View source for Compromise of Caspe

{{Short description|Aragonese parliamentary agreement on succession}}
{{Infobox historical event
| Event_Name = Compromise of Caspe
| Image_Name = Acta original del Compromiso de Caspe.jpg
| Image_Caption = Original deed of the compromise.
| Participants = Nine ''compromisaries'' (delegates) of the peninsular territories of the Crown of Aragon.<ref name="Compromise date" />
| Location = [[Caspe]], [[Kingdom of Aragon|Aragon]].
| Date = 29 March - 25 June 1412<ref name="Compromise date">{{cite book |last1=Rzhevskaya |first1=Valentina |title=THE COMPROMISE OF CASPE: AN EPISODE FROM THE HISTORY OF PEACEFUL DISPUTE SETTLEMENT |date=31 March 2025 |publisher=European Political and Law Discourse |pages=241-243 |url=https://eppd13.cz/wp-content/uploads/2014/2014-1-5/25.pdf |quote=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.}}</ref>
| Result = * Proclamation of [[Ferdinand I of Aragon|Ferdinand of Castile]] as King of Aragon.
* Establishment of [[House of Trastámara]] in Aragon.
* [[County of Urgell]] was dissolved and merged with the Crown.
}}

The 1412 '''Compromise of Caspe'''  (''Compromiso de Caspe'' in Spanish, ''Compromís de Casp'' in Catalan) was an act and resolution of parliamentary representatives of the constituent realms of the [[Crown of Aragon]] (the [[Kingdom of Aragon]], [[Kingdom of Valencia]], and [[Principality of Catalonia]]), meeting in [[Caspe]], to resolve the interregnum following the death of King [[Martin of Aragon]] in 1410 without a legitimate heir. Succession through the male line, as ordained in the will of [[James I of Aragon]] should have gone to [[James II, Count of Urgell]], however multiple others claimed the throne, which led to the "conclave" and compromise

==Background==
The Aragonese succession laws at that time were based more on custom than any specific legislation, and even case law did not exist. However the will of an earlier king, [[James I of Aragon]] had been followed most of the time and all successions after the union of Catalonia with Aragon in 1137 had been to the eldest son, to the next younger brother, or to the only daughter. However, earlier successions indicated that [[agnate]]s (males in the male line) of the Aragonese royal family had precedence over daughters and descendants of daughters; for example, Martin himself had succeeded over the daughters of his late elder brother, [[John I of Aragon|King John I]].

However, more distant [[Patrilineality|agnates]] had lost out to the daughter of the late king in the 11th century, when [[Petronilla of Aragon|Petronilla]] succeeded over claims of the then agnates (second cousins or the like), the [[kings of Navarre]].

J. N. Hillgarth writes: "Among the descendants by the male line, the closest relation to Martin was [[James II, Count of Urgell]]."<ref>Hillgarth, Jocelyn Nigel (1978) ''The Spanish Kingdoms 1250-1516'' volume 2 ''1410-1516: Castilian hegemony'' p 229 {{ISBN|0-19-822531-8}}</ref> T. N. Bisson writes that "the issue was (or became) political rather than simply legal, a utilitarian question of which candidate with some dynastic claim would make the best king."<ref>Bissonm Thomas N. (1991) ''The Medieval Crown of Aragon: a short history'', pp 135-6, {{ISBN|0-19-820236-9}}</ref>

