James was born in Zaragoza in 1321. His older brother, Peter, inherited the Kingdom of Aragon. James inherited his mother's title.
He married Cecilia de Comminges (1321–1381), the daughter of Bernard VIII, Count of Comminges and Viscount of Turenne, in 1336 in Catalonia. They had two children, Pedro 19th Conde of Urgel and Isabel.
James is believed to have been poisoned by his brother Peter in Barcelona.
References
Zayas de la Portilla, Juan Bruno (2003). Orígenes, Compendio Histórico-Genealógico del Linaje Zayas, Descendencia del Infante Don Jaime de Aragón, Volumen I (in Spanish). Zayas Publishing. ISBN0-9672876-0-X.