Editing Ferdinand IV of Castile (section)

=== Last period of the Ferdinand IV's life (1312) ===
After his stay in the city of Calatayud, Ferdinand IV went to the city of [[Valladolid]], where the ''Cortes'' were to meet. In the ''Cortes'' of Valladolid in 1312, the last of the reign of Ferdinand IV, funds were raised to maintain the army to be used in the next campaign against the Kingdom of Granada, were reorganized the administration of justice, the territorial administration and the local administration, thus showing the King's desire to make profound reforms in all areas of administration, while attempting to strengthen the royal authority against the nobility. The ''Cortes'' approved the concession of five services and one ''moneda forera'', for the payment of the soldiers of the King's vassals, except for Juan Núñez II de Lara, who had become the vassal of King Denis of Portugal.

As early as October 1311, Ferdinand IV had requested a loan from King [[Edward II of England]], in order to continue the war against the Kingdom of Granada, although the English sovereign refused to grant it, arguing that he had many expenses due to his war against Scotland. In July 1312, Ferdinand IV pledge the Templar castles of [[Burguillos del Cerro]] and [[Alconchel]] for 3,600 marks to King Denis of Portugal, which he needed to continue the war against the Kingdom of Granada. At the end of April 1312, after the ''Cortes'' had been end, the King left the city of Valladolid. In 1312 Sancho of Castile, Lord of Ledesma first-cousin of Ferdinand IV died; immediately the King went to [[Ledesma, Castile and León|Ledesma]], that acted as a capital of the dominions of his cousin, and incorporated the dominions to the royal patrimony, after it had been proved that the deceased had no legitimate children. Ferdinand IV then went to [[Salamanca]], and deprived his cousin Alfonso de la Cerda (who had rebelled again against him) of the municipalities of [[Béjar]] and [[Alba de Tormes]].

On 13 July 1312, the King arrived in [[Toledo, Spain|Toledo]], after leaving the ''Infante'' [[Alfonso XI of Castile|Alfonso]], heir to the throne, in the city of [[Ávila, Spain|Ávila]], and went to the [[Province of Jaén (Spain)|province of Jaén]], where his brother ''Infante'' Peter of Castile was besieging the town of [[Alcaudete]]. The King, after a short stay in the city of Jaén, went to the town of [[Martos]], where he ordered the execution of the Carvajal brothers, accused of having murdered Juan Alonso de Benavides, private of Ferdinand IV, in Palencia. According to legend, since this is not included in the ''Chronicle of Ferdinand IV'', the brothers were condemned to be introduced into an iron cage with sharp points inside and later to be thrown from top of the Rock of Martos, still inside the iron cage. The ''Chronicle of Ferdinand IV'' states that before dying, the brothers summoned the King to appear before the Court of God within thirty days.{{Sfn|Benavides|1860|p=242}}

After his stay in Martos, the King went to Alcaudete, where he awaited John of Castile, that should be united with his troops to the siege of the locality. However, John of Castile didn't appear for fear that Ferdinand IV would order his death. Sick of gravity, Ferdinand IV left the siege of Alcaudete and went to the city of Jaén at the end of August 1312.

On 5 September 1312, the garrison of Alcaudete was surrendered after three months of siege, and the ''Infante'' Peter went to the city of Jaén, where his brother the King was waiting for him. On 7 September, the day of Ferdinand IV's death, both brothers agreed to help [[Nasr, Sultan of Granada]], with whom a truce had been agreed, and to help him in his fight against his brother-in-law Ferrachén, ''arráez'' de [[Málaga]], who had rebel against him.{{Sfn|Mata Carriazo y Arroquia|2002|p=159}}