As the king's eldest son, James was not only an infante but also heir apparent to the Crown of Aragon, a realm stretching from north-eastern Spain to Sardinia and Corsica.
[1] King James personally oversaw the health of the heir apparent to the Crown of Aragon, even after the infante reached adulthood; he appointed his son's physicians and expected them to regularly report to him.
James was appointed procurator general already in his youth, with the task of handling judicial affairs in the name of his father.
[1] In the spring of 1318, aged 22, he announced to his father that he wished to break off the engagement and renounce his right to the crown so that he could take holy orders,[1] despite never before having shown interest in monastic life.
[3][4] Father and son's relationship became increasingly strained following the renunciation,[2] with the younger James's instability and licentiousness continuously troubling the king.