James III of Majorca

Who was James III of Majorca?

James III, called the Rash or the Unfortunate, son of Ferdinand of Majorca and Isabella of Sabran, was the King of Majorca from 1324 to 1344. He was the last independent king of Majorca of the House of Barcelona.

James was born at Catania. His parents' marriage in the previous year had been arranged by his maternal grandmother, Margaret of Villehardouin, in an effort to gain armed support for her claims on the Principality of Achaea in southern Greece, which belonged to the Angevins of Naples. His mother died soon after his birth, and James was proclaimed Prince of Achaea under the guardianship of his father. Ferdinand invaded the Morea in an effort to bring the principality under his control, but was killed in 1316. Despite this setback, from 1331 the feudal lords of Achaea began to recognise the rights of James, and in 1333 the recognition was total, though the Angevin heirs of Philip I of Taranto continued to press their claim.

Upon the death of his uncle Sancho in 1324, James took over Majorca as the grandson of James II. In order to establish friendly relations with the Crown of Aragon, he married Constance, daughter of Alfonso IV of Aragon.