2021-06-29 Tue

John II also called the Great or the Faithless was King of Aragon from 1458 until his death. As the husband of Queen Blanche I of Navarre, he was King of Navarre from 1425. John was also King of Sicily from 1458 to 1468.

John was born at Medina del Campo (in the Crown of Castile), the son of King Ferdinand I of Aragon and Eleanor of Alburquerque. In his youth, he was one of the infants (princes) of Aragon who took part in the dissensions of Castile during the minority and reign of John II of Castile.

Till middle life, he was also lieutenant-general in Aragon for his brother and predecessor Alfonso V, whose reign was mainly spent in Italy. In his old age he was engaged in incessant conflicts with his Aragonese and Catalan subjects, with Louis XI of France, and in preparing the way for the marriage of his son Ferdinand with Isabella I of Castile which brought about the union of the crowns of Aragon and Castile and which was to create the Kingdom of Spain. His troubles with his subjects were closely connected with tragic dissensions within his own family.

Depicted here is a ducat issued under John II's reign. The obverse of a coin depicts crowned facing bust and reverse has Shield.

Image Source: Wikipedia.org