Peter of Castile, Lord of Cameros facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter of Castile |
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|---|---|
| Lord of Cameros | |
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| Arms of Infante of Castile | |
| Spouse(s) | María of Aragon |
| Issue | |
| Blanche of Castile | |
| Noble family | Castilian House of Ivrea |
| Father | Sancho IV |
| Mother | María de Molina |
| Born | 1290 Valladolid |
| Died | 25 June 1319 (aged 29) Pinos Puente |
Peter of Castile, known in Spanish as Pedro de Castilla (born in 1290 – died June 25, 1319), was a royal prince of Castile. He was a younger son of King Sancho IV and his wife María de Molina.
Peter held several important lands, including Cameros, Almazán, Berlanga, Monteagudo, and Cifuentes. He also served as the main helper and chief official for his brother, King Ferdinand IV of Castile. When his nephew Alfonso XI was too young to rule, Peter shared the job of governing Castile. He was a regent, meaning he helped rule the kingdom, along with his mother and his uncle, John el de Tarifa. This shared rule lasted from 1313 until Peter's death.
Peter's Family Life
Peter married a princess named María. She was the daughter of King James II of Aragon.
Peter and María had one child, a daughter named Blanche. Sadly, Blanche was born after Peter had already passed away. Even though she was promised to marry King Peter I of Portugal, this marriage never happened.
Governing Castile as a Regent
In 1313, an important agreement was made at Palazuelos. This agreement decided how the young King Alfonso XI's kingdom would be ruled. Since Alfonso was a child, Peter, his mother María, and his uncle John were chosen to be his tutores, or guardians. They would rule Castile until the king was old enough.
This agreement was officially confirmed by a special meeting of nobles and leaders, called a Cortes, in Burgos in 1315. During the years from 1312 to 1315, there were many disagreements about who should rule. These arguments sometimes even led to fights. Throughout these challenges, Peter always supported his mother. He often disagreed with his uncle John during this time.
Military Actions and Campaigns
In 1316, Peter led a military group to the border of the Kingdom of Granada. Christian records say he won a big battle there. However, he was not able to capture two castles he tried to surround. Muslim records from that time do not mention any victory.
In 1317, Peter invaded Granada again. He helped end the siege of Gibraltar and captured the castle of Bélmez de la Moraleda.
In 1319, Peter and John received permission from the Pope for a holy war, or crusade, against Granada. They led their armies together to surround the fortress of Tíscar. However, they split their armies, and a Muslim army surprised them. Both Peter and John were killed in the battle that followed. This sad event is known as the Disaster of the Vega de Granada.
