# James IV of Majorca > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_IV_of_Majorca > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_IV_of_Majorca.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_IV_of_Majorca > Source revision: 1352793938 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Titular king of Majorca (1336–1375) James IV King of Majorca (titular) Reign 25 October 1349 – 20 January 1375 King consort of Naples Reign 26 September 1363 – 20 January 1375 Born 1336 (1336) Died 20 January 1375(1375-01-20) (aged 38–39) Soria Spouse Joanna I of Naples House House of Barcelona Father James III of Majorca Mother Constance of Aragon **James IV of Majorca**, also known as **Jaume IV** (c. 1336 – 20 January 1375), unsuccessfully claimed the thrones of the [Kingdom of Majorca](/source/Kingdom_of_Majorca) and the [Principality of Achaea](/source/Prince_of_Achaea) from 1349 until his death. He was also [king consort](/source/King_consort) of Naples, without any role in its government. ## Early life Born around 1336, James was the son of King [James III of Majorca](/source/James_III_of_Majorca)[1] and [Constance of Aragon](/source/Constance_of_Aragon%2C_Queen_of_Majorca).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The Kingdom of Majorca came into being when [James the Conqueror](/source/James_the_Conqueror), [King of Aragon](/source/King_of_Aragon), died on 27 June 1276.[2] He distributed his realms between his two sons, leaving his elder son, [Peter III](/source/Peter_III_of_Aragon), with [Aragon](/source/Kingdom_of_Aragon), [Catalonia](/source/Principality_of_Catalonia) and [Valencia](/source/Kingdom_of_Valencia), and his younger son, [James II](/source/James_II_of_Majorca), with the [Balearic Islands](/source/Balearic_Islands), [Montpellier](/source/Montpellier), [Roussillon](/source/Roussillon) and [Cerdanya](/source/County_of_Cerdanya).[3] Peter III of Aragon and his successors made several attempts to re-unite the lands of the [Crown of Aragon](/source/Crown_of_Aragon) under their rule.[4] Peter III demanded an oath of fealty from his brother in 1280; Peter III's elder son, [Alfonso III of Aragon](/source/Alfonso_III_of_Aragon), occupied the Balearic Islands in 1287.[5] Alfonso III's brother and successor, [James II of Aragon](/source/James_II_of_Aragon), restored the islands to his uncle in the [Treaty of Anagni](/source/Treaty_of_Anagni) in 1295, but James II of Majorca had to acknowledge his nephew's suzerainty.[6] In 1324, James II of Aragon confirmed the right of James II of Majorca's grandson, James III of Majorca (James IV's father), to inherit the Kingdom of Majorca after lengthy negotiations.[7] James III married the sister of [Peter IV of Aragon](/source/Peter_IV_of_Aragon), but their relationship was tense, because James III avoided doing homage to his brother-in-law for years.[8] Peter IV declared James III a disobedient vassal and occupied the Balearic Islands, Roussillon and Cerdanya in May 1344.[9][10] James III went to [Avignon](/source/Avignon) in early 1348 to secure [Pope Clement VI](/source/Pope_Clement_VI)'s support against Peter IV.[11] James accompanied his father.[1] Scholar Nancy Goldstone proposes that James most probably met with his future wife, [Joanna I of Naples](/source/Joanna_I_of_Naples), who had come to Avignon to stand trial for her alleged involvement in the murder of her first husband, [Andrew](/source/Andrew%2C_Duke_of_Calabria).[1] She answered the charges that Andrew's brother, [Louis I of Hungary](/source/Louis_I_of_Hungary), had brought against her and the Pope declared her innocent in March 1348.[12] James III supported Joanna I during the trial and she promised to lend the Neapolitan fleet to him to invade the Balearic Islands.[13] James III had to sell his last domain, Montpellier, to France to raise funds before launching the invasion in 1349.[10] His army was routed and he was killed[10] in the [Battle of Llucmajor](/source/Battle_of_Llucmajor) on 25 October 1349.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Imprisonment and marriage His father was killed at the [Battle of Llucmajor](/source/Battle_of_Llucmajor) in 1349 while attempting to recapture his kingdom, and James IV was taken prisoner by his uncle, [Peter IV of Aragon](/source/Peter_IV_of_Aragon). Now pretender to the [Kingdom of Majorca](/source/Kingdom_of_Majorca) and the [Principality of Achaea](/source/Principality_of_Achaea), James was kept in an iron cage in [Barcelona](/source/Barcelona) until 1362. He then contrived to escape and take refuge with [Joanna I of Naples](/source/Joanna_I_of_Naples), who had aided his father's last attempt on Majorca.