This website will explain key ideas about the marriages of elites in Western Europe during the Late Middle Ages. The image in the background here demonstrates a few themes explored on the site. King Joan I of Aragon wrote this letter to his wife, Violant de Bar, on November 8, 1391. In it, Joan thanks Violant for sending him a small box of perfumes that he says helped him convalesce and regain good health. He goes on to express his gratitude for her counsel on matters of state. Joan addresses Violant as molt cara companyona, my dearest companion, at the beginning of each sentence of the letter.