==Candidates==
The major candidates for succession were:
* [[James II, Count of Urgell]], Martin's closest agnate as patrilineal great-grandson of [[Alfonso IV of Aragon]]. Incidentally, he was also Martin's brother-in-law. Appointed Lieutenant of the Kingdom by Martin, he was [[heir male]] of the line and claimed the throne according to [[agnatic primogeniture]].
* [[Louis III of Anjou|Louis of Anjou]], matrilineal grandson of [[John I of Aragon]] and grandnephew of Martin. He was [[heir general]] to the line and claimed the Aragonese throne according to [[Male-preference primogeniture|cognatic primogeniture]].
* [[Alfonso I, Duke of Gandia]], 80-year-old patrilineal grandson of [[James II of Aragon]]. He claimed the throne by both [[agnatic seniority]] and [[proximity of blood]] to the previous kings of Aragon. He died in March 1412.
* [[John of Ribagorza]], brother of Alfonso, who inherited his claim.
* [[Ferdinand I of Aragon|Ferdinand of Castile]], matrilineal grandson of [[Peter IV of Aragon]] and nephew of Martin, claimed the throne by proximity of blood to the last king.
* [[Frederic, Count of Luna]], natural grandson of Martin of Aragon, being the bastard of Martin's predeceased son, [[Martin I of Sicily]]. Born illegitimate, he had been legitimized by [[Antipope Benedict XIII]].

=== Family tree ===

{{Tree chart/start|align=center}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Lebron James| |Lebron James='''[[James II of Aragon]]'''}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|.|}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Alfonso| | | | | | | | |Peter|Alfonso='''[[Alfonso IV of Aragon]]'''|Peter=[[Peter IV, Count of Ribagorza|Peter IV of Ribagorza]]}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|.| | | |,|-|^|-|.|}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | |Peter| | | | | | | |James| |Alfonso| |John|Peter='''[[Peter IV of Aragon]]'''|James=[[James I, Count of Urgell|James I of Urgell]]|Alfonso=[[Alfonso I, Duke of Gandia|Alfonso I of Gandia]]|John=[[John of Ribagorza]]
|boxstyle_Alfonso=background-color: #FCF75E;
|boxstyle_John=background-color: #FCF75E;}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | | |!| | | | |}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | | | | | | |Peter| | |Peter=[[Peter II, Count of Urgell|Peter II of Urgell]]}}
{{Tree chart | | | | |,|-|-|-|v|-|^|-|v|-|-|-|-|.| | |!|}}
{{Tree chart | | | |John| |Martin| |Eleanor| |Isabella|-|James|Martin='''[[Martin of Aragon]]'''|Isabella=[[Isabella of Aragon, Countess of Urgell|Isabella of Aragon]]|James=[[James II, Count of Urgell|James II of Urgell]]|John='''[[John I of Aragon]]'''|Eleanor=[[Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of Castile|Eleanor of Aragon]]
|boxstyle_James=background-color: #FCF75E;}}
{{Tree chart | | | | |!| | | |!| | | |!|}}
{{Tree chart | | | |Yolande| |Martin| |Ferdinand|Martin=[[Martin I of Sicily]]|Yolande=[[Yolande of Aragon]]|Ferdinand=[[Ferdinand I of Aragon|Ferdinand of Castile]]
|boxstyle_Ferdinand=background-color: #FCF75E;}}
{{Tree chart | | | | |!| | | |:| | | | |}}
{{Tree chart | | | |Louis| |Martin| |Martin=[[Frederic, Count of Luna|Frederic of Luna]]|Louis=[[Louis III of Anjou|Louis of Anjou]]
|boxstyle_Louis=background-color: #FCF75E;
|boxstyle_Martin=background-color: #FCF75E;}}
{{Tree chart/end}}

==Interregnum 1410–12==
[[File:Salvador Vinegra, El Compromiso de Caspe.jpg|thumb|[[Salvador Vinegra]]'s depiction of the deliberations]]
The parties had agreed to a parliamentary process to resolve the issue, but coordinating deliberations between the [[Cortes Generales#History of the Cortes|''cortes'' (parliaments)]] of Aragon, Valencia and Catalonia was made difficult by their diverging interests. Thus, a general ''cortes'' was demanded by the governor of [[Catalonia]] to meet in [[Montblanc, Tarragona|Montblanc]], but the meeting was delayed and ended up in [[Barcelona]], starting in October 1410 and only being [[Catalan Courts|''Cortes'' of the Principality of Catalonia]].<ref name="Earenfight">Earenfight, Theresa (2003) "Caspe, Compromise of" [https://books.google.com/books?id=ra9BtjLRNMsC&pg=PA208 page 208] in Gerli, E. Michael (editor) (2003) ''Medieval Iberia: An Encyclopedia'' Routledge, New York, {{ISBN|0-415-93918-6}}</ref> As the ''Cortes'' dragged on, the situation became violent.

