Relates the story, so far as it concerns Majorca, of the last Kings of
Aragon
The extinction of their reigning dynasty was a great calamity to
the people of Majorca, especially during the prolonged life of the
Ceremonious one. At last he died in 1387. His sons were very different
in all respects. Juan I., surnamed the Huntsman, succeeded as King of
Aragon, and he was also the legitimate heir to the Balearic Islands.
A pestilence in Catalonia led him to visit Majorca. He and his Queen
were in different galleys, and were separated during bad weather.
Juan landed at Soller on July 16, 1394, and proceeded to the castle
of Valdemosa. The Queen, reached Palma safely. They were united at
the castle of Belver, where they spent six pleasant months. Devoted
to the chase, Juan went about over the island hawking the partridges
introduced by King Sancho. He also imported deer. Returning to Aragon,
he was unfortunately killed in the forest of Foxà, near his castle
of Uriols, when hunting a she-wolf. He only had a daughter named
Violante, who became Queen of Naples, mother of Louis, Duke of Calabria.
Juan I. was succeeded by his brother King Martin, an excellent prince,
surnamed ‘the Humane.’ At this time San Vicente Ferrer of Valencia
was flourishing and striving to create a religious revival, and his
zeal made an impression on the minds of King Martin and many of his
subjects. In 1413 San Vicente went to Majorca, where his preaching
aroused the people to make great demonstrations of their religious
fervour. It is even said that the saint wrought a miracle by bringing
down abundant rain during a season of drought. The Catholic zeal of
King Martin led him to grant Sancho’s castle of Valdemosa to the
Carthusians for a monastery on June 15, 1399. Large donations for
the building of the church were received from Majorcan nobles, and
the courtly apartments of King Sancho were converted into cells, a
refectory, and a cloister. The Cartuja of Valdemosa continued to
flourish on this beautiful site for more than four centuries. The
church is a fine edifice, containing the richly carved stalls of the
Carthusians, a profile in relief of King Martin, and a remarkably good
statue, carved in wood, of St. Bruno. After the suppression and the
expulsion of the Carthusians in 1834 their cells were let to families
from Palma and others for the summer. A large portion forms the summer
residence of Don Juan Sureda, who has converted the refectory into a
charming ballroom, with a stage and proscenium at one end for private
theatricals. Georges Sand, with the composer Chopin, occupied two of
the cells. Georges Sand afterwards wrote a book on her winter residence
in Majorca in 1835, animadverting on the country and the people. But
her strictures are unfair and, to a great extent, untrue, and have been
ably refuted by a native author. To this day the Cartuja on its ridge,
surrounded by orange-groves, is a beautiful object in the ascent from
the garden of Palma to Valdemosa, still looking more like the castle
of King Sancho than a Cartuja. Apartments are shown as having been the
residence of King Martin, but he never visited the island personally.
Martin died in 1410 without legitimate children, and there were
several claimants to the succession. The Count of Urgel represented
the male line, as the grandson of Jayme, brother of Pedro IV. Fernando
of Antequera, brother of the King of Castille, was a nephew of King
Martin through his mother, Leonor. Louis of Calabria was a grandson
of Juan I. and grand-nephew of King Martin. Alfonso, Duke of Gandia,
was a nephew of Alfonso IV. and first cousin of Pedro IV. There was
also Fadrique, Count of Luna, an illegitimate son of King Martin.
Altogether five claimants. Elected delegates from Aragon, Catalonia,
Valencia, and Majorca were assembled to examine the claims. There was
a strong feeling in favour of the Count of Urgel, as representing the
male line; but Fernando de Antequera was chosen, it is supposed through
the influence of San Vicente Ferrer. Fernando I. only reigned for four
years, from 1412 to 1416, and was succeeded by his son Alfonso V., who
devoted a long reign of forty-two years chiefly to the conquest of
Naples. He was surnamed ‘the Magnanimous.’
The Majorcans gave King Alfonso assistance in soldiers and in ships,
and many of their knights served in the King’s campaigns. Both the
Government and private persons co-operated with Barcelona in fitting
out armed ships for the protection of trade against the Barbary
pirates. Among the Majorcan nobles who equipped such vessels the
foremost was En Salvador Sureda, who also appeared at this time as a
knight of chivalry under the following circumstances.
A Catalan knight named Francisco de Valseca, who was famous for his
prowess in all jousting exercises, came to Palma to take part in a
tournament in 1442. He ran a lance with Salvador Sureda, and censured
his opponent for the way in which he had gained an advantage. Sureda
replied that he had used his lance and run the course as became a
knight, and that he was ready to encounter his adversary again as often
as he liked and at any place he might appoint. Valseca did not hear
these words because his vizor was down, and he was not told of them
until after his return to Barcelona. He then promptly sent a trumpet
to Sureda, challenging him to a combat. The two knights sent a joint
request to the King, Alfonso V. of Aragon, that he would appoint lists
and preside at the encounter. The King consented, naming his city of
Naples as the place and summoning the combatants to appear there on a
certain day. The royal missive was sent to Sureda, who, on August 23,
1443, sent his trumpet, named Agustin de Luna, with two letters--one
of thanks to the King; the other, with a copy of the royal letter,
to Valseca. The trumpet sailed from Porto Pi and duly delivered the
letters. The day appointed was January 5, 1444.
