Maria de Luna

Maria de Luna
Queen consort of Aragon
Tenure	1396–1406
Born	1358
Died	20 December 1406 Villarreal
Spouse	Martin I of Aragon
Father	Lope, Count of Luna
Mother	Brianda de Got
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Maria de Luna (1358 – 20 December 1406 in Villarreal), was a queen consort of Aragon, as the spouse of King Martin I of Aragon. She was known as "La Grande" (English: The Great), and is regarded as one of the most notable queens in Aragon. She served as Regent or "Queen-Lieutenant" of Aragon in the place of her spouse between 1396 and 1401.

Biography

Coat of Arms

Maria was the daughter and heir of the Aragonese noble Lope, Lord and 1st Count of Luna and Lord of Segorbe and Brianda de Got (or de Agasunt- Agaout ) from Provence, who was related to Pope Clement V.

Maria was betrothed to Martin at the age of eight, and brought up at the court of Martin's mother, Queen Eleanor. She married Martin in Barcelona on 13 June 1372, becoming queen in 1396: at the time of his accession to the throne, her spouse was in Sicily, so Maria acted as regent alongside Queen Dowager Violant of Bar, and Matthew, Count of Foix until his return in 1397.

Maria was politically active and exerted influence upon both policy and society, and was considered to be more talented than Martin as a ruler. She supported the poor financially, handled taxes, welcomed Jewish and Muslim refugees, attempted to stop the noble clans warring, (including her own family), and wrote to Pope Benedict XIII to suggest bans toward laws and practises she saw as unjust. Described as wise, just, merciful, and religious without being a fanatic, she was interested in music and literature but unimpressed by pomp and luxury.

She died of a stroke while travelling to Valencia.

Statue of Maria de Luna outside the Church of St. Martin, Segorbe

Issue

Maria and Martin had four children; three of them died in childhood:

• Martin I of Sicily
• James (b. 1378)
• John (b. 1380)
• Margaret (b. 1384/1388)