[[Antón de Luna]], an Aragonese supporter of Count James II of Urgell, assassinated the Archbishop of Zaragoza, [[García Fernández de Heredía]] (supporter of Louis of Anjou).<ref>Rábade Obradó, María del Pilar; Ramírez Vaquero, Eloísa; Utrilla Utrilla, Juan F. (2005) ''La dinámica política'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ivqa_OgIIIEC&pg=PA458 p 458]. Ediciones Istmo</ref> This event damaged the candidacy of James of Urgell and gave strength to the candidacy of [[Ferdinand I of Aragon|Ferdinand of Castile]] (regent of Castile and therefore commanding a nearby army with which he protected his allies). There was fighting in the streets, especially between partisans of Aragon and Valencia. The conflict divided the Kingdom of Aragon, with two rival ''Cortes'' meeting: one favorable to [[Ferdinand I of Aragon|Ferdinand of Castile]] in [[Alcañiz]], and another favorable to [[James II, Count of Urgell]] in [[Mequinenza]] (but this one was not recognized by the Catalan parliament at Tortosa).<ref>Salom, Jaime (1995) ''Jerusalén, hora cero: nueve brindis por un rey'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=tMeYNzgbPiUC&pg=PA172 p 172]. Editorial Fundamentos</ref> The same occurred in Valencia, with ''Cortes'' in [[Traiguera]] and [[Vinaròs]].{{sfn|Valdeón Baruque|2001|pp=105-106}} Furthermore, in 1410-1412 Ferdinand's troops entered Aragon and Valencia to fight the Urgellists. The Trastamarist victory at the [[Battle of Morvedre]] on 27 February 1412 finally left Valencia in their hands.

===Conflicts and deliberations===
[[File:El Compromiso de Caspe 1867 Dióscoro Puebla.jpg|thumb|Proclamation of Ferdinand I as king of Aragon, by [[Dióscoro Puebla]]]]
[[Antipope Benedict XIII|Pope Benedict XIII (Avignon)]] intervened and proposed a smaller group of nine ''compromisarios'' (negotiators).<ref name="Earenfight" /> The Trastamarist parliament of Alcañiz agreed with the proposition, which was finally accepted by a Catalan-Aragonese board of fourteen Aragonese Trastamarists and five varied Catalan emissaries: the agreement known as the Alcañiz Concord of 15 February 1412.{{sfn|Cònsul|Casals|2012|pp=34-35}}{{sfn|Esteban Sarasa|1981|pp=118-120|ref=Sarasa1981}} But a few days later, the Alcañiz parliament chose not only the three ''compromisarios'' from Aragon but also the three Catalan and the three Valencian ''compromisarios'' too.{{sfn|Manuel Dualde|1947|pp=355-385|ref=Estudios}} The angry complaints among the Catalan and Valencian parliamentarians for this abuse were ignored, targeting the peaceful discussions sought since 1410;{{sfn|Ferran Soldevila|1965|pp=105-109 and 120-125|ref=Soldevila}}{{sfn|Cònsul|Casals|2012|pp=34-35}}{{sfn|Esteban Sarasa|1981|pp=121-122|ref=Sarasa1981}} and equally the complaints of [[James II, Count of Urgell|James of Urgell]] and [[Louis III of Anjou|Louis of Anjou]].{{sfn|Ernest Belenguer|2012|pp=74|ref=Belenguer}}{{sfn|Ferran Soldevila|1965|pp=123|ref=Soldevila}}{{sfn|Giménez Fayos|1911|pp=37-38}}

