Alfonso of Castile, Prince of Asturias

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Infante don Alfonso de Trastamare y Aviz, Prince of Asturias (1453-68) was the figurehead of rebelling magnates against his brother Henry IV of Castile.

Alfonso was born as the only surviving son of Isabel de Portugal, queen, and her husband John II of Castile, whose second marriage that was. Alfonso's full sister was the future Queen Isabella I of Castile.

Castilian and Leonese royalty
House of Trastámara

Henry II (I of Leon)
Children include
   Prince John (future John I)
   Eleanor, Queen of Navarre
John I
Children include
   Henry, Prince of Asturias (future Henry III of Castile and II of Leon)
   Ferdinand I of Aragon, Valencia and Sicily
Henry III (II of Leon)
Children include
   John, Prince of Asturias (future John II)
   Maria, Queen of Aragon, Valencia, Sicily and Naples
John II
Children include
   Henry, Prince of Asturias (future Henry IV of Castile and III of Leon)
   Infanta Isabella (future Isabella I)
   Alfonso, Prince of Asturias
Henry IV (III of Leon)
Children
   Joan, Queen of Portugal
Isabella I with Ferdinand IV (V of Leon)
Children
   Isabella, Queen of Portugal
   Juan, Prince of Asturias
   Joan, Princess of Asturias (future Joan I)
   Maria, Queen of Portugal
   Catherine, Queen of England
Grandchildren include
   Miguel da Paz, Prince of Portugal and Spain
Joan with Philip I
Children
   Eleanor, Queen of Portugal and France
   Charles, Prince of Asturias (future Charles I of Spain and V of the Holy Roman Empire)
   Isabella, Queen of Denmark and Norway
   Ferdinand I of the Holy Roman Empire
   Mary, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia
   Catherine, Queen of Portugal

In early 1460s, lords of the realm were totally dissatisfied with the ineffectual king Henry IV, and further believed that the daughter (Joanna, Princess of Asturias, aka Juana la Beltraneja) whom Henry's wife had given birth to, was not sired by Henry. The cortes forced in 1464 Henry to repudiate Joanna's paternity and to recognize Alfonso as the next king, whereby he became Prince of Asturias in place of Joanna.

Then Alfonso was used as figurehead in the further rebellions of several magnates.

However, quite young, Alfonso died of a sickness, probably plaguej, although poison and slit throat have been suggested. His sister Isabella was requested to take her brother's place as figurehead of the rebels but she declined - she conciliated with Henry and was recognized as the next monarch, which she became when Henry himself died in 1474.

House of Trastámara
Born: 1453
Died: 1468
Preceded by
Juana "la Beltraneja"
who was deposed
Prince of Asturias
1464-1468
Succeeded by
Infanta Isabella
his sister