Jacques II of Majorque

See also: Jacques II

Jacques II (Catalan: Jaume II ) born in 1243, dead the May 29th 1311, king de Majorque, count of Roussillon and Cerdagne, and lord of Montpellier, 1276 to its death.

Third wire of the king d' Aragon Jacques I {{er}} '' the Conqueror '', it accepted a neat education undoubtedly led by the “enlightened doctor”, Raymond Lulle. After the death of his brothers Alphonse and Ferdinand, he becomes the second in the succession with the crown. By will of 1262, his/her father divides his possessions: the older brother of Jacques, the infant Pierre receives the kingdoms of Aragon and Valence with the Comté of Barcelona, whereas Jacques receives the kingdom of Majorque, the counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne and the seigniory of Montpellier. On this date it also seems that his/her father recognizes to him the function of public prosecutor in his heritage. It can thus be initiated with the exercise of the capacity, which returns to him to dead from the Conqueror in 1276.

Become king, Jacques II must face the appetites of his powerful neighbors, the king of France to north and his Pierre brother, angry not to have been able to recover all the heritage of the Conqueror, in the south. The relationship between Pierre III of Aragon, the elder one, and Jacques II of Majorque, the junior, both wire of Jacques Ier '' the Conqueror '', were always tended. The king d' Aragon saw the grounds of his/her brother like a wart in his, whereas king de Majorque saw a coherent entity there.

As of 1279 it must be recognized vassal of Pierre d' Aragon for the Balearic Islands and of Philippe III of France for the seigniory of Montpellier. The danger more threatening seeming to be the crown of Aragon, Jacques II chooses the party of Philippe III in the Croisade of Aragon of 1284 - 1285, carried out against Pierre III of Aragon. After the rout of this forwarding, Pierre III confiscates in reprisals the Balearic Islands. In 1286, Jacques II leads a forwarding against the main ally of Pierre III to the north of the Pyrenees, the Viscount of Castelnou, vassal nominal of Jacques II, forwarding which is concluded by the catch from the castle from Castelnou. The hostility between the kingdom of Majorque and the crown of Aragon continues under the reign of Pierre III, that of his son and successor, Alphonse III. It is only in 1295, with the Traité of Anagni that the principle of the restitution of Majorque and Ibiza, increased island of Minorque, is accepted by the king Jacques II of Aragon, other wire of Pierre III. This restitution was effective only in 1298, and Jacques de Majorque had to be considered vassal of Jacques d' Aragon for all his possession.

Peace obtained, Jacques II will try to reorganize its kingdom by establishing new impositions, by subjecting the institutions majorquines to the royal capacity. It also sets up a policy of prestige, founded on great work, like that of the Palais of the kings de Majorque with Perpignan and that of the cathedral of Palma de Majorque, or the Château of Bellver in Majorque. The majority of this work were still in hand when Jacques II died the May 29th 1311.

Of its marriage of 1275 with Esclarmonde, girl of the count de Foix, it had four wire, the infants Jacques, Sanche, Ferdinand and Philippe. The elder one, infant it Jacques, refused the throne to become franciscain, as infant it Philippe did it. It is thus the second wire of Jacques II, infant it Sanche, which succeeded to him. The junior, it infant Ferdinand, adventurous figure, cut a principality in Greece and was the father of Jacques III, the last king “independent” of Majorque.

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