Pedro Fernández de Castro (died 1214) facts for kids
Pedro Fernández de Castro "the Castilian" (born around 1160 – died August 18, 1214, in Morocco) was an important nobleman from the Kingdom of Castile. He was the son of Fernando Rodríguez de Castro and Estefanía Alfonso "the Unfortunate". Pedro inherited a special territory called the Infantazgo of León from his parents. He also served as the mayordomo mayor (a chief manager or advisor) for King Fernando II of León and his son Alfonso IX of León.
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Who Was Pedro Fernández de Castro?
Pedro Fernández de Castro was born around the year 1160. His father, Fernando Rodríguez de Castro, was a powerful member of the House of Castro family. Pedro's mother, Stephanie "the Unfortunate," was an illegitimate daughter of King Alfonso VII of León. This meant Pedro was related to royalty! He was the nephew of King Ferdinand II of León and King Sancho III of Castile. He was also a first cousin to King Alfonso VIII of Castile and King Alfonso IX of León.
His Family and Royal Connections
Pedro's family had deep roots in the nobility. His paternal grandparents were Rodrigo Fernández de Castro and Elo Álvarez. Elo was the daughter of another important figure, Álvar Fáñez. These connections gave Pedro a high status from birth.
Early Life and Inherited Lands
In 1180, Pedro's mother, Stephanie, died tragically. After his father passed away in 1185, Pedro inherited many family properties. These included the lordship of Trujillo, which had many castles and towns. He also received the Infantazgo of León, a special land given to his parents by King Fernando II.
Pedro declared himself a loyal supporter of his cousin, King Alfonso VIII of Castile. He gave the lordship of Trujillo to the king. In 1187, King Alfonso VIII then gave Trujillo to the Order of Santiago. This was a military-religious order. Pedro also gave them half of his income to help settle new people in the lands between the Tajo and Guadiana rivers.
A year later, in 1187, Pedro made a will. He stated that if he died without children, his castles in Extremadura and León would go to the Order of Santiago. He also gave Peña Falcón castle to the Order of Alcántara. This was in favor of his uncle, Fernando Díaz. The Order of Santiago also received the castles of La Solana and Santa Cruz de los Cáñamos.
The king trusted Pedro with governing several territories, called fiefs. These included Lemos and Sarria in Galicia. He also governed lands in Extremadura, Trasierra, Asturias, and the city of León.
A Life of Shifting Alliances
From 1185 to 1188, Pedro was a loyal supporter of King Alfonso VIII of Castile. However, in 1189, he had a disagreement with the king. Pedro then left Castile and went to serve his cousin, King Alfonso IX of León.
Like his father, Pedro sometimes allied with the Almohads. The Almohads were a Muslim group from North Africa. This was often against the interests of his cousin, the King of Castile. Pedro's actions depended on the changing relationships between the kingdoms of Castile and León. The Pope and military orders also influenced these relationships.
When King Alfonso IX of León married Teresa of Portugal, it was meant to create an alliance against Castile. Some fortresses controlled by Pedro were given to the Portuguese. This showed he was seen as an enemy of Alfonso VIII.
In 1191, the kingdoms of Navarre, Portugal, León, and Aragon formed the League of Huesca. Their goal was to fight against the Kingdom of Castile. Meanwhile, Pope Celestine III threatened King Alfonso IX of León with excommunication. This meant he would be kicked out of the church. This happened after Alfonso IX married his second cousin, Berenguela of Castile.
The Battle of Alarcos and Its Aftermath
Between 1192 and 1193, Pedro often visited Castile. While near Seville, he became very ill. Doctors could not help him. He asked to be taken to the Church of San Isidoro in Seville. Many Christians visited this church because Isidore's remains were once there. After making a promise to the saint, Pedro got well again. This happened around 1193, before a major battle.
In 1194, Pedro tried to stop the Treaty of Tordehumos. This treaty was supposed to end the conflict between Alfonso IX of León and Alfonso VIII of Castile. Pedro decided to leave the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. He went to Al-Andalus, the Muslim-controlled part of Spain. He made an agreement with the Almohads. He even fought on their side at the Battle of Alarcos. In this battle, King Alfonso VIII's troops were defeated by the Muslims.
After the battle, Pedro helped with talks between King Alfonso VIII of Castile and King Alfonso IX of León. These talks happened in Toledo. After the meeting failed, Pedro stayed in León. He fought against the kingdom of Castile. His cousin, the King of León, again made him his mayordomo mayor.
During the war between Castile and León, Pope Celestine III took action. To help Castile, he excommunicated King Alfonso IX, Pedro Fernández de Castro, and other nobles. They were punished for helping the Almohads against Castile. The Pope also told the King of León's vassals that they no longer had to be loyal to him.
However, the fighting between the two kingdoms stopped in 1197. This happened after Alfonso IX of León married Berengaria of Castile. Berengaria's dowry (the property she brought to the marriage) included several castles. These were castles her husband had claimed from Castile.
His Marriage and Children
Pedro married Jimena Gómez de Manzanedo. She was the daughter of Count Gómez González de Manzanedo and Milia Pérez de Lara. Pedro and Jimena had three children:
- Álvaro Pérez de Castro "the Castilian" (died in 1240).
- Elo Pérez de Castro (died after 1243). She was married twice. Her first husband was Martim Sanches. He was an illegitimate son of King Sancho I of Portugal. Elo later married Guerau IV de Cabrera, the Viscount of Àger. Elo and Guerau had children, including Ponce I of Urgell. Elo was buried in the Monastery of Santa María de Valbuena.
- Stephanie Perez de Castro. In 1221, her sister Elo gave her 5,000 maravedíes (a type of money) in income from the Kingdom of Aragón.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1204, Pedro again served as King Alfonso IX of León's mayordomo mayor. In the same year, Pedro, his wife Jimena, and their children Álvaro and Elo became close associates of the Order of Calatrava.
A year later, Pedro gave a hospital and some lands to the Order of Salvatierra. He did this so the income from these properties would support the hospital. In 1204, his cousin King Alfonso VIII of Castile gave back all the properties that had been taken from Pedro by the Leonese Crown.
In 1213, Pedro Fernández de Castro donated all his properties in Mayorga to the Monastery of Santa María de Sobrado. His brother Martín Fernández confirmed this gift a year later.
Pedro Fernández de Castro died on August 18, 1214. He was in exile in the kingdom of Morocco at the time. His body was brought back to the Iberian Peninsula. He was buried in the Monastery of Santa María de Valbuena in Castile. Later, two of his children, Álvaro and Elo Pérez de Castro, were also buried there.
See also
In Spanish: Pedro Fernández de Castro el Castellano para niños