The appointed ''compromisarios'' met in [[Caspe]] to choose the next king.{{sfn|Esteban Sarasa|1981|pp=121|ref=Sarasa1981}}{{sfn|Cònsul|Casals|2012|pp=30-31}} The majority of historians have agreed with the account of the election by historian [[Jerónimo Zurita]]. Zurita wrote his ''[[Anales de la Corona de Aragón]]'' from the original records, which he bequeathed to the house of the [[General Deputation of Aragon]] in 1576 (they were lost or burned during political disorders in the 19th century).{{sfn|Ernest Belenguer|2012|pp=92|ref=Belenguer}} According to Zurita, the ''compromisarios'' had conflicting views about the succession to the deceased King Martin, and they voted differently as well.{{sfn|Ferran Soldevila|1965|pp=139-144|ref=Soldevila}}{{sfn|Cònsul|Casals|2012|pp=30-31}}{{sfn|Ernest Belenguer|2012|pp=72-77|ref=Belenguer}}{{sfn|Valdeón Baruque|2001|pp=107-108}} The votes were cast on Friday, 24 June 1412, and recorded on 25 June.{{sfn|Zurita|1562|pp=Tome. XI, chapter 87}} Vincent Ferrer was the first one to speak; in a long speech, he voted for Ferdinand, and then Ram, his brother Bonifaci, Gualbes, Bardaixí, and Aranda simply joined him. Sagarriga, Vallseca, and Bertran voted differently, giving their own reasons.{{sfn|Ferran Soldevila|1965|pp=139-144|ref=Soldevila}}{{sfn|Manuel Dualde|1971|pp=240-245|ref=Dualde1971}}{{sfn|Esteban Sarasa|1981|pp=123-126|ref=Sarasa1981}}{{sfn|Jesús Mestre|1999|pp=197-198|ref=Mestre}}

[[File:Ferrando I d'Aragón.jpg|thumb|200px|Portrait of Ferdinand of Castile, proclaimed king after the Compromise.]]
'''[[Kingdom of Aragon]] delegates:'''
*[[Domènec Ram]] (bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Huesca|Huesca]]): voted for Ferdinand of Castile
*[[Francesc de Aranda]] (ancient royal councillor as well as envoy of [[Antipope Benedict XIII|Benedict XIII]]): voted for Ferdinand of Castile
*[[Berenguer de Bardaixí]] (jurist and official general of the Cortes of Aragon): voted for Ferdinand of Castile
'''[[Kingdom of Valencia]] delegates:'''
*[[Vincent Ferrer|Vicent Ferrer]] (Dominican friar, later canonized): voted for Ferdinand of Castile
*[[Bonifaci Ferrer]] (brother of Vincent and prior of the monastery of Portaceli): voted for Ferdinand of Castile
*[[Pere Bertran]] (substitute for [[Gener Rabassa]], citizen of [[Kingdom of Valencia|Valencia]] and legal expert): abstained
'''[[Principality of Catalonia]] delegates:'''
*[[Pere de Sagarriga i de Pau]] (archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tarragona|Tarragona]]): voted for James of Urgell and also for Alphonse of Gandia, but finally the vote have to be got by the most voted of both.
*[[Bernat de Gualbes]] (syndicus and councillor of [[Barcelona]]): voted for Ferdinand of Castile
*[[Guillem de Vallseca]] (officer general of the [[Corts Reials Catalanes]]): voted for James of Urgell

On 28 June 28, [[Ferdinand I of Aragon|Ferdinand of Castile]] was proclaimed king by Vicent Ferrer in a public speech also recorded. The knights Guillem Ramon Alemany de Cervelló and [[Íñigo de Alfaro]], who were present for the proclamation, brought the news of his election to Ferdinand.{{sfnp|Bonneaud|1999|pp=131–32}}

====Revisionism====
In recent years, three Aragonese historians (José Ángel Sesma Muñoz, Carlos Laliena, and Cristina Monterde) rejected Zurita's account, arguing that no contemporary sources confirm the existence of any secret ballot. Sesma claimed in 2011 that all nine ''compromisarios'', despite their different preferences, agreed unanimously to select Ferdinand.{{sfn|Sesma Muñoz|2011|pp=207-209}} He repeated this view in 2012 with Laliena and Monterde.{{sfn|Laliena Corbera|Monterde Albiac|2012|p=5}} Their main argument is that the official notarized deed of proclamation, issued on 25 June 1412, does not mention any results of the supposed election. Furthermore, they quoted testimonies (but not the full statements) from those who were present at the ceremony of proclamation on 28 June, such as Melchor de Gualbes, saying that the three Catalan ''compromisarios'' had declared that "''they had acted freely and had not been under any pressure''" and that at the end "''everybody would be of one opinion''".{{sfn|Laliena Corbera|Monterde Albiac|2012|p=38}} As of 2013, there are no new published works that support this new theory.