[14] Joanna was then childless, and in need of an heir: she married James on September 26, 1363, at [Castel Nuovo](/source/Castel_Nuovo). Perhaps to avoid the civil strife of Joanna's first two marriages, James was carefully excluded from government of his wife's realm by the marriage contract.[14] The marriage proved unsuccessful; however, in January 1365 Joanna was found to be pregnant with James IV's child, but in June she had a miscarriage, as noted in a letter of condolence sent to her by [Pope Urban V](/source/Pope_Urban_V) dated 19 July 1365.[15][16] They never conceived again. ## Struggle for Majorca James was determined to recapture his kingdom, and soon departed to make war on the [Kingdom of Aragon](/source/Kingdom_of_Aragon). He was defeated and forced to flee to [Bordeaux](/source/Bordeaux). There he gained the support of [Edward the Black Prince](/source/Edward_the_Black_Prince), who he hoped would restore him to Majorca after restoring [Peter the Cruel](/source/Peter_of_Castile) in [Castile](/source/Crown_of_Castile). He joined the invasion of Castile, taking part in the [battle of Nájera](/source/Battle_of_N%C3%A1jera) (3 April 1367). He was stricken with a long and severe illness in [Valladolid](/source/Valladolid). Unable to ride, he could not leave the city and was captured by [Henry II of Castile](/source/Henry_II_of_Castile). Ransomed by Joanna, he returned to Naples only briefly before setting off again. Henry had launched a war against Peter IV of Aragon, and James hoped to take advantage of this to capture [Roussillon](/source/Roussillon) and [Cerdanya](/source/Cerdanya), the mainland portions of his father's realm. However, [John of Gaunt](/source/John_of_Gaunt) procured a truce between Castile and Aragon, and the full weight of the Aragonese forces fell upon James. Defeated again, he fled into Castile, where he died of illness or poison at [Soria](/source/Soria) on 20 January 1375, the 32nd anniversary of his wife's accession. His pretensions to Majorca passed to his sister [Isabella](/source/Isabella_of_Majorca), wife of [John II of Montferrat](/source/John_II_of_Montferrat). He willed his rights to Achaea to Joanna, who had ruled the remains of the Principality since 1373 by cession of her brother-in-law, [Philip II of Taranto](/source/Philip_II_of_Taranto). ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldstone2009220_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldstone2009220_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldstone2009220_1-2) [Goldstone 2009](#CITEREFGoldstone2009), p. 220. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBisson198669,_72_2-0)** [Bisson 1986](#CITEREFBisson1986), pp. 69, 72. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBisson198669_3-0)** [Bisson 1986](#CITEREFBisson1986), p. 69. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBisson198687_4-0)** [Bisson 1986](#CITEREFBisson1986), p. 87. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBisson198687,_90_5-0)** [Bisson 1986](#CITEREFBisson1986), pp. 87, 90. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBisson198692_6-0)** [Bisson 1986](#CITEREFBisson1986), p. 92. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAbulafia1997175_7-0)** [Abulafia 1997](#CITEREFAbulafia1997), p. 175. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBisson1986105_8-0)** [Bisson 1986](#CITEREFBisson1986), p. 105. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBisson1986106_9-0)** [Bisson 1986](#CITEREFBisson1986), p. 106. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAbulafia199417_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAbulafia199417_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAbulafia199417_10-2) [Abulafia 1994](#CITEREFAbulafia1994), p. 17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldstone2009157–158_11-0)** [Goldstone 2009](#CITEREFGoldstone2009), pp. 157–158. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldstone2009160–161_12-0)** [Goldstone 2009](#CITEREFGoldstone2009), pp. 160–161. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldstone2009159–160,_220_13-0)** [Goldstone 2009](#CITEREFGoldstone2009), pp. 159–160, 220. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Grierson_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Grierson_14-1) Grierson, Philip; Travaini, Lucia (1998). *Medieval European Coinage: Volume 14, South Italy, Sicily, Sardinia: With a Catalogue of the Coins in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, Volume 14, Part 3*. Cambridge University Press. pp. 230, 511. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0521582318](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0521582318). