Editing Ramiro II of Aragon (section)

==King of Aragon==
[[File:Donació d'Aragó i Peronella als Capítols matrimonials de Barbastre (1137).jpg|thumb|Marriage contract between Ramiro (on behalf of his daughter) and Ramon Berenguer]]
The reign of Ramiro the Monk, as he is known, was tumultuous. At the beginning of his reign he had problems with his nobles, who thought he would be docile and easily steered to their wishes, but discovered him to be inflexible. In order to produce an heir, Ramiro married [[Agnes of Aquitaine, wife of Ramiro II of Aragon|Agnes]], daughter of Duke [[William IX of Aquitaine]].{{sfn|Graham-Leigh|2005|loc=table 5}}  He and Agnes had a daughter, [[Petronilla of Aragon|Petronilla]], who was betrothed to Count [[Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona]] at the age of one.{{sfn|Graham-Leigh|2005|loc=table 5}} The marriage contract, signed at Barbastro on 11 August 1137, made Petronilla the heir to the crown of Aragon, which in event of her childless death would pass to Ramon Berenguer and any children he might have by other wives.  Ramon accepted Ramiro as "King, Lord and Father", and the County of Barcelona and the Kingdom of Aragon were united into the [[Crown of Aragon]].<ref>Lapeña Paúl (2008), pp. 193–194; "''La Corona de Aragón comienza a existir en 1137, con los esponsales de la infantil infanta doña Petronilla, hija y heredera del rey Ramiro II de Aragón, con el conde de Barcelona, Ramón Berenguer IV [...]''". Miquel Batllori (1999). [https://books.google.com/books?id=ks3EfJVd-0EC&pg=PA8 ''La Universidad de Valencia en el ámbito cultural de la Corona de Aragón''], Cinc Segles. Universitat de València, p. 8. {{ISBN|978-84-370-4161-2}}.</ref> The previously-landlocked Aragonese state thus returned to the position of peninsular power it had held prior to the loss of Navarre, and received a window to the [[Western Mediterranean]] it would come to dominate.

In the time between his accession and the betrothal of his daughter, Ramiro II had already had to put down a rebellion of the nobles, and knowing himself not to be a war king, he passed royal authority to his son-in-law Ramon Berenguer on 13 November 1137. Ramon became the "Prince of the Aragonese people" (''Princeps Aragonensis'') and effective chief of the kingdom's armies. Ramiro withdrew from public life, returning to the Abbey of San Pedro in Huesca. He later became known for the famous and passionate legend of the [[Bell of Huesca]]. He died there on 16 August 1157 and is buried there.

In 1137 he ceded the throne but continued to hold the title of king until his death,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Leralta |first=Javier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rLz_R0ALwdsC&pg=PA78 |title=Apodos reales: historia y leyenda de los motes regios |date=2008 |pages=78|publisher=Silex Ediciones |isbn=978-84-7737-211-0 |quote=En 1137 cedió el trono a su yerno Ramón Berenguer IV, conde de Barcelona, aunque Ramiro II siguió ostentando el título de rey hasta su muerte.|language=es}}</ref> and even so the chronicles written in other kingdoms mention him.<ref>"''Continuó Ramiro utilizando el título de rey, e incluso así le mencionan las crónicas escritas en otros reinos [...]''". Lapeña Paúl (2008), p. 200.</ref> Regardless of Ramiro's title, his daughter Petronilla was using the title of ''regina'' (queen) in not only the document about her abdication in 1164 but also her will, written in 1152, before her father's death.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lLFCAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA391
 |title=Colección de documentos inéditos del Archivo General de la Corona de Aragón |date=1848 |publisher=J.E. Montfort |volume=4|quote=Quapropter in Dei eterni regis nomine ego Petronilla Dei gratia aragonensis regina et barchinonensis comitissa|pages=391}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lLFCAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA202 |title=Colección de documentos inéditos del Archivo General de la Corona de Aragón |date=1848 |publisher=J.E. Montfort |volume=4|quote=Ad cunctorum noticiam volumus pervenire quoniam ego Peronella regina aragonensis jacens et in partu laborans apud Barchinonam.|pages=202}}</ref>