"James I of Aragon: ‘The Conqueror’?" -- by Darcy R. Keim, MA
James I of Aragon: ‘The Conqueror’? by Darcy R. Keim, MA
James I of Aragon - also known by the sobriquet ‘The Conqueror’ - inherited the kingdom of Aragon at the age of five and reigned from 1213-76. Within his lifetime, he additionally acquired Mallorca and Valencia under his rulership. It has been asserted that James was a notable (if not influential) political figure in Iberian history; an impression that has been highlighted by Damian J. Smith - in his introduction to The Book of Deeds of James I of Aragon - as he states, “James’ reign is notable for (among other things) advances in administrative practice, the influx of Roman law, the increasing sophistication in methods of taxation, the rise (and decline) of parliament, the expansion of Mediterranean trade and shipbuilding[...]”. With regard to the Aragonese-Catalan Reconquista, James has often been considered as the leading figure. As an individual popularly revered by scholars for his involvement in the Reconquista, the legacy of James I is representative of his overall contribution to Crusading history. A significant primary source document that is often referred to as the Llibre dels Fets (also known as The Book of Deeds of James I of Aragon) is a chronicle that details James’ life; as well as each conquest that he had participated in. As a source, it is often used by scholars to assess James’ leadership and has been thought to provide insight into his ability as a medieval commander. Notably, there remains to be an ongoing debate as to the authorship of this chronicle, although it is often claimed that James wrote it.
[...] but in the field of literature we are especially indebted to him. His reign saw the production of the remarkable work that we now usually call the Llibre dels Fets or “Book of Deeds”, an account in the first person plural (with occasional lapses into the first person singular, usually during direct speech) of James’ major military campaigns and some selected political events of his reign. The work that is translated here was produced in Catalan (and only later translated into Latin) and is one of the great works of medieval Catalan literature. It is also an historical record without parallel. For the author of the book was the king.
There are equally as valid arguments to suggest that James could not have written the chronicle, as it was unheard of for medieval sovereigns to have produced their own autobiographical documentation. However, a predominant criticism regarding this text is that it is often self-serving and exaggerative in nature. Although it may be utilized to acquire an understanding of James’ character, the reliability of this source is severely questionable. The image of James I of Aragon has been historically and culturally ingrained as that of a successful crusader king. Although there are scholars who do believe that the sobriquet ‘The Conqueror’ is well-deserved, the extent of his influence and accomplishments still ought to be challenged.
The Reconquista is a period in Iberian history that spanned over seven-hundred years and is illustrative of the opposition between Christian Iberian and Muslim kingdoms. Although it has been established that the Reconquista was a result of the arrival of Muslim occupation in the Iberian Peninsula during the ninth-century, there are strong - if not lengthy - arguments to suggest that the movement was a product of changing political, religious, social, and economic circumstances. In his book, Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain, Joseph F. O’Callaghan highlights that the twelfth-century saw a shift in the Iberian political landscape; an element that led to an increase in Reconquista ideology in Christian chronicles. An additional factor was the introduction of crusading ideology in Western Europe from the late eleventh-century onward; in alignment with the objective to conquer the Holy Land. With regard to this, it is evident that crusading principles did have an effect in shaping Christian Iberian monarchs -- particularly from the late eleventh-century to the early sixteenth-century. It has been ascertained that James’ rulership and fervour for the Reconquista was modelled after his father, Peter II of Aragon; often described as a charismatic, energetic and headstrong leader. In terms of James’ involvement in the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the recognition of his achievements often overshadow that of other Iberian Christian sovereigns. An example of this may be observed in a statement by Nikolas Jaspert’; in which the Aragonese monarch is referred to as “the champion of the Iberian reconquest”. This celebration of his character is not anomalous in the history of Aragonese-Catalan Reconquista and begs the question as to why James has been popularised over other Reconquista monarchs.
