Charles of Viana
Encyclopedia
Charles, Prince of Viana (29 May 1421 – 23 September 1461), sometimes called Charles IV of Navarre, was the son of King John II of Aragon
and Queen Blanche I of Navarre
.
. Both his grandfather Charles and his mother, who ruled over Navarre from 1425 to 1441, had bequeathed this kingdom to Charles, whose right had also been recognized by the Cortes; but when Blanche died in 1441 her husband John seized the kingdom to the exclusion of his son.
(1422–1446), the daughter of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves
and Mary of Burgundy; sister of Philip III "the Good", Duke of Burgundy. Agnes died, childless, on 6 April 1448, eight years after her marriage to Charles, aged only about twenty-three. After her death, the prince took a mistress, Brianda de Vaca, and by her had an illegitimate son, born about 1449. He wished to remarry, and a possibility which was canvassed was a match with Isabella of Scotland
(1426–1494), the widow of Francis I, Duke of Brittany
, after he died on 18 July 1450, but this was opposed by Charles VII of France
. A match was then agreed between Charles and the Infanta Catherine of Portugal (1436–1463), daughter of King Edward I, but the marriage was delayed and had not taken place when Charles died in 1461.
Charles left three illegitimate children by three different mistresses:
noblewoman (of a bastard cadet line
from Castilian kings), who soon bore him a son, afterwards Ferdinand II of Aragon
, and who regarded her stepson as an interloper. When Joanna began to interfere in the internal affairs of Navarre, a civil war
broke out, and in 1452 Charles, although aided by King John II of Castile
, was defeated and taken prisoner. Released upon promising not to take the kingly title until after his father's death, the prince, again unsuccessful in an appeal to arms, took refuge in Naples
with King Alfonso V of Aragon
. In 1458 Alfonso died and John became king of Aragon, while Charles was offered the crowns of Naples and Sicily. He declined these proposals, and having been reconciled with his father returned to Navarre in 1459. Aspiring to marry Isabella of Castile
, he was then thrown into prison by his father, and the Catalans rose in his favor. This insurrection soon became general and John was obliged to yield. He released his son, and recognized him as perpetual governor of Catalonia
, and heir to the kingdom.
, not without a suspicion that he had been poisoned by his stepmother.
Charles was a cultured and amiable prince, fond of music and literature. He translated Aristotle's Ethics into Aragonese, a work first published at Zaragoza
in 1509, and wrote a chronicle of the kings of Navarre, Cronica de los reyes de Navarra.
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John II of Aragon
John II the Faithless, also known as the Great was the King of Aragon from 1458 until 1479, and jure uxoris King of Navarre from 1425 until his death. He was the son of Ferdinand I and his wife Eleanor of Alburquerque...
and Queen Blanche I of Navarre
Blanche I of Navarre
Blanche I was Queen of Navarre from 1425 to 1441. She became queen regnant upon the death of her father King Charles III of Navarre...
.
Background
His mother was the daughter and heiress of Charles III, King of NavarreCharles III of Navarre
Charles III , called the Noble, was King of Navarre from 1387 to his death and Count of Évreux from 1387 to 1404, when he exchanged it for the title Duke of Nemours...
. Both his grandfather Charles and his mother, who ruled over Navarre from 1425 to 1441, had bequeathed this kingdom to Charles, whose right had also been recognized by the Cortes; but when Blanche died in 1441 her husband John seized the kingdom to the exclusion of his son.
Marriage
The Prince of Viana was married in Olite (Navarre) on 30 September 1439, taking as his wife Agnes of ClevesAgnes of Cleves
Agnes of Cleves was a daughter of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves and his second wife Mary of Burgundy.Agnes married in 1439 to Charles, Prince of Viana, who was titular King of Navarre. However the couple had no children and Agnes died on April 6 1448, aged only twenty three or twenty four...
