John II of Castile

John II
Tomb of King John II
King of Castile and León
Reign	25 December 1406–20 July 1454 (&1000000000000004700000047 years, &10000000000000207000000207 days)
Predecessor	Henry III
Successor	Henry IV
Consort	Maria of Aragon Isabella of Portugal
among others... Issue
Catherine, Princess of Asturias Eleanor, Princess of Asturias Henry IV of Castile Isabella I of Castile Alfonso, Prince of Asturias
House	House of Trastámara
Father	Henry III of Castile
Mother	Catherine of Lancaster
Born	6 March 1405(1405-03-06) Toro, Zamora
Died	20 July 1454(1454-07-20) (aged 49) Valladolid
Burial	Miraflores Monastery
Religion	Roman Catholicism

John II (6 March 1405 – 20 July 1454) was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454.

He was the son of Henry III of Castile and his wife Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster by Constance of Castile, daughter of King Peter of Castile.

Reign

Regency

He succeeded his father on 25 December 1406, at the age of a year and ten months, and united in his person the claims of Peter the Cruel and of Henry II. His mother Catherine and his uncle, Ferdinand, were co-regents during his minority. When Ferdinand died in 1416, his mother was sole regent until she died as well, in 1418.

Personal rule

It was one of the many misfortunes of Castile that the long reign of John II—forty-nine years—should have been granted to one of the least capable of its kings. John was amiable, weak, and dependent on those about him. He had no taste except for ornament and no serious interest except in amusements such as verse-making, hunting, and tournaments.

He was entirely under the influence of his favourite, Álvaro de Luna, until his second wife, Isabella of Portugal, obtained control of his feeble will. At her instigation, he dismissed his faithful and able favorite, an act which is said to have caused him much remorse. He died on 20 July 1454, at Valladolid.

John II of Castile declared the Valladolid laws, which restricted the social activity of Jews. Among the most notable of the provisions were; outlining that Jews must wear distinctive clothes and banned them from holding administrative positions.

In 1431 John placed Yusuf IV on the throne of the Moorish kingdom of Granada, in exchange for tribute and vassal status to Castile. This exchange is depicted in the short ballad the Romance of Abenamar.

Appearance

Crown of Castile
Royal dynasties
House of Trastámara

Henry II Children include    John I    Eleanor, Queen of Navarre John I Children include    Henry III    Ferdinand I of Aragon Henry III Children include    John II    Maria, Queen of Aragon John II Children include    Henry IV    Isabella I    Alfonso, Prince of Asturias Henry IV Children    Joan, Queen of Portugal Isabella I with Ferdinand V Children    Isabella, Queen of Portugal    John, Prince of Asturias    Joanna I, Queen of Castile    Maria, Queen of Portugal    Catherine, Queen of England Joanna I

John was of a very fair complexion, had blue eyes, and had a hair color that was between reddish-blond and auburn; these were typical in members of the Trastámara family who were descendants of Peter I of Castile.^{[citation needed]}

Family and children

In 1418, John married his cousin Maria of Aragon, the oldest daughter of the king Ferdinand I of Aragon and his wife Eleanor of Alburquerque. The marriage produced four children:

• Catherine, Princess of Asturias (1422–1424), his heiress presumptive until her death
• Eleanor, Princess of Asturias (1423–1425), his heiress presumptive until the birth of Henry
• King Henry IV of Castile (1425–1474)
• Infanta Maria (1428–1429)

Of all their children, only the future Henry IV of Castile survived infancy. John was widowed in 1445 and remarried to Isabella of Portugal, daughter of Infante John of Portugal, with whom he had two children:

• Queen Isabella I of Castile (1451–1504)
• Alfonso, Prince of Asturias (1453–1468)

Ancestry

16. Alfonso XI, King of Castile

8. Henry II, King of Castile

17. Eleanor of Guzmán

4. John I, King of Castile

18. John, Prince of Villena

9. Joan of Castile

19. Blanca de La Cerda y Lara

2. Henry III, King of Castile

20. Alfonso IV, King of Aragon

10. Peter IV, King of Aragon

21. Teresa d'Entença

5. Eleanor of Aragon

22. Peter II of Sicily

11. Eleanor of Sicily

23. Elisabeth of Carinthia

1. John II of Castile

24. Edward II, King of England

12. Edward III, King of England

25. Isabella of France

6. John, 1st Duke of Lancaster

26. William I, Count of Hainault

13. Philippa of Hainault

27. Joan of Valois

3. Catherine of Lancaster

28. Alfonso XI, King of Castile

14. Peter, King of Castile

29. Maria of Portugal

7. Constance of Castile

30. Juan García de Padilla

15. María de Padilla

31. María González de Hinestrosa

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "John II". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/John_II_Of_Castile. 

John II of Castile House of Trastámara Born: 6 March 1405 Died: 20 July 1454
Regnal titles
Preceded by Henry III	King of Castile 1406–1454	Succeeded by Henry IV
	King of León 1406–1454
Spanish royalty
Preceded by Infanta Maria	Prince of Asturias 1405–1406	Succeeded by Infanta Catherine