| Ferdinand I | |
|---|---|
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| King of Aragon,Valencia,Majorca,Sicily,Sardinia and Corsica Count of Barcelona,Roussillon, andCerdanya Duke of Athens andNeopatria | |
| Reign | 25 June 1412[1] –2 April 1416 |
| Coronation | 11 February 1414 (Zaragoza) |
| Predecessor | Martin |
| Successor | Alfonso V |
| Born | 27 November 1380 Medina del Campo |
| Died | 2 April 1416(1416-04-02) (aged 35) Igualada |
| Burial | |
| Consort | |
| Issue among others... | |
| House | Trastámara |
| Father | John I of Castile |
| Mother | Eleanor of Aragon |
Ferdinand I (Spanish:Fernando I; 27 November 1380 – 2 April 1416 in Igualada, Òdena) namedFerdinand of Antequera and alsothe Just (orthe Honest) was king ofAragon,Valencia,Majorca,Sardinia and (nominal)Corsica and king ofSicily, duke (nominal) ofAthens andNeopatria, andcount of Barcelona,Roussillon andCerdanya (1412–1416). He was also regent ofCastile (1406–1416). He was the first Castillian ruler of theCrown of Aragon.
Ferdinand was born 27 November 1380 inMedina del Campo, the younger son of KingJohn I of Castile andEleanor of Aragon.[2]
On 15 August 1403 inMedina del Campo, Ferdinand founded a new order of knighthood, theOrder of the Jar.[3]
In 1406, upon the death of his elder brother, KingHenry III of Castile, Ferdinand declined the Castilian crown and instead, with Henry's widowCatherine of Lancaster, became coregent during the minority of his nephewJohn II of Castile.[4] In this capacity he distinguished himself by his prudent administration of domestic affairs.
In a war with the MuslimKingdom of Granada, he conquered the town ofAntequera (1410), whence his surname.[5]
After Ferdinand's maternal uncle, KingMartin I of Aragon (Martin II of Sicily), died without surviving legitimate issue, Ferdinand was chosen King ofAragon in 1412 to succeed him in theCompromise of Caspe. The other candidate, CountJames II of Urgell (seeCounts of Urgell), revolted and Ferdinand dissolved theCounty of Urgell in 1413.
Ferdinand created the title ofPrince of Girona for the heir of theCrown of Aragon on 19 February 1416.
The most notable accomplishment of his brief reign was his agreement in 1416 to depose theAntipope Benedict XIII, thereby helping to end theWestern Schism, which had divided theRoman Catholic Church for nearly 40 years.
He is buried in the Crown of Aragon's royal pantheon of the monastery ofPoblet, in a magnificent tomb ordered by his sonAlfonso toPere Oller in 1417.
The Italian humanistLorenzo Valla wrote an official biography of Ferdinand,Historiarum Ferdinandi regis Aragonum libri sex.
In 1394 Ferdinand marriedEleanor of Alburquerque (1374–1435). They had seven children:
"He was tall, a little more than average, and thin and ruddy, and his cheeks had a few freckles... very patient to all who wanted to talk to him, even if their speeches were ordinary or not well-reasoned..."[8]
Page 241: On March 29 1412 the nine electors got down to their task in an Aragonese town of Caspe and on June 25 they declared the Castilian prince don Fernando elected. Fernando de Antequera was solemnly proclaimed King of Aragon three days later.
Ferdinand I of Aragon Born: 27 November 1380 Died: 2 April 1416 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of Aragon,Valencia,Majorca, Sicily,Sardinia and Corsica; Count of Barcelona,Roussillon andCerdagne 1412–1416 | Succeeded by |
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