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECasteen2015130_15-0)** [Casteen 2015](#CITEREFCasteen2015), p. 130. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGoldstone2009235–236_16-0)** [Goldstone 2009](#CITEREFGoldstone2009), pp. 235–236. ## Sources - [Abulafia, David](/source/David_Abulafia) (1994). *A Mediterranean emporium: The Catalan kingdom of Majorca*. Cambridge University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-89405-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-89405-0). - Abulafia, David (1997). [*The Western Mediterranean Kingdoms 1200-1500: The Struggle for Dominion*](https://archive.org/details/westernmediterra0000abul). Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-582-07820-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-582-07820-8). - Bisson, T. N. (1986). *The Medieval Crown of Aragon: A Short History*. Clarendon Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-820236-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-820236-9). - Casteen, Elizabeth (2015). *From She-Wolf to Martyr: The Reign and Disputed Reputation of Johanna I of Naples*. Cornell University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8014-5386-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8014-5386-1). - Goldstone, Nancy (2009). [*The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily*](https://archive.org/details/ladyqueennoto00gold). Walker&Company. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8027-7770-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8027-7770-6). - O'Callagan, Joseph F. (1975). *A History of Medieval Spain*. Cornell University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8014-9264-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8014-9264-5). ## External links - [History of Aragon and Catalonia](http://libro.uca.edu/chaytor/hac12.htm) James IV of Majorca House of Barcelona Cadet branch of the House of Barcelona Born: 1336 Died: 20 January 1375 Regnal titles Preceded by James III — TITULAR — King of Majorca 1349–1375 Succeeded by Isabella — TITULAR — Prince of Achaea 1349–1375 Succeeded by Joanna Royal titles Vacant Title last held by Andrew, Duke of Calabria King consort of Naples 1363–1375 Vacant Title next held by Otto of Brunswick-Grubenhagen v t e Royal consorts of Naples Margaret of Burgundy* Mary of Hungary Sancia of Majorca Andrew, Duke of Calabria James IV of Majorca Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen Margaret of Durazzo Mary of Lusignan Mary of Enghien James II, Count of La Marche Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine Maria of Castile* Isabella of Clermont Joanna of Aragon Joanna of Naples Isabella del Balzo Anne of Brittany Isabella I of Castile* Germaine of Foix* Isabella of Portugal* Mary I of England* Elisabeth of Valois* Anna of Austria* Margaret of Austria* Elisabeth of France* Mariana of Austria* Marie Louise d'Orléans* Maria Anna of Neuburg* Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel* Maria Amalia of Saxony* Maria Carolina of Austria* Julie Clary Caroline Bonaparte *Also Queen of Sicily v t e Infantes of Aragon 1st generation Sancho I 2nd generation Peter I Alfonso I Ramiro II 4th generation Ramon/Alfonso II Peter, Count of Cerdanya/Ramon Berenguer III of Provence Sancho, Count of Provence 5th generation Peter II Alfonso II, Count of Provence 6th generation James I 7th generation Peter III James II of Majorca Sancho 8th generation Alfonso III James II Frederick III of Sicily Sancho of Majorca 1 Ferdinand, Viscount of Aumelas 1 9th generation Alfonso IV Peter II of Sicily 2 Manfred, Duke of Athens and Neopatria 2 William II, Duke of Athens and Neopatria 2 John, Duke of Randazzo 2 James III of Majorca 1 10th generation Peter IV James I, Count of Urgell Louis of Sicily 2 Frederick IV of Sicily 2 Frederick I, Duke of Athens and Neopatria 2 James IV of Majorca 1 11th generation John I Martin Peter II, Count of Urgell 12th generation Martin I of Sicily James II, Count of Urgell 13th generation Peter Martin 14th generation Alfonso V John II Henry, Duke of Villena Peter, Count of Alburquerque 15th generation Charles, Prince of Viana Ferdinand II 16th generation John, Prince of Asturias 17th generation Charles I of Spain Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor 1 also a prince of Majorca 2 also a prince of Sicily Authority control databases International VIAF GND People Deutsche Biographie --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James IV of Majorca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_IV_of_Majorca) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_IV_of_Majorca?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.