James II of Urgell
Encyclopedia
James II (1380 – 1 June 1433) was the Count of Urgell (1408–1413), Viscount of Àger
, and lord of Antillón
, Alcolea de Cinca
, and Fraga
. Scion of a younger branch of the House of Barcelona
and its last male member, he was the centre of opposition to the House of Trastámara after its succeeded to the Crown of Aragon
in 1412.
Born at Balaguer
to Peter II of Urgell and Margaret of Montferrat, he inherited the county of Urgell from his father in 1408. In Valencia on 29 June 1407, he had married Isabel
, daughter of Peter IV of Aragon
and brother of Martin the Humane, who appointed him lieutenant
of the Kingdom of Aragon
in 1408.
Following the death in 1409 of Martin the Younger, heir to the Aragonese Crown, the king appointed James governor-general
, an act interpreted by James as implying his heirdom. Following the death of the king in 1410, however, James was one of the six candidates who claimed the throne. Succession through the male line, as ordained in the will of James I of Aragon
, would have given him the crown, but through the Compromise of Caspe
, Ferdinand of Antequera was elected instead.
Influenced by his mother, Margaret of Montferrat, James II of Urgell refused to recognise Ferdinand as king and took up arms against him. Defeated at Castefrorite and Montearagón
, James took refuge in the castle of Balaguer which was under siege by the royal troops. He surrendered on the 31 October 1413 and was imprisoned in Teruel
and then Játiva where he died twenty years later.
James had fostered four daughters and one son:
Àger
Àger is a municipality in the comarca of the Noguera in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the north-west of the comarca, and the territory of the municipality stretches between the Noguera Ribagorçana and Noguera Pallaresa rivers. The Terradets reservoir on the Noguera Pallaresa is situated...
, and lord of Antillón
Antillón
Antillón is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. , , the municipality has a population of 150 inhabitants.The parish church was built between the eleventh and the sixteenth century, so it has parts in Romanesque style, and parts in Gothic one...
, Alcolea de Cinca
Alcolea de Cinca
Alcolea de Cinca is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 1,245 inhabitants.-See also:*List of municipalities in Huesca...
, and Fraga
Fraga
Fraga is the major town of the comarca of Bajo Cinca in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. It is located by the river Cinca.King Alfonso I of Aragon died at its walls in 1134 while trying to conquer it...
. Scion of a younger branch of the House of Barcelona
House of Barcelona
The House of Barcelona was a medieval dynasty that ruled the County of Barcelona continuously from 878 and the Crown of Aragon from 1137 . From the male part they descend from the Bellonids, the descendants of Wifred the Hairy...
and its last male member, he was the centre of opposition to the House of Trastámara after its succeeded to the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
in 1412.
Born at Balaguer
Balaguer
Balaguer is the capital of the comarca of Noguera, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.It is located by the river Segre, a tributary to the Ebre....
to Peter II of Urgell and Margaret of Montferrat, he inherited the county of Urgell from his father in 1408. In Valencia on 29 June 1407, he had married Isabel
Isabella of Aragon (1380–1424)
Isabella of Aragon was a daughter of Peter IV of Aragon and his fourth wife, Sibila of Fortia. She was infanta of Aragon and Countess of Urgel.- Family :...
, daughter of Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
and brother of Martin the Humane, who appointed him lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
of the Kingdom of Aragon
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
in 1408.
Following the death in 1409 of Martin the Younger, heir to the Aragonese Crown, the king appointed James governor-general
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
, an act interpreted by James as implying his heirdom. Following the death of the king in 1410, however, James was one of the six candidates who claimed the throne. Succession through the male line, as ordained in the will of James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
, would have given him the crown, but through the Compromise of Caspe
Compromise of Caspe
The Compromise of Caspe made in 1412 was an act and resolution of parliamentary representatives on behalf of the Kingdoms of Aragon and Valencia and the County of Barcelona, to resolve the interregnum commenced by the death of King Martin I of Aragon in 1410 without a legitimate heir, in Caspe.The...
, Ferdinand of Antequera was elected instead.
Influenced by his mother, Margaret of Montferrat, James II of Urgell refused to recognise Ferdinand as king and took up arms against him. Defeated at Castefrorite and Montearagón
Montearagón, Toledo
Montearagón is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 549 inhabitants....
, James took refuge in the castle of Balaguer which was under siege by the royal troops. He surrendered on the 31 October 1413 and was imprisoned in Teruel
Teruel
Teruel is a town in Aragon, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country...
and then Játiva where he died twenty years later.
James had fostered four daughters and one son:
- his eldest child, ElisabetIsabella of Aragon, Countess of UrgelIsabella of Urgell, Duchess of Coimbra was a Catalan noblewoman of the Urgell branch of the House of Aragon...
(or Isabel, 1409–1430), married Peter, Duke of CoimbraInfante Pedro, Duke of CoimbraThe Infante Peter, 1st Duke of Coimbra KG , was a Portuguese infante of the House of Aviz, son of King John I of Portugal and his wife Philippa of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt. In Portugal he is better known as Infante D. Pedro das Sete Partidas [do Mundo], "of the Seven Parts [of the...
, in 1428; - his second child, Elionor (or Leonor, 1414–1438), married Raimon Orsini in 1436;
- his third child, Joana (or Joanna, 1415–1445), married John I, Count of FoixJohn I, Count of FoixJohn I, Count of Foix also known as Jean de Foix-Grailly was Count of Foix from 1428 until his death in 1436. He succeeded his mother Isabella, Countess of Foix...
in 1435 and, then,remarried Joan Ramon Folc III de Cardona in 1445; - his only son, the fourth child, was Philip (or Felip), who died around 1422 while still young;
- his youngest child, Catherine (or Caterina), who also died young not long after Philip (c.1424).