Matthew ( 1363 – 1398) was a

count of Foix The Count of Foix ruled the independent County of Foix, in what is now Southern France, during the Middle Ages. The House of Foix eventually extended its power across the Pyrenees mountain range, joining the House of Bearn and moving their court ...

an viscount of Béarn. In 1391. he succeeded

Gaston Phoebus Gaston Fébus (also spelt Phoebus) (30 April 1331 – 1391) was the eleventh count of Foix (as Gaston III) and twenty-fourth viscount of Béarn (as Gaston X) from 1343 until his death. Early life Gaston was born either in Orthez or Foix, the e ...

, his first cousin once removed, as count. He asserted the sovereignty of Béarn and, as son-in-law of John I, contested the

Crown of Aragon The Crown of Aragon ( , ) an, Corona d'Aragón ; ca, Corona d'Aragó, , , ; es, Corona de Aragón ; la, Corona Aragonum . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of ...

with John's brother Martin I from 1396. He and his wife,

Joanna Joanna is a feminine given name deriving from from he, יוֹחָנָה, translit=Yôḥānāh, lit=God is gracious. Variants in English include Joan, Joann, Joanne, and Johanna. Other forms of the name in English are Jan, Jane, Janet, Janice ...

, had no children.

Accession to office

Despite his pursuit for sovereignty, Gaston Phoebus ultimately bequeathed the lordship of Béarn to the king of France. On 8 August 1391, Béarnese leaders duly gathered in

Orthez Orthez (; eu, Ortheze; oc, Ortès, ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, and region of New Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the sm ...

and designated representatives, establishing the Estates-General of Béarn. They also elected Matthew de Castellbo as new legitimate lord of Béarn, also imposing on him the need to obtain from the king of France, Charles VI, the renunciation of the recent Treaty of Toulouse whereby the French monarch would gain access to the lordship of Béarn. Matthew manoeuvred quickly in this respect, obtaining early on his recognition by Richard II, king of England, and Charles VI, king of France, as lord of Béarn.

References

, - , - , - 1360s births 1398 deaths 14th-century Princes of Andorra House of Foix Counts of Foix Viscounts of Béarn Viscounts of Lautrec 14th-century French people 14th-century people from the Kingdom of Aragon Christians of the Barbary Crusade {{Spain-noble-stub