Juan II's nearly half-century reign was dominated by his favorite and effective regent, Álvaro de Luna, who controlled Castilian fiscal policy for most of it. The billon coinage of this period suffered chronic debasement as the crown struggled to finance factional warfare among the nobility — the cornado being among the smallest and most debased denominations in regular circulation. Luna was eventually arrested at Juan's own order in 1453 and beheaded, one year before the king himself died.
Juan II's nearly half-century reign was dominated by his favorite and effective regent, Álvaro de Luna, who controlled Castilian fiscal policy for most of it. The billon coinage of this period suffered chronic debasement as the crown struggled to finance factional warfare among the nobility — the cornado being among the smallest and most debased denominations in regular circulation. Luna was eventually arrested at Juan's own order in 1453 and beheaded, one year before the king himself died.