when his father died in 1285, he left the kingdom of aragon to his eldest son, alfonso, and that of sicily to his second son, james. when alfonso died in 1291, james became king of aragon and left frederick as regent in sicily. the war between the angevins, who contested the title to sicily from their peninsular possessions centred on naples (the so-called kingdom of naples), and the crown of aragon for the possession of the island was still in progress, and although the crown of aragon was successful in italy, james’ position in spain became very insecure due to internal troubles and french attacks. peace negotiations were begun with charles ii of naples, but were interrupted by the successive deaths of two popes. at last, under the auspices of pope boniface viii, james concluded a shameful treaty, by which, in exchange for being left undisturbed in the rest of the territories belonging to the crown of aragon and promised possession of sardinia and corsica, he gave up sicily to the church, for whom it was to be held by the angevins (treaty of anagni, 10 june 1295). the sicilians refused to be made over once more to the hated french they had expelled in 1282 (in the sicilian vespers), and found a national leader in the regent frederick. in vain the pope tried to bribe him with promises and dignities; he was determined to stand by his subjects, and was crowned king by the nobles at palermo in 1296.