María Díaz II de Haro facts for kids
María Díaz II de Haro (born around 1318 or 1320, died September 16, 1348) was an important Spanish noblewoman. She belonged to the powerful House of Haro family. María was the daughter of Juan de Castilla y Haro and Isabel of Portugal. She held the title of Lady of Biscay from 1334 until she passed away in 1348.
Contents
María Díaz II: Her Family and Early Life
María Díaz II was the daughter of Juan de Castilla y Haro and Isabel of Portugal. Her grandparents on her father's side were John of Castile and María I Díaz de Haro, who was also a Lady of Biscay. Her mother's parents were Afonso of Portugal and Violante Manuel.
María's Life Story
In 1326, a sad event happened: María's father was killed in Toro. This happened because King Alfonso XI of Castile ordered it. The king also took away all her father's land and belongings.
Because of this, María Díaz II was sent to live in Bayonne, a city in France. While she was there, Juan Núñez III de Lara asked for her hand in marriage. He was a very important noble and the leader of the House of Lara. They got married in the same year.
Reclaiming Her Family's Lands
During the early years of King Alfonso XI's rule, María's husband, Juan Núñez III, worked hard to get back all the lands that had belonged to her father. He even fought against the king several times to do this. Eventually, Juan Núñez III and the king made peace after Juan was defeated at Lerma.
After this peace agreement, María's family and the king got along well. King Alfonso XI officially recognized María Díaz II as the rightful owner of the Lordship of Biscay. He also promised not to use the title himself, which he had been doing since 1332.
Death and Burial Place
María Díaz II died on September 16, 1348. This happened shortly after she gave birth to her son, Nuño Díaz de Haro. Nuño briefly inherited the Lordship of Biscay after his father died in 1350.
María was buried at the Convent of San Francisco in Palencia. Today, only the church building remains from the old convent. Her son-in-law, Tello of Castile, was also buried there later. Sadly, María Díaz II's tomb has been lost over time. It was likely destroyed during the Peninsular War when the convent was used by French soldiers. It might also have been lost when the convent was sold in 1835.
Marriage and Children
In 1331, María Díaz II married Juan Núñez III de Lara. He was the head of the House of Lara and the grandson of King Alfonso X of Castile. They had three children together:
- Juana de Lara: She became the Lady of the House of Lara and the Lady of Biscay. She married Tello de Castilla. Sadly, she was killed in Seville at the age of 24, by order of King Peter of Castile.
- Isabel de Lara: She was also a Lady of Lara and Biscay from 1359 to 1361. She took over the Lordship of Biscay after her younger brother died. In 1354, she married Juan de Aragón y Castilla, the son of King Alfonso IV of Aragon. Her husband was later killed by his cousin, King Peter I of Castile.
- Nuño Díaz de Haro: He became the Lord of Lara and Lord of Biscay in 1350 when he was just two years old. Nuño Díaz died as a baby in 1352, at the age of four.
See also
In Spanish: María Díaz de Haro (m. 1348) para niños
- House of Haro
- Maria II Diaz de Haro
- Juan de Castilla y Haro
- House of Lara
- Lord of Biscay
