Remences, Rebellion of the
Years: 1462 - 1485
The Rebellion of the Remences or War of the Remences, a popular revolt against seignorial pressures that begins in Catalonia in 1462, ends a decade later without definitive result.
Ferdinand II of Aragon ("Ferdinand the Catholic") finally resolves the conflict with the Sentencia Arbitral de Guadalupe in 1486.
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Civil war breaks out with the peasant revolt of the remences led by Francesc de Verntallat in February 1462.
The peasant revolts against the Consell del Principat with the hope of receiving royal support: Juna works hard to stoke anti-Busca sentiment in Barcelona.
A plot by some former Busca in support of the queen had been publicized in April, and the deputy leader of the Consell, Francesc Pallarès, along with two former leaders, is executed in May.
At the same time, the Consell del Principat has formed an army to put down the rebellion of the remences.
The army of the Consell is placed under the command of Hug Roger III, Count of Pallars Sobirà, commander of the army of the Generalitat.
After besieging and capturing Hostalric on 23 May, …
Treaties of Sauveterre and Bayonne (1462)
In early May 1462, King John II of Aragon and Navarre solidified a significant diplomatic and military alliance with the French King Louis XI, signing two treaties at Sauveterre (May 3) and ...
...Bayonne (May 9). These treaties, crucially strategic for both rulers, obligated Louis XI to provide John with seven hundred lances, equivalent to roughly 4,200 mounted knights and their attendants. In exchange, John agreed to pay tribute, aligning Navarre more closely with French interests and significantly shifting the political balance within the region.
Political and Military Context
These treaties came at a delicate moment for King John of Navarre, whose internal dynastic struggles had left his position unstable. Earlier, in April 1461, at Olite, Louis XI had already endorsed John's controversial decision to disinherit his eldest daughter, Blanche II of Navarre, in favor of his younger daughter, Eleanor, and her husband, Gaston IV, Count of Foix. Blanche, initially handed over to Eleanor and Gaston's custody, was later imprisoned and ultimately poisoned in 1464, further highlighting the ruthless political dynamics of the period.
The agreements at Sauveterre and Bayonne solidified Louis XI’s support for John’s dynastic rearrangements, revealing Louis’s pragmatic willingness to intervene in Navarre’s internal affairs in return for political influence.
Economic and Territorial Implications
As part of these treaties, Louis XI reinforced French influence over Navarre, which provided a critical buffer zone along France's southern border. By committing French military resources to John, Louis ensured greater security against potential incursions from Castile and Aragón, while simultaneously solidifying French political and economic influence in the Pyrenean region.
Dynastic and Cultural Consequences
The agreement notably reshaped Navarre’s dynastic landscape, affirming Eleanor and Gaston of Foix’s future inheritance at the expense of Blanche. The tragic outcome of Blanche’s imprisonment and murder revealed the brutal realities underpinning dynastic politics during this period. These actions not only had immediate political repercussions but set a troubling precedent for ruthless dynastic conflict in Navarre and the broader region.
Long-Term Significance
The treaties signed at Sauveterre and Bayonne significantly deepened Navarre's political ties to France, ultimately shaping the kingdom's future trajectory. By securing the line of succession through Eleanor and Gaston, the agreements reshaped the dynastic landscape, fostering complex, lasting tensions between Navarre, Foix, and France. Moreover, Blanche's tragic fate underscored the brutal methods employed by rival claimants to solidify power, exemplifying the often volatile intersection of dynastic politics and interstate diplomacy in late medieval Atlantic West Europe.
…Hug Roger marches on Gerona, where he is received warmly on June 6 while the queen and the prince take refuge in the citadel, the Força Vella ("old fort"), throughout the month.
John II takes his first major offensive against the Principality by occupying Balaguer on June 5.
The Consell declares John II an enemy of the people and deposed on June 9, 1462.
Gaston of Foix, leading a French army, takes Gerona on 23 July and rescues the queen and prince.
John II meanwhile marches on Lleida, which he does not besiege; ...
"Remember that the people you are following didn’t know the end of their own story. So they were going forward day by day, pushed and jostled by circumstances, doing the best they could, but walking in the dark, essentially."
—Hilary Mantel, AP interview (2009)