Juan Manuel of Castile

Two Castilian Infantes (Princes), father and son, wore this name.

Juan Manuel of Castile (1282-1349)

Juan Manuel, Infante of Castile, was the son of the Infante Juan Manuel of Castile and his second wife, Beatrice of Savoy.

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He inherited the Dominion of Villena (he'd later be Duke of Villena). He was also Lord of Elche, which he later lost to James II of Aragón, and Governor of Murcia.

Related Topics:
Elche - James II of Aragón - Murcia

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He successfully fought alongside his cousin Sancho IV of Castile in the Battle of Salado.

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On 1299, he married Isabel of Majorca, daughter of James II of Majorca (died 1301). On 1311, he remarried to Constanza of Aragon, daughter of James II of Aragon.

Related Topics:
James II of Majorca - James II of Aragon

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On 1312, his cousin Ferdinand IV of Castile died, leaving a one year-old son, Alfonso XI of Castile. The child king's regents, Pedro of Castile and Juan of Castile stripped him of the governorship of Murcia, saying people didn't want him (which was true).

Related Topics:
Ferdinand IV of Castile - Alfonso XI of Castile - Pedro of Castile - Juan of Castile

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On 1319, after Don Pedro and Don Juan died in battle, Don Juan Manuel became regent of the young king alongside the boy's grandmother, Queen Maria de Molina, and his uncle Don Felipe of Castile.

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On 1325, he proposed the young king to marry his daughter Constanza, born from his second marriage. The courts agreed to it, but the king preferred to marry his cousin Maria of Portugal instead. Offended, Don Juan Manuel left Castile and entered the service of his father-in-law James II of Aragon.

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After Alfonso XI came of age, he asked Don Juan Manuel's help to pacify the kingdom. Don Juan Manuel asked for the title of Duke, the right to mint coins and that his rents be raised from 400.000 to 600.000 maravedies per year. He didn't get everything, but his rights were confirmed and he became again Governor of Murcia. That same year, he married one last time to Blanca Núñez de Lara.

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It was not the last time Don Juan Manuel and Alfonso XI were at odds. On 1335, he refused to enter the battle against the moors during the siege of Gibraltar. He left for Aragon, but returned the same year, just to leave again soon after because Don Juan Manuel claimed Alfonso XI was preventing his daughter Constanza to leave Castile to marry Pedro of Portugal. They patched things in 1337.

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On 1343, he fought alongside Alfonso XI against the moors in the battle of Algeciras, entering the city victoriously.

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He retired from politics a couple of years later, devoting himself to literary efforts.

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Children

By Constanza of Aragon:

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• Costanza Manuel, who married Pedro I of Portugal.

By Blanca Núñez de Lara:

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• Fernando Manuel, who married a daughter of Ramón Berenguer, younger son of James II of Aragón.
• Juana Manuel, who married Henry II of Castile and was Queen of Castile.

Illegitimate by Inés de Castañeda:

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• Sancho Manuel (1320-1347)
• Enrique Manuel (1340-1390)

Books

These are some of the books he wrote:

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• Libro de caballero et del escudero (The book of the knight and the squire)
• Libro de los Estados
• Libro de caza (Hunting Book)
• De las maneras de amor (About the ways of love)