Already in 2012, this point of view had been refuted by historian Ernest Belenguer, who called attention to the point that in this kind of election (as with [[papal conclave]]s), the results of the ballots are not published, therefore one cannot infer a unanimous election only from this kind of deed. He also mentioned that even Trastamara's official chronicler [[Lorenzo Valla]] said in the 15th century that there were very different opinions among the ''compromisarios''.{{sfn|Ernest Belenguer|2012|pp=91|ref=Belenguer}} Furthermore, Belenguer cited other authors who in the 17th century had seen the same documents as Zurita, such as Uztarroz and Dormer, and reported the same account as Zurita of the preferences stated by every one of the nine ''compromisarios''.{{sfn|Ernest Belenguer|2012|pp=92|ref=Belenguer}}

==Aftermath==
[[File:Proclamación del Compromiso de Caspe.jpg|thumb|Reenaction of the Compromise]]
Initially James II of Urgell accepted the sentence and even swore allegiance to the new king, but he revolted in May 1413. However, he was unsuccessful to mobilize more nobles after two years of fights and battles. There were some uprisings in support of James in Valencia and Catalonia and James himself lead sorties out from his domain in [[County of Urgell|Urgell]]. James's supporters were defeated in battle on 25 June 1413 outside of [[Lleida]]. [[Antón de Luna]] enlisted the support of [[Gascony|Gascon]] and English troops who invaded at [[Jaca]], but they were defeated on 10 July 1413 before he was able to join James's army.{{sfn|Luis Vela Gormedino|1985|pp=24-25|ref=Gormedino}}

In August, Ferdinand began the [[siege of Balaguer]]. Meanwhile, Antón de Luna had organized defenses in [[Province of Huesca|Huesca]]; however, the [[Castle of Montearagón]] was taken on 11 August, and he and his troops fled to [[Loarre Castle]]. Finally, in October 1413 James surrendered at his city: [[Balaguer]]. The following January, Loarre Castle fell, and the rebellion was over. The County of Urgell was dissolved in 1413 and the area came under the royal domain of the [[county of Barcelona]], but was shared out among the Trastámara's supporters.

With the selection of a younger prince of the Castilian Royal [[House of Trastámara]], the Aragonese Crown became increasingly drawn into the sphere of influence of the more powerful [[Crown of Castile|Castile]]. About 50 years after the Compromise, with the marriage of [[Ferdinand I of Aragon|Ferdinand I]]'s grandson [[Ferdinand II of Aragon|Ferdinand II]] to Queen [[Isabella I of Castile]], Aragon became the junior partner in a dynastic union that would become the modern Spanish state.

==See also==
* ''[[La fi del comte d'Urgell]]'', a treatise in support of the dynastic line through Count James of Urgell.

