Kingdom of Majorca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kingdom of Majorca
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| 1231–1715 | |||||||||||
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.svg) Coat of arms
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The Kingdom of Majorca in the 13th and 14th centuries
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| Capital | Palma and Perpignan | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Catalan | ||||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism (official) Islam Judaism |
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| Government | Aragonese led-Royal Constitutional Monarchy | ||||||||||
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• Established
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1231 | ||||||||||
| 1715 | |||||||||||
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| Today part of | Spain France |
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The Kingdom of Majorca (Catalan: Regne de Mallorca) was a historical kingdom. It was located on the east coast of Spain and included several Mediterranean islands. James I of Aragon, also known as James the Conqueror, founded this kingdom.
In 1262, James I decided that his son James would inherit the kingdom. This plan stayed the same in his later wills. When James I died in 1276, his oldest son, Peter, became king of the Crown of Aragon. His other son, James, became King of Majorca. From 1279, the King of Majorca had to serve the King of Aragon as a vassal. This means Majorca was a smaller kingdom under the control of Aragon. The title of King of Majorca was used by Aragonese and Spanish rulers until 1715. The kingdom officially ended with the Nueva Planta decrees.
Contents
Where Was the Kingdom of Majorca?
The Kingdom of Majorca included the Balearic Islands. These islands are Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera.
The king of Majorca also ruled over areas on the mainland. These included the counties of Roussillon and Cerdanya. He also controlled some lands in Occitania, France. These were the area of Montpellier, the region of Carlat in Auvergne, and the land of Aumelas.
History of the Kingdom
How the Kingdom Started
James I created a kingdom in a very important location. It was between two large and often fighting kingdoms: France and the Crown of Aragon. James I knew his new kingdom was not very strong. He tried to make it stronger by conquering Cerdanya. He also tried to arrange a marriage for his son James to Beatrice of Savoy. However, neither of these plans worked out.
Early Challenges for James II
When James I died, his son James II became the new King of Majorca. James II decided not to pay tribute to Peter III of Aragon. This caused problems between the two kingdoms. In 1279, James II finally agreed that his kingdom was under the King of Aragon.
This meant the King of Majorca could not hold his own royal court. He had to travel to Catalonia to pay tribute to the King of Aragon. The Treaty of Perpignan in 1279 made the Kingdom of Majorca much weaker than Aragon. Aragon kept control over Majorca's politics and economy. This treaty made relations between the two kingdoms difficult for a long time. The lack of its own court made Majorca even more unstable.
Wars and Changes
During the Aragonese Crusade, James II of Majorca sided with the Pope and France. They were fighting against Peter of Aragon. Because of this, Peter's son, Alfonso, conquered Majorca in 1286. But in 1295, the Treaty of Anagni forced James II of Aragon to give the Balearic Islands back to James of Majorca.
Later Kings and Financial Troubles
When James II of Majorca's son Sancho died in 1324, James III became king. He was only nine years old. His uncle Philip led a council to rule the kingdom for him. The situation was still difficult because James II of Aragon still wanted the Majorcan throne.
In 1325, Philip made a deal. The King of Aragon gave up his claim to Majorca. But in return, Majorca had to pay a huge debt. This debt was from a war Sancho had fought in Sardinia. This deal solved the problem of who would be king. However, it caused a very serious money crisis for the kingdom.
The End of the Kingdom
King James III had to follow Aragon's policies. He had to join a war against Genoa from 1329 to 1336. This war caused Majorca to lose many important trade markets. To fix the money problems, new taxes and fines were put in place. The Jewish community was especially affected. But these new taxes were not enough to solve the financial crisis.
The kingdom's problems continued. In 1341, Peter IV of Aragon cut off ties with Majorca. This was a sign that he planned to invade. In May 1343, Peter IV invaded the Balearic Islands. In 1344, he also invaded Roussillon and Cerdanya. James III was left with only his French lands.
In 1349, James III sold his French lands to the King of France. He then went to Majorca to fight. He was defeated and killed at the Battle of Llucmajor on October 25, 1349. After this, the Kingdom of Majorca officially became part of the Crown of Aragon.
Why the Kingdom Fell
The end of the Kingdom of Majorca was almost certain. It was caught between major conflicts. These included the Hundred Years War between France and England. There was also a war involving Castile and the Crown of Aragon. The people of Genoa also tried to control the Balearic Islands.
The Kingdom of Majorca had ties to both France and Aragon. This made it impossible for the kingdom to stay neutral in these wars. Also, taxes were increased to fund the kingdom during its attempts at neutrality. This made the people of the kingdom very unhappy.
See also
In Spanish: Reino de Mallorca para niños
- List of monarchs of Majorca
