Maria of Navarre

Maria of Navarre (; 1329 – 29 April 1347) was Queen of Aragon from 1338 until her death as the first of four wives of Peter IV of Aragon. Childhood Maria was the second child of Joan II of Navarre and Philip III of Navarre, born a year after their accession. Her parents, having established the House of Évreux as the new ruling dynasty in the Kingdom of Navarre, wanted to improve relations with their Iberian neighbours. In 1333 they negotiated a betrothal between Maria's elder sister, Joan, and Peter, then heir apparent to the throne of Aragon. Peter, who ascended the throne in January 1336, expressed a preference for the second daughter, however, which forced Joan to renounce her succession rights in favour of Maria. Queenship