(1422–1446), the daughter of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves
Adolph I, Duke of Cleves
Adolph I of Cleves was 2nd. Count of Cleves and 4th. Count of Mark.- Life :He was the son of Adolph III, Count of Mark, and Margaret of Julich ....
and Mary of Burgundy; sister of Philip III "the Good", Duke of Burgundy. Agnes died, childless, on 6 April 1448, eight years after her marriage to Charles, aged only about twenty-three. After her death, the prince took a mistress, Brianda de Vaca, and by her had an illegitimate son, born about 1449. He wished to remarry, and a possibility which was canvassed was a match with Isabella of Scotland
Isabella of Scotland
Not to be confused with Isabella of Scotland, Countess of NorfolkIsabella Stewart was a Scottish princess and by marriage the Duchess of Brittany...
(1426–1494), the widow of Francis I, Duke of Brittany
Francis I, Duke of Brittany
Francis I , was duke of Brittany, count of Montfort and titular earl of Richmond, from 1442 to his death. He was son of Duke John VI and Joan of France.He first married, at Nantes in 1431, Yolande of Anjou Francis I (in Breton Fransez I, in French François I) (Vannes/Gwened, May 14, 1414 –...
, after he died on 18 July 1450, but this was opposed by Charles VII of France
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
. A match was then agreed between Charles and the Infanta Catherine of Portugal (1436–1463), daughter of King Edward I, but the marriage was delayed and had not taken place when Charles died in 1461.
Charles left three illegitimate children by three different mistresses:
- Anna, Countess of Medinaceli
- Philip, Archbishop of PalermoPhilip of VianaPhilip of Viana was the Archbishop of Palermo from 31 January 1477, when he received papal approval from Sixtus IV, to his renunciation of his see in 1485....
- John, Bishop of Huesca
Clashes with his father
The ill-feeling between father and son was increased when in 1447 John took for his second wife Joanna (Juana) Enriquez, a CastilianCrown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
noblewoman (of a bastard cadet line
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
from Castilian kings), who soon bore him a son, afterwards Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
, and who regarded her stepson as an interloper. When Joanna began to interfere in the internal affairs of Navarre, a civil war
Navarrese Civil War (1451–1455)
The Navarrese Civil War of 1451–1455 pitted John II of the Kingdom of Navarre against his son and heir-apparent, Charles IV.When the war started, John II had been King of Navarre since 1425 through his first wife, Blanche I of Navarre, who had married him in 1420. By the marriage pact of 1419, John...
broke out, and in 1452 Charles, although aided by King John II of Castile
John II of Castile
John II 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.-Regency:He succeeded his father on 25 December 1406, at the age of...
, was defeated and taken prisoner. Released upon promising not to take the kingly title until after his father's death, the prince, again unsuccessful in an appeal to arms, took refuge in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
with King Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso the Magnanimous KG was the King of Aragon , Valencia , Majorca, Sardinia and Corsica , and Sicily and Count of Barcelona from 1416 and King of Naples from 1442 until his death...
. In 1458 Alfonso died and John became king of Aragon, while Charles was offered the crowns of Naples and Sicily. He declined these proposals, and having been reconciled with his father returned to Navarre in 1459. Aspiring to marry Isabella of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
, he was then thrown into prison by his father, and the Catalans rose in his favor. This insurrection soon became general and John was obliged to yield. He released his son, and recognized him as perpetual governor of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, and heir to the kingdom.
Death and legacy
Soon afterwards, however, on 23 September 1461, the prince died at BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, not without a suspicion that he had been poisoned by his stepmother.
Charles was a cultured and amiable prince, fond of music and literature. He translated Aristotle's Ethics into Aragonese, a work first published at Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
in 1509, and wrote a chronicle of the kings of Navarre, Cronica de los reyes de Navarra.
Ancestry
External links
- "El príncipe don Carlos de Viana" by José Moreno CarboneroJosé Moreno Carbonero-Biography:Moreno Carbonero was born in the Perchel quarter of Málaga. In 1868 he joined the art school of his home town, where he was a student of José Denis Belgrano and Bernardo Ferrándiz. At the age of 12 he took part in an art competition in Málaga and won a gold medal. In the same year he...
at ArteHistoria - The Prince Carlos of Viana in Medieval History of Navarre
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