Constable of Castile facts for kids

The Constable of Castile (in Spanish, Condestable de Castilla) was a very important job in the old Kingdom of Castile, which is now part of Spain. It was like being the top general of the army, second only to the King himself!

What Was the Constable of Castile?

This important job was created in 1382 by King John I. He needed a strong military leader during a tough war against Portugal and England. The Constable took over from an older role called Alférez Mayor del Reino. This new job was similar to the "Constable of France," a powerful military position in France.

The Constable had huge power. They were in charge of the entire army and also had a lot of power in legal matters. They were the second most powerful person in the kingdom, right after the King.

From Military Leader to Special Title

For many years, the Constable of Castile was a real military leader. But in 1473, King Henry IV of Castile made a big change. He decided that the title would become hereditary for the Velasco family and the Dukes of Frías. This meant the title would pass down from parent to child in that family.

By this time, the job no longer involved leading armies or making big decisions. It became an "honorific title," which means it was a special title given to show respect and honor, but without any real power or duties.

Famous Constables of Castile

Here are some of the people who held this important title when it was still a powerful military job:

• 1382 - 1391 : Alfonso of Aragon and Foix
• 1393 - 1400 : Pedro Enrique de Trastámara, son of Fadrique Alfonso of Castile
• 1400 - 1423 : Ruy López Dávalos
• 1423 - 1453 : Álvaro de Luna
• 1458 - 1473 : Miguel Lucas de Iranzo

Hereditary Constables

After 1473, the title became hereditary. Here are some of the people who held the title as an honor:

• 1473 - 1492 : Pedro Fernández de Velasco, 2nd Count of Haro
• 1492 - 1512 : Bernardino Fernández de Velasco, 1st Duke of Frías
• 1512 - 1528 : Íñigo Fernández de Velasco, 2nd Duke of Frías
• 1528 - 1559 : Pedro Fernández de Velasco, 3rd Duke of Frías
• 1559 - 1585 : Íñigo Fernández de Velasco, 4th Duke of Frías
• 1585 - 1615 : Juan Fernández de Velasco, 5th Duke of Frías
• 1615 - 1652 : Bernardino Fernández de Velasco, 6th Duke of Frías
• 1652 - 1696 : Íñigo Melchor de Velasco, 7th Duke of Frías
• 1696 - 1713 : José Fernández de Velasco y Tovar, 8th Duke of Frías

See also

In Spanish: Condestable de Castilla para niños