List of Castilian monarchs facts for kids

This article is about the kings and queens who ruled the Kingdom and Crown of Castile. These powerful rulers shaped the history of a large part of what is now Spain. You'll learn about the different families, or "dynasties," that held the throne and some of the important things that happened during their reigns.

The royal symbol of Castile.

Meet the Rulers of Castile

This section introduces the kings and queens who led Castile through many centuries. They were part of different royal families, each leaving their own mark on history.

The Jiménez Family (Dynasty)

The Jiménez family was one of the first to rule Castile. They helped shape the early kingdom.

Monarch	Image	Nickname	Started Ruling	Ended Ruling	Important Facts
Sancho II		the Strong	27 December 1065	6 October 1072	He also ruled as King of León for a short time.
Alfonso VI		the Brave	6 October 1072	30 June 1109	He also ruled as King of León.
Urraca		the Reckless	30 June 1109	8 March 1126	She was also Queen of León.

The House of Ivrea

The rulers from the House of Ivrea were descendants of Queen Urraca's first husband, Raymond of Burgundy. This family saw Castile grow and become even stronger.

The Royal Bend of Castile, a special symbol used by the monarchs since 1332.

Monarch	Image	Nickname	Started Ruling	Ended Ruling	Important Facts
Alfonso VII		The Emperor	10 March 1126	21 August 1157	He also ruled as King of León.
Sancho III		The Desired	21 August 1157	31 August 1158
Alfonso VIII		The Noble	31 August 1158	6 October 1214	He won a very important battle, the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, in 1212.
Henry I			6 October 1214	6 June 1217
Berengaria		The Great	6 June 1217	30 August 1217	She gave up her throne for her son, Ferdinand III.
Ferdinand III		The Saint	30 August 1217	30 May 1252	He also became King of León in 1230. After him, all kings ruled both Castile and León.
Alfonso X		The Wise	30 May 1252	4 April 1284	He was chosen as King of the Romans in 1257, a title he kept until 1275.
Sancho IV		The Brave	4 April 1284	25 April 1295
Ferdinand IV		The Summoned	25 April 1295	7 September 1312
Alfonso XI		The Just	7 September 1312	26 March 1350	He died from the Black Death during a siege.
Peter		The Cruel	26 March 1350	23 March 1369	He was killed by his half-brother, Henry II.

The House of Trastámara

After Peter's death, there was a fight over who should be the next king. Peter's half-brother, Henry of Trastámara, took the throne by force. He started the new ruling family, the House of Trastámara. Henry II was the son of Alfonso XI.

The royal symbol of the Crown of Castile during the time of John II.

Monarch	Image	Nickname	Started Ruling	Ended Ruling	Important Facts
Henry II		The Bastard	23 March 1369	29 May 1379	He also claimed the throne from 1366.
John I			29 May 1379	9 October 1390
Henry III		The Infirm	9 October 1390	25 December 1406
John II			25 December 1406	21 July 1454
Henry IV		The Impotent	21 July 1454	11 December 1474
Isabella I		The Catholic	11 December 1474	26 November 1504	She ruled with her husband, Ferdinand, who became King of Castile because he was her husband.
Ferdinand V		The Catholic	15 January 1475	26 November 1504	He also became King of Aragon in 1479. This helped create a united country called Spain.
Joanna		The Mad	26 November 1504	12 April 1555	She ruled in name with her husband, Philip I, and later with her father and son. She was often kept in confinement.

The House of Habsburg

The House of Habsburg took over the throne of Castile. This family was very powerful across Europe.

The symbol of Philip I.

Monarch	Image	Nickname	Started Ruling	Ended Ruling	Important Facts
Philip I		The Handsome	26 November 1504	25 September 1506	He was king because he was married to Queen Joanna I.
Charles I		The Emperor	13 March 1516	16 January 1556	He ruled with his mother, Joanna I, who was in confinement. He gave up his throne in 1556.
Philip II		The Prudent	16 January 1556	13 September 1598	He was the son of Charles I.
Philip III		The Pious	13 September 1598	31 March 1621	He was the son of Philip II.
Philip IV		The Great	31 March 1621	17 September 1665	He was the son of Philip III.
Charles II		The Bewitched	17 September 1665	1 November 1700	He was the son of Philip IV.

The House of Bourbon

The House of Bourbon took over after the War of Spanish Succession. With their rule, the Crown of Castile became fully part of the Spanish Crown.

The symbol of Philip V.

Monarch	Image	Nickname	Started Ruling	Ended Ruling	Important Facts
Philip V			1 November 1700	1715 (Nueva Planta decrees dissolve the Crown of Castile)	He was the Duke of Anjou and a relative of Charles II.

The Crown of Castile had its own laws and identity within the Spanish Crown until the Bourbon family came to power. This happened after a big conflict called the War of Spanish Succession.

More to Explore

• List of Castilian consorts
• Kingdom of Castile
• List of Aragonese monarchs
• List of Leonese monarchs
• List of Navarrese monarchs
• List of Spanish monarchs