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. His maternal grandparents were John of Gaunt, 1st. Duke of Lancaster and 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. 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. 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 ...