Violante de Bar
Encyclopedia
Violant of Bar (born circa 1365, Northern France – died 3 July 1431, Barcelona
) was queen of the medieval Iberian
kingdom of Aragon
.
and Yolanda of Flanders. Her maternal grandparents were John II of France
and his first wife, Bonne of Bohemia
.
Violante was the eighth of eleven children. She was married in 1380 at the age of 15 to Infante John, Duke of Girona
, the heir to the throne of Aragon, thus becoming Duchess of Girona and Countess of Cervera
.
in 1387.
He was often ill, and Violante wielded considerable administrative power on his behalf. She transformed the Aragonese court into a center of French culture. She especially cultivated the talents of Provençal
troubadour
s (poet-musicians).
Family troubles sometimes got in the way for John and Violante. John and his brother, Martin of Aragon, had never agreed on the father marrying Sibila of Fortia
, the marriage could cause dynastic problems that could imperil their rights in the line of succession.
Sibila had sons with Peter but they did not survive to adulthood. They had a surviving daughter, Isabella
; John had her married off to James II of Urgell
. Sibila was placed under house arrest in Barcelona
, where she stayed for the rest of her days. Sibila was treated with respect, but she was kept under close surveillance.
John and Violant had six children, but only one daughter, Yolande lived to adulthood.
, a woman who played a great role in the History of France
, during the Hundred Years' War
with England
.
Violant's stepdaughter, Joanna, claimed her rights to the Kingdom of Aragon
. Her husband, Matthew of Foix invaded. They were hoping to depose John's brother, Martin, but they failed and were sent back to France, where Joanna died, childless. Violant's daughter, Yolande and her sons also claimed the Kingdom of Aragon.
Violant died in Barcelona
on the 13 August 1431. She was aged sixty-six.
Barcelona
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...
) was queen of the medieval Iberian
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
kingdom of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
.
Background
She was the daughter of Robert I, Duke of Bar and Marie of Valois. Her paternal grandparents were Henry IV of BarHenry IV of Bar
Henry IV of Bar was count of Bar from 1336 to 1344. His aunt, Joan of Bar, Countess of Surrey, governed Bar in his name during his minority. He was the son of Edward I of Bar and his wife Marie of Burgundy. He married Yolande de Dampierre and both his children succeeded him as count....
and Yolanda of Flanders. Her maternal grandparents were John II of France
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
and his first wife, Bonne of Bohemia
Bonne of Bohemia
Bonne of Luxemburg, Duchess of Normandy, Countess of Anjou and of Maine , was born Jutta , the daughter of John the Blind of Luxemburg, king of Bohemia and his first wife Elisabeth of Bohemia. She was the first wife of King John II of France; however, as her death occurred a year prior to his...
.
Violante was the eighth of eleven children. She was married in 1380 at the age of 15 to Infante John, Duke of Girona
John I of Aragon
John I , called by posterity the Hunter or the Lover of Elegance , but the Abandoned in his lifetime, was the King of...
, the heir to the throne of Aragon, thus becoming Duchess of Girona and Countess of Cervera
Count of Cervera
The title Count of Cervera is currently held by Felipe, Prince of Asturias, heir to Juan Carlos of Spain. Cervera is the capital of the comarca of Segarra, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia...
.
Queen consort
Her husband became King John I of AragonJohn I of Aragon
John I , called by posterity the Hunter or the Lover of Elegance , but the Abandoned in his lifetime, was the King of...
in 1387.
He was often ill, and Violante wielded considerable administrative power on his behalf. She transformed the Aragonese court into a center of French culture. She especially cultivated the talents of Provençal
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
s (poet-musicians).
Family troubles sometimes got in the way for John and Violante. John and his brother, Martin of Aragon, had never agreed on the father marrying Sibila of Fortia
Sibila of Fortia
Sibila of Fortià , Queen of Aragon, was daughter of Berenguer de Fortià and his wife, Francesca of Palau. Sibila belonged to the lineage of Fortià, the lower nobility, with possessions in the rural Empordà, in the county of Ampurias. She was Queen consort of Aragon by her marriage to Peter IV of...
, the marriage could cause dynastic problems that could imperil their rights in the line of succession.
Sibila had sons with Peter but they did not survive to adulthood. They had a surviving daughter, Isabella
Isabella of Aragon (1380–1424)
Isabella of Aragon was a daughter of Peter IV of Aragon and his fourth wife, Sibila of Fortia. She was infanta of Aragon and Countess of Urgel.- Family :...
; John had her married off to James II of Urgell
James II of Urgell
James II was the Count of Urgell , Viscount of Àger, and lord of Antillón, Alcolea de Cinca, and Fraga...
. Sibila was placed under house arrest in Barcelona
Barcelona
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...
, where she stayed for the rest of her days. Sibila was treated with respect, but she was kept under close surveillance.
John and Violant had six children, but only one daughter, Yolande lived to adulthood.
- Infante James of Aragon (1382–1388), Duke of Girona and Count of Cervera
- Infanta Yolande of AragonYolande of AragonYolande of Aragon, , was a throne claimant and titular queen regnant of Aragon, titular queen consort of Naples, Duchess of Anjou, Countess of Provence, and regent of Provence during the minority of her son...
(ZaragozaZaragozaZaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
1384 - SaumurSaumurSaumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
14 November 1442), married in 2 December 1400 at Louis II of NaplesLouis II of NaplesLouis II of Anjou was the rival of Ladislaus as King of Naples. He was a member of the House of Valois-Anjou.-Biography:...
. She played a role in the history of FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - Infante Ferdinand of Aragon (1389 - MonzónMonzónMonzón is a small town in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It has a population of 17,050. It is located in the northeast and adjoins the rivers Cinca and Sosa.-Historical overview:...
October 1389), Duke of Girona and Count of Cervera - Infanta Joanna of Aragon (1392 - Barcelona 4 August 1396)
- Infanta Antonia of Aragon (b and d 1392)
- Infanta Peter of Aragon (1394-1394), Duke of Girona and Count of Cervera
Queen dowager
After John's death in 1395, she dedicated herself to the education of her only surviving child, a daughter also named Violante. Known as Yolande of AragonYolande of Aragon
Yolande of Aragon, , was a throne claimant and titular queen regnant of Aragon, titular queen consort of Naples, Duchess of Anjou, Countess of Provence, and regent of Provence during the minority of her son...
, a woman who played a great role in the History of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
with England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Violant's stepdaughter, Joanna, claimed her rights to the Kingdom of Aragon
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
. Her husband, Matthew of Foix invaded. They were hoping to depose John's brother, Martin, but they failed and were sent back to France, where Joanna died, childless. Violant's daughter, Yolande and her sons also claimed the Kingdom of Aragon.
Violant died in Barcelona
Barcelona
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...
on the 13 August 1431. She was aged sixty-six.