Pact of Caspe

The Compromise of Caspe made in 1412 was an act and resolution of parliamentarian representatives on behalf of kingdoms Aragon and Valencia and principality of Catalonia to resolve the interregnum commenced by the death of King Martin I of Aragon in 1410 without a legitimate heir. The succession laws of the Aragonese Empire at that time were rather hazy, based more on custom than any specific legislation, and even case law did not exist. All successions in time of united Barcelona-Aragon had been to eldest son, to next younger brother, or to only daughter. However, earlier successions indicated that agnates (males in male line) of Aragonese royal family had higher claim over daughters and descendants of daughters – for example Martin himself had succeeded over daughters of his late elder brother, King John I. However, very distant agnates had lost claim to the daughter of the late king in 11th century, when Petronila of Aragon succeeded over claims of the then agnates (second cousins or likes), kings of Navarre and Castile.

The important candidates for succession were:

• Fadrique (Frederick), count of Luna, bastard grandson of the late Martin I of Aragón, bastard of his predeceased son Martin the Younger.

• Jaime (James), count of Urgel, great-grandson of Alfonso IV of Aragon in male line and appointed as Lieutenant of the Kingdom by late King Martin. Closest agnate, son of Martin's first cousin.

• Alfonso, duke of Gandia, an octagenarian, grandson of Jaime II of Aragon in male line, died 1412 leaving his son as next duke of Gandia. First cousin of Martin's father. The most senior (laterally as well as in age) and high in proximity to late reigning kings of Aragon (the stem of this succession).

• Luis (Louis III of Anjou), duke of Calabria, grandson of John I of Aragon through his mother Yolande of Aragon. Cognatic great-nephew of late Martin. Heir general to the line, John I having been eldest son, elder brother of Martin.

• Fernando de Trastámara, el de Antequera (Ferdinand), infante of Castile, grandson of Peter IV of Aragon through his mother Leonora of Aragon, queen of Castile. Cognatic nephew of late Martin. He had troops in his use and close to centers of Aragonese lands.

Deliberations between the Parliaments or Diets of Aragón, Valencia and Cataluña were difficult, due to diverting interests, factions of nobility, impatience of partisans of Count of Urgel and intervention of castilian troops of Ferdinand of Trastamare.

The Parliamentarians accorded 15 February 1412 (Concordia de Alcañiz) to appoint negotiators (nueve compromisarios) who then met in Caspe near Zaragoza, examined the rights of the pretenders. The compromisarios were:

• Domingo Ram, bishop of Huesca.
• Francisco de Aranda, ancient royal councillor as well as envoy of Antipope Benedict XIII of Avignon.
• Berenguer de Bardají, jurist and official general of the Cortes of Aragón.
• Pedro de Sagarriga, archbishop of Tarragona
• Bernardo de Gualbes, syndicus and councillor of Barcelona.
• Guillem de Vallseca, officer general of the Corts Reials Catalanes.
• Bonifacio Ferrer, prior of the monastery of Portaceli.
• Vicente Ferrer, dominican munk.
• Pedro Beltrán (who was substituted by Ginés Rabassa), citizen of Valencia and legal expert.

They proclaimed the castilian infante as King Ferdinand I of Aragon on 28 June 1412 by votes of three Aragonese, two Valencian and one Catalan compromisarios.