John III of Navarre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John III |
|
|---|---|
,_RP-P-1910-2303.jpg)
16th century depiction of King John
|
|
| King of Navarre (Jure uxoris) | |
| Reign | 14 June 1484 – 17 June 1516 |
| Coronation | 12 January 1494 |
| Predecessor | Catherine |
| Successor | Catherine |
| Co-monarch | Catherine |
| Born | 1469 Ségur |
| Died | 17 June 1516 (aged 46–47) Monein |
| Burial | Lescar Cathedral |
| Spouse |
Catherine, Queen of Navarre
(m. 1484) |
| Issue | Henry II, King of Navarre Isabella, Viscountess of Rohan |
| House | Albret |
| Father | Alain I, Lord of Albret |
| Mother | Frances, Countess of Périgord |
John III (also known as Jean d'Albret) was born in 1469. He became the King of Navarre in 1484 and ruled until his death in 1516. He was king because he married Queen Catherine, and they ruled together. This type of rule, where a man becomes king through his wife, is called jure uxoris.
John was the son of Alain I, Lord of Albret, and his mother was Frances, Countess of Périgord.
Contents
Becoming King with Queen Catherine
John became King of Navarre and Count of Foix when he married Queen Catherine in 1484. Catherine had become queen in 1483 after her brother, Francis Phoebus, passed away.
John and Catherine shared the job of ruling the kingdom. However, Catherine's mother, Magdalena of Valois, guided their rule until 1494. During this time, Ferdinand II of Aragon often put pressure on Navarre. He was supported by a group in Navarre called the Beaumont party.
John and Catherine were crowned monarchs in Pamplona on January 10, 1494. Before the ceremony, a nobleman named Louis of Beaumont had attacked the city. On Christmas 1493, he even blocked the king and queen from entering Pamplona. But after a short peace agreement, the crowning ceremony took place. During the week-long celebration, John III and his father were called Labrit in Basque language songs. This was their common name in Navarre.
In 1512, Navarre was attacked by an army from Castile and Aragon. This army was sent by Ferdinand II of Aragon. His second wife, Germaine de Foix, was a cousin of Queen Catherine.
The Castilian troops, led by the Duke of Alba, crossed the Pyrenees mountains into Lower Navarre. They captured St-Jean-Pied-de-Port on September 10, 1512, and caused a lot of damage. Lords loyal to John III and Catherine fought bravely against the Castilians. However, the Castilians kept control of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and the surrounding area.
After the invasion, the part of Navarre south of the Pyrenees was taken over by Castile. Ferdinand promised to respect Navarre's laws and traditions in 1515.
The royal family found safety in Béarn, which was a royal area in the Pyrenees next to Lower Navarre. In 1510, the governments of Navarre and Béarn had agreed to form a confederation. This was meant to help them defend against outside attacks. The main city of Béarn was Pau. John III and Catherine used Pau, along with Orthez and Tarbes, as their main bases during their last years.
After King Ferdinand of Aragon died in January 1516, King John III gathered an army. This army included people from Navarre who had been forced to leave, and men from all his lands, especially from Béarn. However, there were only a few hundred fighters.
The army was led by Pedro, Marshal of Navarre. But their advance was stopped right at the Pyrenees mountains. Spies had told Cardinal Cisneros about their plans. The attempt to win back Navarre failed.
John III became sad because of the defeats and bad diplomatic results. He died at the castle of Esgouarrabaque in Monein, Béarn, on June 14, 1516. He had been suffering from a serious fever. Until his last moments, he tried to get Navarre back from the Spanish. He even urged his wife, Queen Catherine, to ask the Spanish government to return the kingdom of Navarre.
John wanted to be buried at the Santa Maria Cathedral in Pamplona. But because the Spanish still occupied Navarre, this was not possible. Instead, his body rests at the Cathedral of Lescar with Queen Catherine, who passed away a few months after him.
Family
John and Catherine of Navarre had many children:
- Anne (born 1492 – died 1532)
- Magdalena (born 1494 – died 1504)
- Catherine (born 1495 – died 1532), who became an abbess (head of a convent)
- Jean (born 1496 – last mentioned 1496)
- Quiteria (born 1499 – died 1536), who also became an abbess
- A son who was stillborn in 1500
- Andrew Phoebus (born 1501 – died 1503)
- Henry II (born 1503 – died 1555), who became King of Navarre
- Buenaventura (born 1505 – died 1510/1511)
- Martin (born around 1506 – last mentioned 1512)
- Francis (born 1508 – last mentioned 1512)
- Charles (born 1510 – died 1528), who was captured during a battle and died as a prisoner of war
- Isabella (born 1513/1514 – last mentioned 1555), who married Rene I, Viscount of Rohan
Images for kids
-
16th century depiction of King John
-
Act by which John III and Catherine swore to uphold the fueros of Navarre after their coronation. John's name (Don Johan) is in boldface in the middle of the ninth line.
See also
In Spanish: Juan III de Albret para niños