Both knights proceeded to Naples and made their appearance on the
appointed day. En Salvador Sureda wore a crimson surcoat embroidered
with gold, and his horse was similarly caparisoned. His device was a
small falcon’s cage, with the motto ‘dentro está quier le cage.’ He
was preceded by three knights richly dressed, and three pages with the
helmet and plumes. The route along which he came was kept by several
friends, bearing the well-known Majorcan names of Dameto, Zaforteza,
Bosch, Mari, and Vivot. In advance of all was a herald, with trumpets
and minstrels and the Sureda standard, which was a cork-tree on a
golden ground. Valseca also came splendidly accoutred and similarly
attended.
At each end of the lists there were tents for the combatants, and on
the side a very richly ornamented pavilion for King Alfonso and his
young son Fernando, of whom the King was very fond. Ten knights, called
the ‘ten faithful ones,’ guarded the lists, and two others, nominated
by the King, were named ‘preservers of peace.’ At least twenty thousand
spectators were present.
There was complete silence, until a clarion sounded and the two
knights came out of their tents and mounted. On a second blast of the
clarion the two knights put their lances in rest and commenced their
furious careers. At that moment the King threw his warder down, as
our poor Richard II. had done some fifty years before, but with very
different consequences. The ‘ten faithful ones’ then rushed between
the combatants and wrested their lances from them. Their astonishment
was mingled with anger not immediately appeased. Young Fernando then
came down from the pavilion and called the two knights, who had
dismounted. He told them that the King his father was unwilling that
either knight should be killed, both being so distinguished and both
having sufficiently proved their fortitude, resolution, and valour.
Valseca and Sureda both placed themselves under the orders of the
King. The young Prince took a position himself between the two, and,
taking a hand of each, he led them up to King Alfonso, at whose feet
they knelt and did homage. The King obliged them to make friends,
conferred several benefits on them, and the day ended in rejoicing and
festivities. The standard of Sureda was hung in the cathedral of Palma.
There it remained until 1819, when it was burnt at the fire of the
ancient chapel of San Pedro.
Alfonso V. had achieved the conquest of Naples, though he lost his
brother Pedro during the siege. When he died, in 1458, his illegitimate
son Fernando succeeded as King of Naples, followed by his sons Alfonso
and Federigo. On their deaths Naples became part of the vast dominions
of Fernando of Aragon and Castille. Thus Alfonso V. restored all the
dominions of King Manfred to his descendants.
The conqueror of Naples was succeeded as King of Aragon by his brother
Juan II., a very different man. Juan had married Blanche, the heiress
of Navarre, by whom he had a son Carlos, Prince of Viana, and a
daughter Leonor. Juan II. began to persecute his son in 1450, before
his accession, and when he was only King of Navarre by right of his
wife. Carlos, when he came of age, felt that he was the rightful King
of Navarre, and not his father. He took up arms, was defeated, and
taken prisoner. He was confined in the castle of Monroy, but he escaped
to Naples, and after the death of his uncle Alfonso he took refuge in
Sicily. Juan II. sent an envoy to induce the Prince of Viana to come
to Majorca, where he landed in August 1459, and was very cordially
received by the people. Juan II. published an order that all the
castles in Majorca were to be delivered over to the Prince; but he sent
a secret order at the same time that some of the strongest, including
the castle of Belver, were not to be given up, and that Carlos was
to be detained if he entered Belver. Knowing that the word of his
father could not be depended upon, and fearful of arrest, the Prince
resolved to proceed to Barcelona and seek an interview. He landed on
March 20, 1460, and his father pretended to be reconciled, fearing
insurrections in his son’s favour; but the Prince of Viana died, under
very suspicious circumstances, in the following year. His sister Leonor
then became Queen of Navarre, and by her marriage with Gaston de Foix
the title descended to Henry IV., and again became merged in the crown
of France.
Juan II. had married secondly Juana Henriquez, daughter of the Admiral
of Castille, and by her he had a son Fernando, and a daughter Juana,
Queen of Naples. After a reign of twenty years Juan II. died, and was
succeeded by his son Fernando II. in 1479. The marriage of Fernando
with Isabella of Castille united the two kingdoms, and Majorca, with
the other islands, became a part of the kingdom of Spain. But Majorca
retained her constitution and privileges during the sway of the
Austrian dynasty.