Constance of Peñafiel

Coat of arms of Constance of Peñafiel as Queen Consort of Castile.

Constance of Peñafiel born Constanza Manuel (1315/1323 – 13 November 1345) was the daughter of Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena (1282–1348), called "el escritor" (the writer), Duke of Peñafiel, and his second wife Constance of Aragon, a daughter of James II of Aragon. She was Crown Princess of Portugal.

While still a child she became the first wife of future King Alfonso XI of Castile (1311–50), also a child at the time, in Valladolid. The marriage was annulled in 1327.

Early Life and First Marriage

Constance was a Castilian noblewoman, whose exact date of birth is unknown, occurring sometime between 1315 and 1323. Constance was a paternal great-granddaughter of King Ferdinand I of Castile. Her maternal grandparents were James II of Aragon and his second wife Blanche of Anjou.

In Valladolid on 28 November 1325, the young Constance married Alfonso XI of Castile, they were married for only two years when Alfonso had the marriage dissolved and remarried to Maria of Portugal, who gave him a son, Peter of Castile.^[1]

Constance was imprisoned in a castle in Toro while her father waged war against Alfonso XI until 1329. Eventually, the two reached a peaceful accord after mediation by Juan del Campo, Bishop of Oviedo; this secured Constance's release from prison.

Second Marriage

Afonso IV quickly learned that his daughter Maria was being mistreated by her husband King Alfonso (Constance's ex-husband). Constance's father had been rebuffed by the king when she was rejected in favor of the Portuguese princess. Feeling as though his daughter was being dishonored, Afonso was glad to enter into an alliance with Juan Manuel and married his son and heir, Peter, to Constance. They married on 24 August 1339 in Lisbon.

When Constance arrived in Portugal, Inês de Castro, the daughter of an aristocratic Castilian land-owner, accompanied her as her lady-in-waiting. Peter fell in love with Inês very quickly, and the two conducted an affair that lasted until Constance's death in 1345. The scandal of this affair caused Afonso to banish Inês from court, but this did not end the relationship, and the two began living together in secret.

Constance died on the 13 November 1345, weeks after giving birth to her son and future King of Portugal, Fernando. She was buried four years later in Santarém, Portugal. Her husband presumably married Inês after Constance's death; however, Inês was later murdered on the orders of King Afonso. Peter became King twelve years after Constance's death in 1357.

They had three children:

Children

• Louis (27 February 1340 - 6 March 1340).
• Maria (6 April 1343 - app. 1367), Married to Infante Ferdinand of Aragon.
• Ferdinand I of Portugal (31 October 1345 - 29 October 1383), 9th King of Portugal.

Ancestry

References

v t e Portuguese House of Burgundy   Henry, Count of Portugal Spouse(s) Theresa of León Children Afonso Henriques Urraca Henriques, Countess of Trastámara Sancha Henriques, Lady of Braganza de Langroiva and Noman Teresa Henriques Henrique Henriques Grandchildren Infante Henrique Infanta Mafalda Urraca, Queen of Léon Infanta Sancha Sancho I Infante João Theresa, Countess of Flanders and Duchess of Burgundy   Afonso I of Portugal Spouse(s) Maud of Savoy Children Infante Henrique Infanta Mafalda Urraca, Queen of Léon Infanta Sancha Sancho I Infante João Theresa, Countess of Flanders and Duchess of Burgundy Grandchildren Theresa, Queen of León Infanta Sancha, Lady of Alenquer Infante Raimundo Infante Constance Afonso II of Portugal Peter I, Count of Urgell Ferdinand, Count of Flanders Infante Henrique Infanta Branca, Lady of Guadalajara Berengaria, Queen of Denmark Mafalda, Queen of Portugal   Sancho I of Portugal Spouse(s) Dulce of Aragon Children Theresa, Queen of León Infanta Sancha, Lady of Alenquer Infante Raimundo Infante Constance Afonso II of Portugal Peter I, Count of Urgell Ferdinand, Count of Flanders Infante Henrique Infanta Branca, Lady of Guadalajara Berengaria, Queen of Denmark Mafalda, Queen of Portugal Grandchildren Sancho II Afonso III Eleanor, junior Queen of Denmark Fernando, Lord of Serpa Infante Vicente Infanta Maria   Afonso II of Portugal Spouse(s) Urraca of Castile Children Sancho II Afonso III Eleanor, junior Queen of Denmark Fernando, Lord of Serpa Infante Vicente Grandchildren Infante Roberto Infanta Branca, Viscountess of Huelgas Infante Fernando Denis I of Portugal Infante Afonso, Lord of Portalegre Infanta Sancha Infanta Maria Infanta Constança Infante Vicente Eleanor, Princess of Dacia   Sancho II of Portugal Spouse(s) Mécia Lopes de Haro Notes Sancho had no children; he was deposed in 1247 and died the following year.   Afonso III of Portugal Spouse(s) Matilda II of Boulogne Beatrice of Castile Children Infante Roberto Infanta Branca, Lady of Las Huelgas Infante Fernando Denis I of Portugal Infante Afonso, Lord of Portalegre Infanta Sancha Infanta Maria Infanta Constança Infante Vicente Grandchildren Constance, Queen of Castile Afonso IV Infante Afonso, Lord of Leiria Infanta Maria, Lady of Menezes and Orduña Infanta Isabel, Lady of Penela Infanta Constança Infanta Beatriz, Lady of Lemos   Denis of Portugal Spouse(s) Saint Elizabeth of Aragon Children Constance, Queen of Castile Afonso IV Grandchildren Maria, Queen of Castile Infante Afonso Infante Denis Peter I Infanta Isabel Infante João Eleanor, Queen of Aragon   Afonso IV of Portugal Spouse(s) Beatrice of Castile Children Maria, Queen of Castile Infante Afonso Infante Denis Peter I Infanta Isabel Infante João Eleanor, Queen of Aragon Grandchildren Infante Luís Infanta Maria, Marchioness of Tortosa Ferdinand I Infante Afonso Infanta Beatrice, Countess of Alburquerque Infante John, Duke of Valencia de Campos Infante Denis, Lord of Cifuentes   Peter I of Portugal Spouse(s) Blanche of Castile Constance of Peñafiel Inês de Castro Children Infante Luís Infanta Maria, Marchioness of Tortosa Ferdinand I Infante Afonso1 Infanta Beatrice, Countess of Alburquerque1 Infante John, Duke of Valencia de Campos1 Infante Denis, Lord of Cifuentes1 Illegitimate children included John, Grand Master of the Order of Aviz (future John I) Grandchildren Beatrice, titular Queen of Portugal Infante Pedro Infante Afonso Infante Fernando, Lord of Eça1 Infanta Maria Brites, Countess of Valencia de Campos1 Infanta Isabel Brites, Countess of Cigales and Buelna1 Infanta Joana, Lady of Buendía1 Infante Fernando, Lord of Cifuentes1 Infante Pedro, Lord of Colmenarejo1 Infanta Beatrice1   Ferdinand I of Portugal Spouse(s) Leonor Telles de Menezes Children Beatrice, titular Queen of Portugal Infante Pedro Infante Afonso Grandchildren Miguel, Crown Prince of Portugal2 Notes 1 the descendants of King Peter I and Ines de Castro's children were recognized as legitimate and were Infantes and Infantas 2 also an Infante of Castile