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John II of Castile

Toro, 1404 – Valladolid, 30 Jul 1454

13 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born1404, Toroor 15 Mar 1405Records disagree1 source
  • MarriedIsabella of Portugalnot verified1 source
  • MarriedMaria of Aragonnot verified1 source
  • TitleMonarch of Castile and Leon, 1407–1454or Grand Master of the Order of Santiago, 1453not verified1 source
  • TitleGrand Master of the Order of Santiago, 1453or Monarch of Castile and Leon, 1407–1454not verified1 source
  • EventWedding, 1420not verified1 source
  • Died30 Jul 1454, ValladolidRecords disagree1 source

A life in time

  1. 1404

    Born in Toro

  2. 1407–1454

    Monarch of Castile and Leon

  3. 1420

    Wedding

  4. 1422–1453

    6 children are born

  5. 1453

    Grand Master of the Order of Santiago

  6. 30 Jul 1454

    Dies in Valladolid

Family

See the tree

Partners

Children · 6

During his lifetime

He lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Toro.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1440s · John II is 36 to 45

What people wore

Around 1500–1524

Men's Hairstyles and Layered Robes

Men often grew long beards and hair, sometimes styling the tips into curls. Clothing could be layered, with high-status individuals wearing a pellizón, which was a long robe with wide, loose sleeves that could be knotted at the ends.

Daily life

Around 1500–1524

Household as the center of life

The household served as the primary center for education, work, and life, with tasks like laundry and water fetching falling to women and domestic servants.

Work

Around 1500–1524

Agricultural life and self-sufficiency

About 80 percent of Navarre's population relied on agriculture, with most households aiming for self-sufficiency. Two-thirds of farmers combined agricultural work with artisan activities.

Music

Around 1500–1524

Cathedral music and instrument maintenance

In the Pamplona Cathedral during the early 16th century, musicians such as chirimia players were officially employed, and payments for instrument maintenance, like repairing a bajon, were recorded in ducats.

At the table

Around 1500–1524

Wine as a daily essential drink

Wine was the essential daily drink, considered vital for health and often mixed with water because pure water was frequently unsafe to consume. It was consumed by all social classes, and many people carried their own measuring tools to ensure the wine was diluted correctly.

Getting around

Around 1500–1524

Limited river navigation

Rivers in the region were generally not navigable, except for the Ebro, where small boats transported goods like grain, wine, and iron.

What it cost

Around 1500–1524

Labor Wages in Construction Projects

For construction projects like fortification, labor wages accounted for between 65 and 100 percent of total costs.