Martin of Aragon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martin
King of Aragon, Valencia and Majorca Count of Barcelona
Reign	19 May 1396 – 31 May 1410
Predecessor	John I
Successor	Ferdinand I
King of Sicily
Reign	25 July 1409 – 31 May 1410
Predecessor	Martin I
Successor	Ferdinand I
Born	29 July 1356 Girona
Died	31 May 1410(1410-05-31) (aged 53) Barcelona
Burial	Poblet Monastery
Spouse	Maria de Luna Margaret of Prades
Issue more...	Martin I of Sicily
House	Aragon-House of Barcelona
Father	Peter IV of Aragon
Mother	Eleanor of Sicily
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature

Martin the Humane (born 29 July 1356 – died 31 May 1410) was a powerful king. He was also known as the Elder or the Ecclesiastic. He ruled as King of Aragon, Valencia, Sardinia, and Corsica. He was also the Count of Barcelona starting in 1396. Later, from 1409, he also became King of Sicily (known there as Martin II).

Martin's rule marked the end of the House of Barcelona family line. This happened because he could not make his grandson, Frederic, Count of Luna, his official heir.

Early Life and Family

Martin was born in 1356. His birthplace was either Girona or Perpignan. He was the second son of King Peter IV of Aragon. His mother was Eleanor of Sicily. She was a princess from a younger branch of the House of Aragon in Sicily.

As a younger prince, Martin was given the County of Besalu. On June 13, 1372, in Barcelona, Martin married María López de Luna. She was the daughter of a powerful lord. María later died on December 20, 1406.

In 1380, Martin's father made him the lord and regent of Sicily. A regent is someone who rules for a king or queen who is too young. At that time, Queen Maria of Sicily was underage. She was also Martin's cousin. Martin himself had a claim to the island. This was because his mother was from the Sicilian royal family.

Becoming King of Aragon

In 1396, Martin became King of Aragon. He took over after his older brother, John I, died without children. However, there were problems in Sicily. So, Martin had to stay there for a while.

During his absence, Martin's wife, María López de Luna, claimed the throne for him. She acted as his ruler until he arrived in 1397. This delay caused more arguments in Aragon. Some people did not agree with his right to be king.

Count Matthew of Foix challenged Martin's claim. He did this on behalf of his wife, Joanna. Joanna was the older daughter of John I. But Martin successfully stopped an invasion by the count's soldiers. After Joanna died without children, John I's younger daughter, Yolande of Aragon, continued the claim. Her sons also tried to claim the throne.

Military Actions and Sardinia

King Martin led military campaigns against the Moors in North Africa. These campaigns took place in 1398 and 1399.

Aragon had been trying to take over Sardinia for a long time. Most of the island had been conquered. But in the 1380s, a part of Sardinia called Arborea rebelled. The Aragonese forces were pushed back by Eleanor of Arborea. Almost all of Sardinia was lost.

King Martin sent his son, Martin the Younger, to win back Sardinia. Martin the Younger was already King of Sicily. He won the Battle of Sanluri in 1409. He defeated the Genoese allies of the Sardinians. He also brought many Sardinian nobles under his control. This battle led to Arborea losing its independence.

However, soon after the battle, Martin the Younger died suddenly. He passed away from malaria. After his son's death, Martin of Aragon became King of Sicily. He took the title of Martin II.

Peace and Papal Support

During Martin's reign, the Kingdom of Aragon was mostly peaceful with other countries. He worked to stop fights among nobles and bandits inside his kingdom.

Martin supported the Avignon line of Popes. This was a time when there were two or more popes. Pope Benedict XIII was from Aragon. He was the Pope throughout Martin's rule. In 1403, Martin's army rescued Benedict. The Pope had been imprisoned by his rivals. After being rescued, Pope Benedict settled in Valencia.

The Aragonese royal arms with the Crest of Saint George and the Dragon from the Inventory of King Martin

Children and Succession Challenges

Martin had four children with Queen Maria. They were Martin the Younger (born around 1374-1376), James (born 1378), John (born 1380), and Margaret (born around 1384-1388). Sadly, his three younger children died early.

After Martin the Younger's death, King Martin had no living legitimate children. He then named his cousin, James II, Count of Urgell, as the Governor-General of Aragon. This position usually went to the person next in line for the throne.

Martin married a second time on September 17, 1409. His new wife was his cousin, Margaret of Prades. But this marriage was short and they had no children.

Death and the End of a Dynasty

King Martin died on May 31, 1410. He passed away in a monastery outside Barcelona. The exact reason for his death is not clear. Some think it was the plague, which was common then. Others believe it was due to a kidney problem, as he was very overweight. There is also a story that he died from laughter after a joke. However, this story is not supported by strong historical facts.

All of Martin's legitimate children had died before him. His second marriage did not produce any heirs. Only an illegitimate grandson, Frederick, Count of Luna, was left. An illegitimate daughter also survived. However, the rules of succession meant they could not inherit the throne.

Martin wanted his grandson Frederick to be his successor. But he could not get enough support for this before he died. As a result, Martin's death led to a two-year period without a king. This is called an interregnum. Many people claimed the throne, including Frederick of Luna and James II of Urgell.

The question of who would be the next king was settled by the Compromise of Caspe. This happened on June 28, 1412. Martin's nephew, Ferdinand, from Castile, was chosen as the new king. This began the rule of the House of Trastámara.

Sources

See also

In Spanish: Martín I de Aragón para niños