The unique circumstance of his early upbringing may be regarded as influential in his status as a conquering monarch. After the death of Peter II of Aragon and James’ release from the care of Simon de Montfort, he was moved to the Templar fortress at Monzón and there he was raised by Guillem de Montredon. The significance of Guillem’s position as the master of the Templars would have influenced James’ approach to rulership; as well as the pattern of Christian ideologies that James had displayed throughout his reign. The first establishment of James’ status as a crusading monarch was the siege on Muslim-held Peníscola in 1225. Located in the kingdom of Valencia, the attempt to conquer Peníscola was deeply unsuccessful. However, the conquest itself does showcase the first sign of James’ individual motivation as a Christian ruler. Furthermore, it does demonstrate an initial indication of his independence and motivation to unite the Iberian Peninsula under Christianity. However, James’ participation in the Aragonese-Catalan Reconquista may also be demonstrative of long-term strategy. For example, the Mallorcan campaign in 1229 was not an independent conquest of James’ as it had been a Catalan based project; the Catalan church and nobility had supplied the army and fleet intended for the campaign. Although the Llibre dels Fets does document an event in which James’ involvement had been requested:
Lord, we have asked Pere Martell something that we think will please you, about an island that is called Majorca. And in this island there is a king, and under this kingdom there are other islands: Menorca and Ibiza, and these are subject to the king of Majorca. Now, what God wills nobody can avoid or impede; therefore it should please you, and we hold it for a good thing, that you should conquer that island, for two reasons: the first, because you and we will increase our worth; the second, because it will seem a marvellous thing to all who hear about this conquest, for you will have taken a land and kingdom in the sea, there where God wished to fashion it.
Albeit the subjective quality of this account, it does reinforce a common notion that James’ involvement in the conquest of the Balearic islands was also a matter of cementing his reputation as a Christian Iberian conqueror. In his book, Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades, 1000-1300, John France has emphasised James’ inclination to fashion his image: “Successful war was essential to the stability of his regime: his bravery and skill were a powerful incentive to follow him and they were reinforced by a flair for the dramatic, as in the oath of Puig”. Notably, Aragon had strategically benefitted from the Mallorcan campaign. The success of the conquest meant that James was then able to support a second attempt at an Aragonese siege on the kingdom of Valencia. Therefore, it may be confidently ascertained that there was a distinctive element to the way in which James approached conquest. The geographical chronology of the conquests does suggest both an opportunistic nature, as well as effective forward planning. Whether this was intentional or otherwise, the result of this does highlight James as a particularly skilled military leader. Moreover, it may be suggested that this influenced future Iberian monarchs; with particular attention to the military techniques applied by Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon in the late fifteenth-century. It has been claimed that James’ disciplined control of his army is due to the nature of his father’s death, as this had been ascribed to the lack of control over the army at Muret. Nevertheless, a criticism of James’ military technique was his lack of consistent strategies. Notably, he had credited himself with devising the siege of Valencia, which has been attributed to the political and natural geography of the Iberian Peninsula. Nonetheless, James’ contribution to crusading history was not limited to the Aragonese-Catalan Reconquista. In 1245-1246, as well as 1260, James aimed to host a crusade to the Latin East. In September 1269, an attempt at the campaign was made but due to poor weather, several of those involved - including James himself - returned to the Peninsula. Instead, the crusade was carried out by James’ illegitimate son, Peter Ferrandis. Even so there is evidence to determine that James had intended to extend his conquests toward Africa or Palestine. A critique of his character is that there was a sincere lack of commitment in crusades beyond the Reconquista; an element that is demonstrative of his input in the 1269 campaign.
An evaluation of James’ character and rulership could be determined by his accomplishments as a military commander. There is certainly an element of image building during James’ reign; the success of which is founded in the use of his sobriquet ‘The Conqueror’ even to this day. The construction of James as a crusader is a result of both primary source documentation (that supply chronological accounts of significant events, such as the Northern Campaign), as well as the the impact of his role within the campaigns themselves. It may be argued that James’ military conquests held a long-term influence on the Iberian Peninsula. This is exemplified by his son, Peter III of Aragon, who went on to contribute to Aragonese crusading; as well as successfully conquer Sicily in 1282. However, the academic celebration of James as a key-figure in the Spanish Reconquista appears to rely upon The Book of Deeds of James I of Aragon. As stated prior, the source is heavily personalised; to the extent that it begins to clearly undermine fact in certain areas. Nonetheless, an aspect of James’ figure that is often agreed upon is that the Sobriquet ‘The Conqueror’ is befitting of his reputation. Ultimately, James I of Aragon may be regarded as an embodiment of the Reconquista ideology that emerged during this period. This is exemplified by the success of James’ expansion of Aragonese controlled territory along the Eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic islands. It may be confidently ascertained that this led on to create a strong legacy and ideal for his heirs to pursue and opened the way for Aragonese conquest of Sicily.
Bibliography
France, J., Western Warfare in the Age of the Crusades, 1000-1300, (London, 1999)
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