War of the Two Peters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids War of the Two Peters
Part of the Hundred Years' War
Date 1356–1375 Location Mostly towns in the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Valencia Result Trastámarian victory Overthrow of Peter I of Castile Accession of Henry II of Castile
Belligerents
Crown of Castile With the support of: Kingdom of England Republic of Genoa Kingdom of Portugal Kingdom of Navarre Kingdom of Granada	Crown of Aragon With the support of: Henry of Trastámara Kingdom of France
Commanders and leaders
Peter of Castile Edward, the Black Prince John of Gaunt	Peter IV of Aragon Henry of Trastámara

The War of the Two Peters was a conflict that took place from 1356 to 1375. It was fought between the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. The war got its name because the main leaders on both sides were named Peter. One was Peter of Castile, and the other was Peter IV of Aragon.

This war was also connected to a bigger conflict called the Hundred Years' War. Peter of Castile had support from England. Peter IV of Aragon was supported by France. Other kingdoms like Navarre and Portugal also got involved. The war caused a lot of damage, especially to Aragon's economy.

Why the War Started

Peter IV, King of Aragon

An old sculpture of Peter of Castile

At the time, Castile was having its own internal problems. There was a Castilian Civil War happening. This war was between King Peter of Castile and his half-brother, Henry of Trastámara. They were fighting over who should be the king.

Peter IV of Aragon decided to support Henry of Trastámara. Henry also had help from a French commander named Bertrand du Guesclin. King Peter of Castile, on the other hand, was supported by the English. Because of these alliances, the War of the Two Peters became part of the larger Hundred Years' War.

Both kings had their own goals. Peter of Castile wanted to take over the Kingdom of Valencia. This area included important cities like Murcia, Elche, Alicante, and Orihuela. Peter IV of Aragon wanted to control trade in the Mediterranean Sea. He was against Castile and its ally, the Republic of Genoa.

Before the war officially began, there was a naval incident. Ships from Catalonia (part of Aragon) helped France against England. They also captured two Genoese ships. Genoa was an ally of Castile. Peter of Castile tried to catch the Catalan ships but could not. This event increased the tension between the two kingdoms.

The War Begins (1356–1363)

The war lasted a long time, from 1356 to 1375. It mainly took place along the border between Castile and Aragon. Many Aragonese towns, like Teruel, were captured by the Castilians.

In 1357, Castilian forces entered Aragon and took Tarazona. After this, the two sides agreed to a short truce.

In 1361, the Castilians captured more fortresses. However, a peace agreement was made on May 18, 1361. It was called the peace of Terrer. All the captured places were returned to their original owners. As part of this peace, Peter IV of Aragon's daughter, Constance, married Frederick III the Simple.

In June 1362, Peter of Castile met with Charles II of Navarre. They promised to help each other. Peter of Castile also made an alliance with Edward III of England and his son, The Black Prince.

After these agreements, the Castilian king invaded Aragon again without officially declaring war. The Aragonese king was caught by surprise. The Castilians took several castles. However, Peter of Castile could not capture Calatayud, even with many siege machines. He then returned to Seville.

In 1363, Castile continued the war and took Tarazona again. Peter of Castile received more help from Portugal and Navarre. Meanwhile, the Aragonese king made a treaty with France. He also made a secret agreement with Henry II of Castile. Peter of Castile then conquered more towns, including Teruel and Segorbe.

A church official tried to arrange peace between the two kings in July 1363. This was called the peace of Morvedre. But the peace was not officially accepted, and the fighting continued. Castilian forces entered the Kingdom of Valencia in 1363. They captured cities like Alicante and Gandia.

The Castilian Civil War (1363–1369)

From 1365 to 1369, Peter of Castile was busy fighting to keep his throne. His half-brother, Henry of Trastámara, attacked him with many soldiers. Peter of Castile left his kingdom without fighting. He fled to Portugal and then to Galicia. There, he ordered the killing of two church leaders who supported Henry.

Peter of Castile was finally defeated in 1369. He was killed by Henry of Trastámara. This meant Henry became the new king of Castile.

Fighting in Valencia

The Kingdom of Granada supported Peter of Castile in the war. Castilian troops and their allies from Al-Andalus invaded southern Valencia. This caused a lot of damage and political problems. The Castilians tried to capture Orihuela in 1364 but failed.

How the War Ended

The region in 1360

After the war, Castile got back some areas that Aragon had taken. A marriage was arranged between Eleanor of Aragon, who was Peter IV of Aragon's daughter, and John I of Castile. John was the son and successor of Henry II of Castile. This marriage helped to bring peace between the two kingdoms.

The war caused a lot of suffering. It happened at the same time as the Black Death, a terrible plague. There were also other problems like drought and locusts. These events badly damaged Aragon's economy and reduced its population. The Cathedral of Tarazona was destroyed during the war and rebuilt much later.

Despite the hardship, the war led to stronger governments and armies in both Castile and Aragon. Many historians believe this helped them to unite into one country in the next century.

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See also

In Spanish: Guerra de los Dos Pedros para niños