catalina-de-aragon: Alfonso XI of Castile and Leonor de Guzmán Leonor de Guzmán is con

catalina-de-aragon:Alfonso XI of Castile and Leonor de GuzmánLeonor de Guzmán is considered the most influential and powerful royal mistress of Spanish history. Reputedly the most beautiful woman in Spain, she maintained her great influence over King Alfonso XI of Castile and León for twenty years. One of the children of this couple was the future Enrique II, founder of the Trastámara dynasty. Leonor was born in 1310, possibly in Seville. By birth, this lady was of the ancient family of Guzman, one of the most noble in Castile, being the daughter of Pedro Núñez de Guzmán, by Beatriz Ponce de León, a great-granddaughter of King Alfonso IX of León. At the time Alfonso XI first saw her, Leonor was the widow of Juan de Velasco, and lived very retired in Seville. She was nineteen at the time, a year older than him, and possessed of a great beauty. King Alfonso, married to María of Portugal,became deeply enamoured of her. Her virtue was not sufficiently strong to resist her royal lover and began a passionate love affair that would last until his death. In 1330 the Infant Juan Manuel tried to convince Leonor de Guzmán to request the annulment of marriage of Alfonso XI with María of Portugal to the Pope, but she refused to do so, despite the absence of children in the royal marriage.After Queen Maria’s son and heir, the future Pedro I, was born, Alfonso left his wife and lived with Leonor instead. The King made Leonor and their children together his real family in terms of affection and gifts.The lovers had nine sons and one daughter. Their children became great characters of the Court, thanks to loyal protection of the monarch and the efforts of Leonor, who did as she could to ensure the position of an offspring that is marked by the sign of illegitimacy. Her son Enrique was adopted by Rodrigo Álvarez de Asturias, Lord of Noreña, and inherited the County of Trastámara. Within the long years of her relationship with the king, Leonor received many goods, mostly thanks to the donations of the monarch, who wanted to recompense her for the birth of every of their children with various estates. This way she became an important feudal lady.Leonor de Guzmán was the most powerful woman in the kingdom. Her rank was exalted, her manners were gentle and fascinating, and her intellect highly cultivating. She was a close and active confidante of the king, as well as a devoted mother and lover. Leonor appeared with him in public; it was in her presence that the officers of justice and chief magistrates despatched their business;  it was to her they were accountable during the king’s absence. Nobles, clergy and ambassadors came to her. Edward III of England was directed her to intercede in favor of the marriage between the heir to the Castilian throne, Peter, and an English Princess.Leonor normally resided in Seville, but often accompanied Alfonso XI in his displacements, even when it came to military expeditions (she was present at the conquest of Algeciras). Leonor used her influence on the King to increase the wealth and power of her relatives. Her speech led to the appointment of her brother Alfonso de Guzmán as Master of the order of Santiago (then her son Fadrique would inherit). Her position in the Court earned her many enemies. The court was increasingly troubled by Alfonso’s behavior and as a result, the Pope intervened by forcing Portugal to invade Castile. In the peace treaty of Seville in July 1340, Alfonso agreed Leonor’s seclusion in a convent, thereby securing the support of his father-in-law the king of Portugal in the Battle of Río Salado against the Marinids. But, once the military conflict had been resolved, Alfonso returned to his beloved Leonor. Alfonso XI fell a victim to the terrible pestilence known as the Black Death in 1350, at the Fifth Siege of Gibraltar. King Alfonso was succeeded by his heir Pedro, a young man of sixteen years.The death of her lover meant the beginning of the end for Leonor de Guzmán. The resentment of Queen Maria against the mistress soon exploded. Conscious of her danger, Leonor had retired to Medina Sidonia, a strong place bequeathed to her by the late King, but induced by the treacherous representations of Alburquerque and Lara, she consented to appear at Seville, where she was arrested and imprisoned at the Alcázar. Queen Maria accused Leonor of promoting revolts against King Pedro I, conspiring with the King of Aragon and encourage her children to rebellion.  Leonor made an important political maneuver with the marriage of his son Enrique de Trastámara with Juana Manuel, a young woman of noble lineage and descendant of Kings. It was cause of a big scandal at the Court. Her fate was briefly suspended by the severe illness of the King, but on his recovery, she was removed first to Carmona, Llerena, and finally to Talavera de la Reina, where Leonor was executed in 1351 possibly by order of Queen Maria. A squire of the Queen cut her throat with a dagger. It was never clear where she was buried. Leonor’s death only exacerbated the rift within the royal family. Enrique de Trastámara and King Pedro continued to fight for control of Crown of Castile. Finally, Enrique killed his half-brother and was crowned King of Castile and León. The fall of Leonor de GuzmánThe marriage of Henry II and Juana Manuel(X)(X)(X) -- source link

More pics about