but Prince Ferdinand was preferred before him, and they were Contract∣ed,

yet so that the Match should not go forwards till the King was 14 Years of Age. This was that in case the King dy'd before that Age, the Prince might marry Queen Catherine, the Duke of Lancaster's Daughter as had been agreed. The Bride swore to the Contract, being 16 Years of Age, but the Prince was too young to swear. When the Cortes were about setling the Go∣vernment they understood by Peter Lopez de Ayala, that the late King had made a Will. This Will being found and read, rais'd variety of Opinions. They were chiefly offended at * 1.5 one Clause which appointed for the young King's Tutors, till he was 15 Years of Age, D. Alonso de Aragon the Constable, the Arch-bishops of Toledo and Santiago, the Master of Cala∣trava, the Earl of Niebla, and Peter de Mendoça, the Lord Steward, and with them 6 Citizens, one of each of the Cities of Burgos, Toledo, Leon, Sevil, Cordova, and Murcia, to be chosen by the Counsels of those Places. Every one that was not of the Number was offended. The Affair was long debated. Some few were for fulfilling the Will, but the greatest Number were for cancelling it. The Arch-Bisop of Toledo would not suffer it to be burnt, because there were certain Legacies nam'd in it for his Church, which he would have valid, tho the rest were not. The Will laid aside, the Government of the Kingdom was committed to the * 1.6 Duke of Benavente, the Marques de Villena, the Earl of Trastamara, the Archbishops of Toledo and Santiago, and the Masters of Santiago and Calatrava. Of the 16 Representatives of Cities, eight were appointed by turns for three Months at a time to joyn with the others. The Majority of Votes among them to be of Force in any Affair. The Arch-bishop lik'd not this Method thinking his Share in the Government too little, tho he pleaded the greatness of the Number would cause Confusion; yet he was forc'd to yield to the Importunities and Threats of the Nobility, A certain sort of base Mony call'd Agnus Dei's, was here regulated how it should pass. The Archbishop of Toledo kept the Earl of Gijon Prisoner, but fearing some Change of times, labour'd to be discharg'd of him. He was therefore remov'd to Monterrey, and committed to the care of the Master of Santiago, till his Case was adjudg'd. At Sevil and Cordova the Rabble in a riotous manner, fell upon the Jews, plunder'd their Houses, and offer'd them many Injuries, the Magistrates not being able to prevent it. Ferdi∣nand Martinez Arch-deacon of Ecija, with seditious Speeches made in the Streets stirr'd up the People. This Example was follow'd in sundry parts of Spain. On the 5th. of August the following Year, the like was done at Toledo, Logron̄o, Valencia and Barcelona. Many Jews to save themselves, pretended to turn Christians, but this happen'd later.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Qualities of King John of Aragon.
• * 1.2

  French invade Aragon.
• * 1.3

  1391.
• * 1.4

  Henry the IIId. pro∣claimed K. of Castile.
• * 1.5

  K. John of Castile his last Will.
• * 1.6

  Form of Govern∣ment of Castile du∣ring the Kings Mi∣nority.