Juana Enríquez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Juana Enríquez |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Queen consort of Aragon | |
| Tenure | 7 June 1458 – 13 February 1468 |
| Queen consort of Navarre | |
| Tenure | 1 April 1444 – 13 February 1468 |
| Born | 1425 Torrelobatón |
| Died | 13 February 1468 (aged 42–43) Tarragona |
| Burial | Poblet Monastery |
| Spouse | |
| Issue |
|
| House | Enríquez |
| Father | Fadrique Enríquez |
| Mother | Mariana Fernández de Córdoba |
Juana Enríquez (born 1425, died 13 February 1468) was a powerful queen in the 15th century. She was the wife of King John II. This made her the Queen of Aragon. She was also the Queen of Navarre in practice, even though her husband wasn't officially the king there.
Juana Enríquez played a big role in politics. She was a regent (someone who rules when the king is away or too young) in Navarre during a civil war. She also acted as a governor in Catalonia and later as a regent in Aragon when her husband was fighting another war.
Contents
The Life of Juana Enríquez
Juana Enríquez was born in a place called Torrelobatón in 1425. Her father was Fadrique Enríquez, and her mother was Mariana Fernández de Córdoba. Juana became the 5th Lady of Casarrubios del Monte after her mother in 1431. She was also a great-great-granddaughter of Alfonso XI of Castile, a king of Castile.
Juana's marriage to John of Aragon was a political move. John wanted to team up with Juana's powerful family. This family had a lot of influence in Castile, a neighboring kingdom. They got engaged in 1443, but the wedding didn't happen until 1447.
John had been married before to Queen Blanche I of Navarre. When Blanche died, John was no longer the official king of Navarre through his wife. However, he didn't want to give up power to his son, Charles, Prince of Viana. Juana supported her husband in this decision.
This disagreement about who should rule Navarre led to a big fight. It caused the Navarrese Civil War (1451–1455). While John was away fighting, he made Juana Enríquez the Regent of Navarre. This meant she ruled the kingdom in his place. She left Navarre in 1452 to give birth to her son. In 1455, her husband had to leave Navarre. His son, Charles of Viana, then became the ruler of Navarre with help from Castile.
Becoming Queen of Aragon
In 1458, Juana's husband, John, became the King of Aragon. This made Juana the Queen of Aragon.
In 1460, Juana's father in Castile gave her papers. These papers suggested that Charles of Viana, John's son from his first marriage, was planning to harm his father. Juana showed these papers to her husband. King John then used them to arrest Charles of Viana, accusing him of treason.
The people of Catalonia were very upset about Charles of Viana's arrest. The king asked Juana to talk with them. In June 1461, she made an agreement with Catalonia. Charles of Viana was named his father's governor in Catalonia. However, Charles of Viana died shortly after this.
King John II then declared that his son with Juana, Ferdinand, would be the next king of Aragon. He gave Juana the job of making sure Ferdinand was accepted as the heir and governor of Catalonia.
On February 6, 1462, Juana Enríquez had her son recognized as the heir of Catalonia. He was also named his father's governor there. Since her son was still a child, Juana took the oath for him and acted as Governor of Catalonia in his place.
Some people accused Juana of having ordered the poisoning of Charles of Viana. Because of these accusations, Juana went to Girona to find safety with the bishop. They were surrounded in Girona until July 1462. In March 1465, Juana Enríquez was made regent of Aragon. This happened when her husband was away in Catalonia, trying to stop a rebellion.
Her Lasting Impact
Queen Juana had a very important wish. She wanted her son, Ferdinand, to marry Isabella. Isabella was the half-sister of King Henry IV of Castile and was expected to become queen.
This marriage did happen, and it lasted for 35 years. Ferdinand and Isabella had a son and four daughters who became queens. However, Juana died on February 13, 1468, from breast cancer. This was a year before her son's important marriage took place. Her husband never married again and ruled until he died in 1479. Juana's daughter, Joanna, married Ferdinand I of Naples and became the Queen of Naples.
See also
In Spanish: Juana Enríquez para niños
