Who is King John II of Castile?
On 6 March 1405, John (in Spanish Juan) was born at Toro, Zamora.
Family
John was the son of King Henry III of Castile and Catherine of Lancaster.
His paternal grandparents were John I, King of Castile (after who John was
named) and Eleanor of Aragon.
named) and Eleanor of Aragon.
His maternal grandparents were John of Gaunt, 1st. Duke of Lancaster and
Constance of Castile.
Constance of Castile.
John was a member of the house of Trastámara.
Reign
On 25 December 1406, John became King of Castile and León. His mother
and his uncle, King Ferdinand I of Aragon, were co-regents during his
minority. When Ferdinand I died in 1416, his mother governed alone until
her death in 1418.
and his uncle, King Ferdinand I of Aragon, were co-regents during his
minority. When Ferdinand I died in 1416, his mother governed alone until
her death in 1418.
The rule of King John II of Castile lasted 48 years, it was one of the
longest in Castilian history, although John himself was not a great monarch.
longest in Castilian history, although John himself was not a great monarch.
He spent his time verse-making, hunting and holding tournaments.
Love and Marriage
In 1418, John married Maria of Aragon, the oldest daughter of his
paternal uncle: Ferdinand I of Aragon. They had 4 children together.
Among them the future King Henry IV of Castile.
paternal uncle: Ferdinand I of Aragon. They had 4 children together.
Among them the future King Henry IV of Castile.
John was widowed in 1445 and he remarried to Isabella of Portugal.
She was the daughter of Infante John of Portugal.
She was the daughter of Infante John of Portugal.
John and Isabella had two children together:
Queen Isabella I of Castile;
Alfonso, Prince of Asturias.
Death
John II died on 20 July 1454 at Valladolid at the age of 49.
The Kingdom of Castile
The crown of Castile existed in its own rights within the Spanish crown
and with its own law until the arrival of the Bourbon dynasty after the
War of the Spanish Succession.
and with its own law until the arrival of the Bourbon dynasty after the
War of the Spanish Succession.
Source picture: Wikipedia
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