Afonso, Hereditary Prince of Portugal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Afonso |
|
|---|---|
| Hereditary Prince of Portugal | |
,_Pal%C3%A1cio_Nacional_de_Sintra.png)
The Death of Prince Afonso
|
|
| Born | 18 May 1475 |
| Died | 13 July 1491 (aged 16) Santarém District |
| Burial | Batalha Monastery |
| Spouse | |
| House | Aviz |
| Father | John II of Portugal |
| Mother | Eleanor of Viseu |
Afonso, Hereditary Prince of Portugal (born May 18, 1475 – died July 13, 1491) was the next in line to become king of Portugal. He was born in Lisbon, Portugal. Sadly, he died in a horse-riding accident near the River Tagus.
A Prince of Portugal
Afonso was named after his grandfather, King Afonso V. He was the only son of King John II and Eleanor of Viseu.
His father, King John II, loved him very much. He even named an island after him. This island is called Príncipe, which means "prince" in Portuguese.
A Royal Marriage
Afonso's grandfather, King Afonso V, had supported Joanna la Beltraneja. She was a rival for the throne of Castile. But Isabella was set to become queen.
After a conflict, a peace agreement was made. This was the Treaty of Alcáçovas, signed in 1479. It said that Afonso would marry Isabella. She was the oldest daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Castile.
In 1480, Prince Afonso was five years old. He went to live with his grandmother, Beatrice, in Moura. His future wife, Isabella, joined him there a year later. She was ten years old at the time. They lived together for about two years.
The wedding happened ten years later, in 1490. It was a proxy wedding, meaning someone stood in for one of them. Isabella arrived in Badajoz in November. There, she met Afonso's uncle, Manuel. He would later become King Manuel I of Portugal.
Afonso and Isabella met again in Elvas. The next day, Isabella met her mother-in-law, Queen Eleanor. This meeting took place in Évora. The royal court had gathered there to confirm the marriage.
This marriage was important for both kingdoms. The Queen of Castile wanted to make ties with Portugal stronger. It also helped her keep an eye on her old rival, Joanna la Beltraneja.
A Tragic End
In July 1491, the royal family was spending the summer in Santarém District. It was near the River Tagus. King John II asked his son to swim with him.
Prince Afonso first said no. But he saw his father wanted him to join, so he agreed. According to a historical record by Rui de Pina:
...running at a great speed, the Prince's horse fell, dragging (the prince) under him, where he remained, seemingly dead, without speaking and having lost his senses.
When Afonso's mother heard the news, she was very sad. She rushed to be with her son. His wife, Isabella, went with her. But nothing could be done to save him.
As a sign of sadness, his parents decided to wear black clothes. Prince Afonso was buried at Batalha Monastery. This is also where his grandfather, King Afonso V, was laid to rest.
His wife, Isabella, went back to Castile. Her parents, the Catholic Monarchs, left their camp to comfort her.
What Happened Next
After Afonso's death, King John II tried to make his other son, Jorge, Duke of Coimbra, the next king. Jorge was ten years old and not born in marriage.
But Queen Eleanor, King John's wife, was strongly against this. She did not want a son born outside of marriage to be king. The rulers of Castile also agreed with her. They supported Eleanor's brother, the Duke of Beja, as the next in line.
In 1494, King John II's health got worse. He wrote his last will. In it, he named his cousin and brother-in-law, the Duke of Beja, as his successor.
King John II died in October 1495. In 1497, the Duke of Beja became King Manuel I of Portugal. He then married Isabella, who was Prince Afonso's widow.
See also
In Spanish: Alfonso de Portugal (1475-1491) para niños
