Henry I of Castile facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry I |
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King Henry I in the Castilian manuscript Compendium of Chronicles of Kings (...) (c. 1312-1325).
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| King of Castile and Toledo | |
| Reign | 5 October 1214 – 6 June 1217 |
| Predecessor | Alfonso VIII |
| Successor | Berengaria |
| Born | 14 April 1204 Valladolid |
| Died | 6 June 1217 (aged 13) Palencia |
| Burial | Las Huelgas, Burgos |
| Spouse | |
| House | Castilian House of Ivrea |
| Father | Alfonso VIII of Castile |
| Mother | Eleanor of England |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Henry I of Castile (born April 14, 1204 – died June 6, 1217) was a young king of Castile. He was the son of King Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile. His mother was the daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Henry had several sisters, including Berenguela and Mafalda of Castile.
Becoming King of Castile
Henry was not originally supposed to be king. His older brother, Ferdinand, was the first in line to the throne. However, Ferdinand sadly passed away in 1211. This meant that Henry, at just seven years old, became the new heir to the throne.
In 1214, when Henry was only 10 years old, his father, King Alfonso VIII, died. This made Henry the new King of Castile. Because he was so young, he could not rule by himself. His older sister, Berengaria of Castile, stepped in to rule for him. This period of ruling for a young king is called a "regency." Berengaria was married to Alfonso IX of Leon, who was the King of León.
Short Marriage
In 1215, Henry married Mafalda of Portugal. She was the daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal. Since Henry was still very young, the marriage was not fully completed.
The marriage was officially ended in 1216 by Pope Innocent III. It was annulled because Henry and Mafalda were related by blood, which was not allowed by the church at that time. Later that same year, Henry was promised in marriage to his second cousin, Sancha, who was an important princess from León.
His Untimely Death
King Henry I died in Palencia in 1217. He was only 13 years old. His death was very sudden and tragic. He was killed when a tile fell from a roof and hit him.
After Henry's death, his sister Berengaria became the queen. However, she soon gave up the throne for her son, Ferdinand III. Henry's body was buried at the Las Huelgas monastery in Burgos.
See also
In Spanish: Enrique I de Castilla para niños
