Berengaria of Castile 1 2 3
- Born: 1180, <Burgos, Castile>, Spain
- Marriage (1): Alfonso IX King of Léon in 1197
- Died: 8 Nov 1246, Burgos, Castile, Spain at age 66
Other names for Berengaria were Berenguela of Castile and Berenguela Queen of Castile.
Research Notes:
Widow of Konrad II of Swabia.
From Wikipedia - Berengaria of Castile :
Berengaria (Castilian : Berengaria; 1180 - 8 November 1246), was briefly queen of Castile and León . The eldest daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England , she was briefly engaged to Conrad II, Duke of Swabia , but he was murdered in 1196 before they could be married.
Marriage
Berengaria married King Alfonso IX of León in 1198, but this was annulled in 1204 by Pope Innocent III because they were second cousins. Berengaria and Alfonso had five children, including one who died in infancy, and when she returned to her father's court in Castile, she brought her children with her to Otella.
Berengaria often found herself politically at odds with her former husband. Alfonso had two daughters, Sancha and Dulce, by his first wife, Theresa of Portugal, and wished to disinherit Berengaria's children in favor of these daughters. To this end, he invited John of Brienne to marry his eldest daughter, Sancha, and thus inherit his kingdom. Berengaria sabotaged this plan by convincing John of Brienne to marry her own daughter, Berengaria of Leon , instead. Later, on 24 September 1230 when Alfonso died, Berengaria and Ferdinand acted to set aside the rights of Sancha and Dulce by offering them a lifetime appanage, which they accepted. This was done so that, with Berengaria's aid, he could assume the Leonese throne.
Queen
When her brother Henry died by accident in 1217, Berengaria became sovereign of Castile. She soon renounced her crown in favor of her son Ferdinand . Thereafter she served as the king's motherly advisor; according to the Cronica Latina , her "total intent and desire being to procure honor for her son in every way possible". Berengaria helped quell the rebellious nobles, and then arranged for Ferdinand to marry a high-born wife, Beatrice of Swabia.
Berengaria maintained strong connections with her sister Blanche , who was Queen of France. It was Blanche who suggested sending Jeanne of Ponthieu as a bride for Ferdinand after his first wife's death.
Children
Her children with Alfonso IX included:
Eleanor (1198/1199-31 October 1210)
King Ferdinand III of Castile (1200-1252)
Alfonso, 4th Lord of Molina (1203-1272)
Berengaria of Leon (1204-1237), married John of Brienne
Constance (1 May 1200 or 1205-7 September 1242), became a nun at Las Huelgas , Burgos , where she died
Death Notes:
Ancestral Roots has d. 1246 and d. 1244.
Noted events in her life were:
• Queen of Castile, 1217. Immediately surrendered the throne to her son Ferdinand.
Berengaria married Alfonso IX King of Léon, son of Fernando II King of Léon and Urraca of Portugal, in 1197. (Alfonso IX King of Léon was born on 15 Aug 1171 in Zamora, Léon, Spain and died on 24 Sep 1230 in Villanueva de Sarria, Lugo, Spain.)
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