THE \\'ESTERN MEDITERR-\NE:\N KINGDOMS 1200-l'lOOleaving a small son (James IV) who was never able to claim
his inheritance though, as has been seen, he later married
Queen Joanna of Naples. Majorca became another of the
constituent crowns within the Aragonese-Catalan union, gov-
erned by a lieutenant; the mainland possessions reverted
to their role as counties within the principality of Catalonia
(as it was increasingly termed); but in the short term the
Majorcans could hope for greater prosperity as a result of
their reintegration into the wider Catalan trading world, and
Peter IV celebrated his coronation as king of Majorca with
generous grants to the island's inhabitants, including trade
privileges. What Peter had gained was a strategic advant-
age that was well worth having; so long as Sardinia remained
recalcitrant, the existence of a naval base half way between
Catalonia and Sardinia would be very valuable; and so long
as the Genoese remained hostile, following their losses to
the Catalans in Sardinia, control of Majorca would strengthen
Catalan influence in the western Mediterranean.^11
As desired, the conquest of Majorca brought the young
king of Aragon the popularity he needed; but other problems
refused to disappear completely. In Valencia and Aragon
'Uniones' were formed, as restive barons and towns sought to
gain greater influence over the internal affairs of the Crown
of Aragon. The Unionists expressed disquiet at the king's
choice of advisers, as well as worry at plans for the succession,
since Peter still had no surviving male heir; they insisted on
the confirmation of ancient liberties. Peter very reluctantly
met the opposition at the Cmtes of Saragossa in 1347, and
made fulsome concessions; but the conf1ict turned uglier,
with the Catalans showing broad support for the king, and
the other Spanish states turning against him. Peter was
essentially saved from humiliation in Valencia by the arrival
of plague in 1348; proving the maxim 'nothing succeeds
like success', Peter stormed his way to victory at a new Cortes
in Saragossa, where he publicly dissolved the Union, defac-
ing its seal and burning its records. Valencia proved slightly
harder to crack, but here too the king scored a decisive vic-
tory by late 1348. Even so, Peter had not solved the central
problem: the challenge to royal authority emanated from a
- P. Cateura Bennasser, Politica y jinanzas del rei no de Mal/orca baju Pedro
IV de A.rag6n (Palma de Mallorca, 19R2).