==Sources==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Bibliography ==
*{{cite book|last= Belenguer |first=Ernest|title = El com i el perquè del Compromís de Casp (1412)|year = 2012|publisher = Rafael Dalmau Editions| language = ca|location = Barcelona|isbn =978-84232-0772-5|ref=Belenguer}}
*{{cite journal |last=Bonneaud |first=Pierre |title=Le Rôle politique des ordres militaires dans la Couronne d'Aragón pendant l'interrègne de 1410 à 1412 à travers les ''Anales'' de Zurita |journal=Aragón en la Edad Media |volume=14 |year=1999 |pages=119–42}}
*{{cite journal |last= Cònsul|first=Arnau |last2= Casals|first2= Àngel |date= April 2012 |title=El Compromís de Casp. Pacte o conxorxa?|trans-title= Compromise of Caspe. Pact or plot?|journal=Sàpiens |volume=115 |pages=26–37  |location=Barcelona |publisher=Grup Cultura 03 |language=ca |issn= 1695-2014 |url=http://www.sapiens.cat/ca/notices/2012/03/el-compromis-de-casp-1873.php }}
*{{cite journal |last= Dualde Serrano|first=Manuel |year=1947–1948|title=La elección de los compromisarios de Caspe|trans-title= The election of the Caspe compromisarios|journal=Estudios de Edad Media de la Corona de Aragón|volume=III|pages=355–395 |location=Zaragoza |language=es|ref= Estudios }}
*{{cite book|last1= Dualde Serrano |first1=Manuel |last2= Camarena Mahiques |first2=José|title = El Compromiso de Caspe|year = 1971|publisher = Institución Alfonso el Magnanimo and Institución Fernando el Católico| language = es|location = Zaragoza |ref=Dualde1971}}
*{{cite book|last= Giménez Fayos |first=Luis|title = El Compromiso de Caspe (1412-1912)|year = 1911|publisher = Miguel Gimeno| language = es|location = Valencia}}
*{{cite book|last1= Gormedino |first1=Luis Vela|title = Crónica incompleta del reinado de Fernando I de Aragón|year = 1985|publisher =Anubar | language = es|location = Zaragoza |isbn=84-7013-210-5 |ref=Gormedino}}
*{{cite book|last1 = Laliena Corbera|first1 = Miguel|last2 = Monterde Albiac|first2 = Cristina|others = Coordinators: Sesma Muñoz, José Ángel.|title = En el sexto centenario de la Concordia de Alcañiz y del Compromiso de Caspe|year = 2012|publisher = Gobíerno de Aragón|language = es|location = Zaragoza|url = http://www.compromisodecaspe.es/documents/6606706/80aea608-f39c-43f3-8def-271ab9b85576|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121212195604/http://www.compromisodecaspe.es/documents/6606706/80aea608-f39c-43f3-8def-271ab9b85576|url-status = dead|archive-date = December 12, 2012}}
*{{cite book|last= Mestre i Godes |first=Jesús|title = El Compromís de Casp: Un moment decisiu en la història de Catalunya|year = 1999|publisher = Edicions 62| language = ca|location = Barcelona|isbn=8429745130|ref=Mestre}}
*{{cite book|last= Sarasa Sánchez |first=Esteban|title = Aragón y el Compromiso de Caspe|year = 1981|publisher = Librería General| language = es|location = Zaragoza|isbn =84-7078-107-3|ref=Sarasa1981}}
*{{cite book|last= Sesma Muñoz|first= José Ángel|title =El Interregno (1410-1412) Concordia y compromiso político en la Corona de Aragón| year = 2011|publisher = Institución "Fernando el Católico" (CSIC)| language =es|location = Zaragoza|isbn = 978-84-9911-143-8}}
*{{cite book|last= Soldevila |first=Ferran|title = El Compromís de Casp (resposta al Sr. Menéndez Pidal)|year = 1994 |orig-year = 1965 |publisher = Rafael Dalmau Editions| language = ca|location = Barcelona|isbn =84-232-0481-2|ref=Soldevila}}
*{{cite book|last=Valdeón Baruque |first=Julio|title = Los Trastámaras. El triunfo de una dinastía bastarda|year = 2001|editor = Temas de Hoy| language = es|location = Madrid|isbn =84-8460-129-3}}
*{{cite book |last=Zurita |first=Jerome  |date=1562 |title=Anales de la Corona de Aragón |trans-title=Annals of the Crown of Aragon}} 

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1410s in law]]
[[Category:1412 in Europe]]
[[Category:15th century in Aragon]]
[[Category:Crown of Aragon]]
[[Category:Principality of Catalonia]]
[[Category:Military history of Catalonia]]
[[Category:History of the Valencian Community]]
[[Category:Political compromises in Spain]]