Three Who Ruled

CHAPTER 2 Three Who Ruled

1 Introduction

The battle of Nájera traces back to the relationship between three Iberian monarchs, all of whom ruled during the second half of the fourteenth century— Pedro I of Castile (r. 1350–1366/1367–1369); his successor, Enrique II (r. 1366– 1367/1369–1379); and their counterpart in the eastern realm of Aragon/ Catalonia, Pere III (r. 1336–1387).1 Each of the three was a remarkable figure in his own right. The Castilian king, Pedro I, is best-known by contrasting sobriquets as Pedro the Cruel or Pedro the Just—one’s choice depends upon just how one views his sanguinary activities. Pedro’s deadly enemy to the east, one of those few medieval monarchs who played an integral role in writing his own chronicle, was known in the realms he ruled by different names and numbers: in the kingdom of Aragon proper, he was Pedro IV, in the principality of Catalonia, his subjects referred to him by the Catalan equivalent, Pere, third of that name to rule there. In both realms, his fastidious attention to royal pomp and protocol led to his being dubbed by his subjects “the Ceremonious.”2 The last of the three monarchs was Pedro the Cruel’s elder, but illegitimate half-brother, Enrique de Trastámara, “the Bastard,” who waged a long and ultimately successful struggle to supplant his hated sibling on the throne.3 This chapter will briefly introduce the three royal figures whose quarrels ultimately led to the battle.

1 To help avoid confusion on the part of readers, throughout this book we shall reserve the name Pedro for the Castilian king while his Aragonese counterpart will be referred to by the Catalan form of that name, Pere. 2 For the origin of this unusual royal sobriquet, see J.H. Hillgarth’s fine introduction to the English translation of Pere III’s chronicle in Pere III of Catalonia/Pedro IV of Aragon, Chronicle, trans. Mary Hillgarth, 2 vols. (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1980), p. 98. Pere was also known as “he of the little dagger” (el del punyalet), coined in reference to an event that occurred early in his reign. See, for example: Manuel Dualde Serrano, “Tres episodios de la lucha entre ‘Pere el del Punyalet’ y la Unión aragonesa relatados por el monarca a su tio, Pedro Conde de Ribagorza,” EEMCA 2 (1946): 295–377. 3 He was also know as el de las mercedes, roughly “the gift giver,” for his profligacy in rewarding supporters.

© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, ��7 | doi ��.��63/9789004345805_004 Three Who Ruled 59 y Isabel Duke of York) (m. Edmund Langle of Portugal King of Portugal Pedro (1357–1367) Philippa of Lancaster (m. Joao of Portugal) Beatriz = Alfonso of Castile Constanza (m. John of Gaun t Duke of Lancaster) (1350–1366/1367–1369) (m. Enrique ) Catherine of Lancaster Beatriz Blanche de = Pedro “the Cruel” ~ María Padilla Bourbo n (d.w.i. 1361) Sancho = María de Molin a “the Brave” (1284–1296 ) of Aragon of Portugal Fernando (d.i.) (1312–1350 ) dau. of Jaume “the Conquero r” (1296–1312) Fernando = Constance Sancho King of Castile (1217–1252 ) King of Leon (1230–1252 ) Ferdinand “el Santo” Alfonso = Yolanda (1252–1284) of Portugal Leonor de Guzmán ~ Alfonso x = Maria of Portugal Tello Beatriz = Alfonso Fernando

Fernando de Antequera King of Aragon (1412–1416) (2) Juan = Beatriz of Portugal Rulers ofRulers Castile. medieval late (1) Alfonso de la Cerda = Catherine of Juana Manuel = Enrique de Trastámara (1366–67/1369–79) Blanca = Juan Manuel Fernando (dau. of Pere ) (1379–1390) Leonor of Aragon = Enrique (1390–1406) Lancaster d.i. means “died in infancy”; d.w.i. “die d without issue” Abbreviations: = signies “married”; ~ a non-married sexual liaison; 2 Rulers of late medieval Castile. Fernando de la Cerda = Blanche of France GENEALOGY 2 GENEALOGY