Editing Peter IV of Aragon (section)

==Succession conflicts==
[[File:Escut Pere III.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Coat of arms of Peter IV at the Royal Gate of Poblet Monastery]]
Peter was born at [[Balaguer]],<ref name="Bisson104">{{harvnb|Bisson|1986|p= 104}}</ref> the eldest son and heir of [[Alfonso IV of Aragon|Alfons IV]], then [[Count of Urgell]], and his first wife, [[Teresa d'Entença]]. Peter was designated to inherit all of his father's title save that of Urgell, which went to his younger brother [[James I of Urgell|James]].

Upon succeeding his father he called a ''[[parliament|corts]]'' in [[Zaragoza]] for his coronation. He crowned himself, disappointing the [[Archbishop of Zaragoza]] and thus rejecting the surrender [[Peter II of Aragon|Peter II]] had made to the [[Papacy]], in an otherwise traditional ceremony. According to his own later reports, this act caused him some "distress".<ref name="Bisson104"/> He did, however, affirm the liberties and privileges of Aragon.<ref name="Chaytor167">{{harvnb|Chaytor|1933|p= 167}}</ref> Also while he was at Zaragoza an embassy from [[Crown of Castile|Castile]] had met him and asked that he promise to uphold the donations of land his father had made to his stepmother [[Eleanor of Castile (1307–1359)|Eleanor]], but he refused to give a clear answer as to the legitimacy of the donations.<ref name="Chaytor167"/>

After the festivities in Zaragoza, Peter began on his way to [[Valencia, Spain|Valencia]] to receive coronation there. En route he stopped at [[Lleida]] to affirm the [[Usatges of Barcelona|Usatges]] and [[Catalan constitutions|Constitutions]] of the [[Principality of Catalonia]] and receive the homage of his Catalan subjects. This offended [[Barcelona]], at which the ceremony had usually been performed, and the citizens of that city complained to the king, who claimed that Lleida was on his way to Valencia.<ref name="Bisson105">{{harvnb|Bisson|1986|p= 105}}</ref> While in Valencia he decided on the case of his stepmother's inheritance, depriving her of income and outlawing her Castilian protector, Peter Ponce of León and Jérica.<ref name="Chaytor167"/> However, Jérica had enough supporters within Peter's domains that Peter was unable to maintain his position and in 1338, through papal mediation, Jérica was reconciled to the king and Eleanor received her land and jurisdictional rights.<ref name="Chaytor168">{{harvnb|Chaytor|1933|p= 168}}</ref> Peter was largely forced to capitulate by a new invasion from [[Morocco]] aimed at Castile and Valencia.

In 1338 he married [[Maria of Navarre|Maria]], second daughter of [[Philip III of Navarre|Philip III]] and [[Joan II of Navarre]].<ref name="Chaytor168"/> In May 1339 he allied with [[Alfonso XI of Castile]] against Morocco, but his contribution of a fleet had no effect at the pivotal [[Battle of Río Salado]] (October 1340).<ref name="Bisson105"/>