Review
Spain, 13th Century Peter the 2nd, King of Aragon who is married to Mary of Montpellier scorns his wife and refuses to have relations with her. This situation provokes deep concern among the Queen's Council because she has not yet produced an heir to the throne. Given that the King of Aragon is quite the philanderer, they arrange a date for him with a beautiful unknown woman. This woman turns out to be none other than Mary of Montpellier. As a result of that rendezvous, Mary gives birth to a baby boy. In hope of receiving celestial inspiration to choose his name, Mary goes to her chapel and in the presence of Christ, lights 12 candles inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles. Her son would be named after the last one to burn out. Jaume. Everything in Jaume's life is fortuitous and miraculous; even his procreation. Jaume grows up surrounded by power and ambition. This leads Mary to protect the future King of Aragon by confining him to the Templar Castle of Monzón. There,Jaume meets Alphonse and they develop a long lasting friendship. From that moment on, Alphonse stands by him in everything he does. While still a young boy, Jaume the 1st marries Leonor of Castile, the other great Christian power. The only aim of this marriage is to fortify the two Christian Kingdoms of Aragon and Castile and to prevent others from aspiring to the throne. From this union Jaume's first-born son, prince Alphonse is born. From then on, Jaume the 1st maintains a harsh struggle with the nobility, which up until the conquest of Valencia remains unresolved. The conquest of the Kingdom of Mallorca is the first real battle that Jaume undertakes against the Saracens. The Montcada brothers along with other important noblemen fight alongside him in this crusade launched by the Vatican in the Mediterranean Islands. Upon his return from the conquest of Mallorca, Jaume the 1st goes to Valencian territory to assist King Abu Zeid who has been dethroned by Zayyan, an Almoravide who has self proclaimed himself King of Valencia. Capitan Bernard William of Entenza, Jaume's uncle is one of the men to support him in the Conquest of Valencia. After his marriage to Leonor is annulled, Jaume takes the daughter of Andrew the 2nd of Hungary, Violant, as his wife. Violant is a strong, self-confident woman who supports Jaume in all of his decisions. Jaume's first daughter, Violant, is born out of this marriage. Throughout the years Jaume's personality evolves into one of a great warrior, an excellent king, a founding father of kingdoms and the creator of many aspects of their present day identity: such as territory, language, laws and institutions. After ceaseless battles not only against the Saracens but also against his own nobles, his spirit and drive lead him to conquer the city of Valencia on the 9th of October 1238. According to a fact book co-written by him, the conquest of Valencia was his most important achievement as well as the one that made him known as King Conqueror. |
