Sancho of Aragon (died 1416) facts for kids

Sancho of Aragon (born around 1400 – died March 1416) was a royal prince from Aragon. He was also the leader, known as the Grand Master, of a special group called the Order of Alcántara starting in 1409.

Sancho was born around 1399, 1400, or 1401. He was the fourth son of Ferdinand of Trastámara, who later became the King of Aragon. His mother was Eleanor of Alburquerque. Ferdinand wanted his children, known as the Infantes of Aragon, to be a strong team and help him rule. So, he made sure they received a great education to prepare them for their important roles.

Becoming a Leader

At first, Sancho's father, Ferdinand, wanted Sancho to become the archbishop of Toledo. This idea came up after the previous archbishop, Pedro Tenorio, passed away in 1399. However, Pope Benedict XIII and Henry III of Castile strongly disagreed with this plan.

Ferdinand eventually agreed to let the Pope's nephew, Pedro de Luna, become archbishop in 1407. In return, Pope Benedict allowed young Sancho to be chosen as the new Grand Master of the Order of Alcántara in 1408. This was a special permission because Sancho was still a child. Part of the deal was that the money Sancho earned from his position would help his father's efforts in the Reconquista (a long period when Christian kingdoms in Spain fought to take back land from Muslim rule) until Sancho was old enough to manage things himself.

Sancho officially became the Grand Master at the convent of San Pablo de Valladolid on January 23, 1409. Because he was so young, he didn't actually run the Order himself. During his time as Grand Master, some big changes were made to the Order's rules. These new rules, called the Definiciones, were put into writing at Ayllón in 1411.

Life at Court and Passing Away

When his father became King of Aragon in 1412 through an agreement called the Compromise of Caspe, Sancho moved with the royal family to Aragon. He was present at several important family events:

• His father's coronation ceremony in Zaragoza on February 11, 1414.
• The farewell for his brother John in Jávea in March 1415.
• The wedding of his brother, who would later become King Alfonso V, to Maria of Castile in Valencia on June 12, 1415.

After these events, Sancho left the royal court to go back to Castile. He was planning to take on his duties as the Grand Master of Alcántara. However, he sadly died on his journey back, in a place called Medina del Campo. His mother was with him and sent a letter to his father, King Ferdinand, to tell him the sad news.

Sancho's brother, Alfonso, received the news first. He decided to keep it from their father because Ferdinand was very ill at the time. Alfonso held a funeral service for Sancho in Girona on March 14, 1416.

See also

In Spanish: Sancho de Aragón (m. 1416) para niños