Episode 126 - The return of Navarre

The podcast explores the political landscape of the Iberian Peninsula in the early 14th century, focusing on Alfonso XI of Castile's efforts to launch a crusade against Granada. Despite initial reluctance from other Iberian rulers, Alfonso of Castile secures support from Portugal, the Papacy, France, and Bohemia. The narrative then shifts to the Kingdom of Navarre, detailing its reassertion of independence in 1329 after being under French rule since 1274, with Joan II and her husband Philip III becoming King and Queen. The focus returns to Alfonso's crusade, which captures fortresses but is derailed by the Marinid capture of Gibraltar, leading to internal unrest in both Castile and Granada, and ultimately the assassination of Granada's King Muhammad IV.