Eleanor of Castile (died 1244) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eleanor of Castile |
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Coat of arms of Eleanor of Castile
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| Queen consort of Aragon | |
| Tenure | 6 February 1221 – April 1229 |
| Born | 1200 |
| Died | 1244 Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas near Burgos |
| Spouse | James I of Aragon |
| Issue | Alfonso of Bigorre |
| House | Castilian House of Ivrea |
| Father | Alfonso VIII of Castile |
| Mother | Eleanor of England |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Eleanor of Castile (born 1200, died 1244) was a queen of Aragon. She became queen by marrying King James I of Aragon.
Contents
Eleanor's Life as Queen
Eleanor was the daughter of King Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England. In 1221, Eleanor married King James I of Aragon in a town called Ágreda. She was 19 years old, and he was 14.
The first few years of King James's rule were difficult. Many nobles rebelled against him. In 1227, the king and the nobles finally made peace. This agreement was called the Peace of Alcalá.
Eleanor and James had one son together, named Alfonso. He later married a woman named Constance of Béarn.
Why Eleanor's Marriage Ended
Eleanor's marriage to King James was ended in 1230. This meant their marriage was declared invalid, as if it never happened. After this, Eleanor was not allowed to marry anyone else. Their son, Alfonso, was still considered a rightful heir. However, Alfonso died before his father, King James.
Life in the Monastery
After her marriage ended, Eleanor decided to become a nun. A nun is a woman who dedicates her life to religious service. Eleanor went to the Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas.
Her older sister, Berengaria, had also retired there. Berengaria had previously ruled the Kingdom of Castile and Kingdom of León. Another sister, Constance, had been a nun at the same abbey for a long time.
All three sisters lived and died at this abbey. Constance passed away in 1243, Eleanor in 1244, and Berengaria in 1246. They are all buried there.
Where Eleanor Was Buried
Eleanor was buried at the Monastery of Las Huelgas, near Burgos in Spain. Her tomb is in a part of the monastery called the Nave of Santa Catarina.
In the mid-1900s, workers at the monastery examined her tomb. They found Eleanor's remains were well-preserved. Her coffin was made of wood. Inside, there were also pieces of her clothing. Some of these clothes were made of a special fabric called brocade, with designs that looked like Arabic writing.
See also
In Spanish: Leonor de Castilla (1191-1244) para niños
Images for kids
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Coat of arms of Eleanor of Castile
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Eleanor's royal seal
