Agnes of Aquitaine, Queen of León and Castile facts for kids

Agnes of Aquitaine (Spanish: Inés) was an important queen in Spain during the 11th century. She was part of the House of Poitou, a powerful family. Agnes became queen first of León and then also of Castile when she married Alfonso VI of León and Castile.

Her Family Background

Agnes was the daughter of William VIII, Duke of Aquitaine. Her mother was named Matilda. We don't know much about Matilda's family.

Sometimes, Agnes has been confused with another queen named Agnes. This other Agnes was her half-sister. She was also a queen in Spain, married to Peter I of Aragon and Navarre.

Becoming Queen

In 1069, Agnes married Alfonso VI. He was the King of León. When Alfonso's father died, he split his kingdom into three parts for his sons. Alfonso and his brother Sancho first worked together. They took over the kingdom of their other brother, García.

After that, Alfonso and Sancho fought each other. In January 1072, Alfonso had to leave his kingdom. Sancho then ruled all of their father's lands. But Sancho was killed later that same year. Alfonso then came back and became king again. In October 1072, he was crowned king of the reunited kingdom. He also said he was the "Emperor of all Spain". This meant he was the most powerful ruler in the region.

What Happened to Agnes?

Agnes and Alfonso were last seen together in May 1077. After that, Alfonso appears alone in records. This makes historians think that Agnes might have died around that time.

Some old writings say that Agnes, who was Alfonso's widow, married again in 1109. She supposedly married Elias I of Maine. However, this is likely a mistake. It was probably Alfonso's last wife, Beatrice, who remarried and went back to France after Alfonso died. Agnes and Alfonso did not have any children. Elias also did not have children with his wife.

Her Death and Burial

There are different ideas about when Agnes died. Some records suggest she died in 1078. This matches when she stopped appearing in official papers. Another old record says a Queen Agnes died in 1097. But this was probably her half-sister, Agnes, Queen of Navarre, who died that year.

A special tomb for Agnes is at the royal monastery of Sahagún. It is near the tomb of Alfonso's second wife, Constance of Burgundy. However, these tombs at Sahagún were not made at the time of their deaths. So, the information on them might not be completely correct.

See also

In Spanish: Inés de Aquitania (1059-1078) para niños