The Story of Majorca and MinorcaMarkham, Clements R. (Clements Robert), Sir
History
The Story of Majorca and Minorca
Markham, Clements R. (Clements Robert), Sir
Balearic Islands (Spain) -- History
Soon afterwards the cause of Pedro of Castille became hopeless. His
illegitimate brother Henry of Trastamara, aided by the Ceremonious
tyrant of Aragon, advanced into Spain with an army and besieged the
castle of Burgos, which had been occupied by Jayme and his troops. The
King of Majorca made a gallant defence, but at last he was obliged to
surrender. His odious uncle of Aragon tried to get his unfortunate
nephew into his clutches again; but love was ready to make greater
sacrifices than hatred. The Queen of Naples ransomed her husband for
sixty thousand _doblas_.
In March 1369 Jayme was safe in the territory of the Count of Foix.
Thence he proceeded to Avignon and began to collect troops, intending
to invade Roussillon, which had been unjustly occupied by the usurper.
His whole heart was devoted to what he considered the duty of avenging
his father’s death. He looked upon his uncle Pedro as a usurper and
murderer, and his hatred for the Ceremonious one was intense. Friends
represented to him that he should be satisfied with the kingdom of
Naples and a devoted wife. But he answered that he was bound to avenge
his father. When it was represented to him that attacks with inadequate
forces on so powerful an enemy could only lead to his own destruction,
he replied that he could not die in a better cause.
The Companies were then overrunning France. Young Jayme enlisted
Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Provençals, the funds being supplied by
his Queen. He advanced with his little army to Narbonne, and thence
to Toulouse. His beloved sister Isabel, who had become the wife of
the Marquis of Monserrat, joined her brother when he invaded his own
territory of Roussillon. The town of Perpignan was too strong for
attack, and the Ceremonious one was making great preparations for the
defence of Catalonia. His army was assembled in the Ampurdan to oppose
an entry by the Pass of Panizas. The young King of Majorca therefore
crossed the Pyrenees, entering by the Puig-cerdan Pass, and occupied
the county of Urgel. His uncle of Aragon resorted to a way more in
accordance with his nature than a fair fight. He poisoned his nephew.
The secret crime was perpetrated at Valderan, near Urgel. Jayme died in
his sister’s arms, rendering up a life which had been devoted to the
memory of his unhappy father. It was in January 1375 that the last King
of Majorca and King Consort of Naples expired within his own rightful
dominions of Cerdaña. His body was buried in the Franciscan monastery
of Soria. His sister Isabel returned into Gascony, and died in 1379,
the last of her race.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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