Editing John II of Castile (section)

==Personal rule==

John II's reign, lasting 48 years, was one of the longest in Castilian history, but John himself was not a particularly capable monarch.<ref name=":0" /> His birth was a consequence of a diplomatic agreement in 1386, negotiated by his grandfather's royal [[Steward (office)|steward]] and ambassador [[Diego López de Medrano, Lord of Agoncillo#Royal Ambassador of Castile to Prince John of Gaunt (1386)|Diego López de Medrano, Lord of Agoncillo]], and two others, between [[John of Gaunt]] and [[John I of Castile]] over the Crown of Castile.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Diego López de Medrano {{!}} Fernão Lopes |url=https://fernaolopes.fcsh.unl.pt/people/diego-l%C3%B3pez-de-medrano |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=fernaolopes.fcsh.unl.pt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ayala |first=Pedro López de |url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=GDRjKW0OwcIC&q=L%C3%B3pez+de+Medrano&pg=PA236&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=L%C3%B3pez%20de%20Medrano&f=false |title=Cronicas de los Reyes de Castilla Don Pedro, Don Enrique II, Don Juan I, Don Enrique III: que contiene las de Don Enrique II, D. Juan I y D. Enrique III |date=1780 |publisher=en la imprenta de Don Antonio de Sancha |pages=273-275 |language=es}}</ref><ref>''Crónica de D. João'' I, part 2, ch. 84 https://fernaolopes.fcsh.unl.pt/chronicles/cr%C3%B3nica-de-d-jo%C3%A3o-i-part-2</ref> This agreement ultimately led to the 1388 [[Treaty of Bayonne (1388)|Treaty of Bayonne]], which arranged the marriage of his mother [[Catherine of Lancaster]] to his father [[Henry III of Castile]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Peña |first=Santiago de Alvarado y de la |url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=DA-Ujocp8_wC&pg=PA126&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Elementos de la historia general de España desde el diluvio universal hasta el años de 1826 ó sea Resumen Cronológico de todos los principales sucesos ocurridos en nuestra nacion desde su fundacion hasta el día |date=1826 |publisher=Imprenta de E. Aguado |pages=126 |language=es}}</ref>

=== Life ===
Born on 6 March 1405, John II of Castile was under the [[Legal guardian|guardianship]] of Diego López de Medrano, from the House of the Lords of San Gregorio in [[Soria]], who also served as his [[Majordomo|''mayordomo'']].<ref>Index of the Salazar y Castro Collection: 28313. Royal Academy of History.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tabla genealógica de la familia de Medrano, señores de San Gregorio. [Manuscrito] |url=https://www.europeana.eu/en/item/344/https___hispana_mcu_es_lod_oai_bibliotecadigital_rah_es_54796_ent0 |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=www.europeana.eu |language=en-GB}}</ref> He spent his time verse-making, hunting, and holding tournaments. His [[favourite]], [[Álvaro de Luna]], heavily influenced him until his second wife, [[Isabella of Portugal, Queen of Castile|Isabella of Portugal]], obtained control of his feeble will. At her instigation, he dismissed and executed his faithful and able servant, an act which is said to have caused him much remorse.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} The relationship between Álvaro and Juan has been described as [[pederastic]].<ref name=":0">{{cite encyclopedia
|title=Encyclopedia of Homosexuality
|editor-first=Wayne
|editor-last=Dynes
|location=New York
|publisher=[[Garland]]
|year=1990
|first=Daniel
|last=Eisenberg
|contribution-url=https://studylib.es/doc/5602146/juan-ii-and-enrique-iv--an-article-from-the-encyclopedia-of
|access-date=July 2, 2020
|author-link=:es:Daniel Eisenberg
|contribution=Juan II of Castile; Enrique IV of Castile
}}</ref>

=== Laws ===
John II's Regents declared the Valladolid laws in 1411, which restricted the social activity of [[Jews]]. Among the most notable of the provisions were outlining that Jews must wear distinctive clothes and banned them from holding administrative positions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John II of Castile |url=https://www.mintageworld.com/media/detail/13989-john-ii-of-castile/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Mintage World |language=en}}</ref> However, once John took control of the throne for himself in 1418, he (though likely influenced politically by de Luna) reversed such ordinances, favoring instead a more tolerant attitude toward the already battered Jewish population of Castile following the mass wave of conversions between 1391 and 1415.

=== Moorish vassal ===
In 1431, John placed [[Yusuf IV, Sultan of Granada|Yusuf IV]] on the throne as the [[Sultan of Granada]] in the Moorish [[Emirate of Granada]], in exchange for tribute and vassal status to Castile.{{sfn|Harvey|1990|p=251}}  This exchange is depicted in the short ballad the [[Romance of Abenamar]].

=== Characteristics ===
He was "[T]all and handsome, fair-skinned and slightly ruddy... his hair was the color of a very mature hazelnut, the nose a little snub, the eyes between green and blue... he had very graceful legs and feet and hands."<ref>From 'Crónica de Juan II' by Lorenza Galindez de Carvajal (1517)</ref>

=== Alcázar of Segovia ===
John II was the single largest contributor to the continuing construction of the [[Alcázar of Segovia]] and built the "New Tower" known today as the "Tower of John II".

=== Death ===
John II died on 20 July 1454 in [[Valladolid]].