Editing Peter IV of Aragon (section)

==Conquest of Majorca==
Early on in his reign, a thorn in Peter's side had been [[James III of Majorca]], his brother-in-law, the husband of his sister [[Constance of Aragon, Queen of Majorca|Constance]]. James had twice postponed performing the ceremony of homage to Peter, his feudal overlord, and when he finally performed it in 1339 it was on his terms.<ref name="Bisson105"/> The rising economic star of Majorca, whose merchants were establishing independent markets and gaining trading privileges in the western Mediterranean, threatened the supremacy of Barcelona.<ref name="Bisson105"/> The gold coinage of Majorca and the diplomatic equality granted it by the powers of France and Italy irked Peter further, while James also allied with [[Abu Al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman|Abu Al-Hassan]], the king of Morocco and Peter's enemy.<ref name="Bisson105"/> Peter's outrage, however, was given no outlet until 1341, when James, threatened with invasion by the French over disputed rights to the [[Lordship of Montpellier]], called on his suzerain Aragon for aid.<ref name="Bisson106">{{harvnb|Bisson|1986|p= 106}}</ref><ref name="Chaytor170">{{harvnb|Chaytor|1933|p= 170}}</ref> In order not to offend France nor to support James, Peter summoned the king of Majorca to a ''cort'' at Barcelona, to which he knew he would not come, and when James or a representative of his failed to appear, Peter declared himself free from the obligations of an overlord to James.<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor170"/>

Peter then opened a legal process against James, with the intent of dispossessing him of his kingdom. He alleged that the circulation of James' coinage in the [[County of Roussillon|Counties of Roussillon]] and [[County of Cerdagne|Cerdagne]] to be an infringement on the royal right of monopoly of coinage.<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor170"/> This was open to question, considering the ancient customs of Roussillon and Cerdagne, but Peter was prepared to move forward anyway. The interference of [[Pope Clement VI]], however, granted James a hearing in Barcelona in front of papal delegates.<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor170"/> Peter, for his part, spread rumours that James was seeking to capture him.<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor170"/> James, fearing that Peter would stoop to invading Majorca and seizing it by force, returned to the island to prepare its defence.<ref name="Chaytor171">{{harvnb|Chaytor|1933|p= 171}}</ref> In February 1343 Peter declared James a contumacious vassal and his kingdom and lands forfeit.<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor171"/>

The legal process being terminated, Peter went to war, on the advice that the islanders were burdened by taxes and would readily rise in his support.<ref name="Chaytor171"/> In May a fleet which had been blockading [[Algeciras]] landed at Majorca and quickly defeated James' army at the [[Battle of Santa Ponça]].<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor171"/> Peter received the submission of all the [[Balearics]] and confirmed the privileges of the islands as they had been under [[James I of Aragon|James I]].<ref name="Bisson107">{{harvnb|Bisson|1986|p= 107}}</ref> Though James sued for peace and Pope Clement attempted to mediate it, Peter returned to Barcelona prepared to invade Roussillon and Cerdagne.<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor171"/> After these were finally conquered in 1344 James surrendered on a safe conduct, only to find himself ignominiously reduced to the status of a petty lord.<ref name="Bisson106"/><ref name="Chaytor171"/> In March Peter had declared his realm incorporated into the Crown of Aragon in perpetuity and ceremoniously had himself crowned its king.<ref name="Chaytor171"/><ref name="Bisson107"/>