Teresa Fernández de Traba facts for kids

Teresa Fernández de Traba was a queen of the Kingdom of León in Spain. She was queen from 1178 until she died on February 6, 1180. She was married to King Ferdinand II of León.

Her Family and First Marriage

Teresa was the daughter of Theresa, Countess of Portugal, and Fernando Pérez de Traba. In 1152, Teresa married Count Nuño Pérez de Lara. Together, they gave the town of Castronuño to its people.

In 1160, Teresa and Nuño started a Cistercian convent called Santa María at Perales. They gave their land in Perales and Zorita to the first abbess, Ozenda. Later, in 1174, they traded land with the bishop of Burgos. They gave him the village of Barchilona. In return, they received rights to a hospital they had built in Puente de Fitero.

Becoming Queen of León

After her first husband, Nuño, died in 1177, Teresa moved to the royal court in León. There, she married King Ferdinand II of León in 1178. Because of this marriage, Teresa's children from her first marriage lived at the royal court. They were proud to be the children of a queen. For example, her son Álvaro once wrote that he was "the son of Count Nuño and Queen Teresa."

Death and Burial

The Royal Pantheon

Teresa died on February 6, 1180, just two years after becoming queen. She died after giving birth. She was buried in the Royal Pantheon at the Basilica of San Isidoro in León.

Her body was placed in a stone coffin. The lid of her coffin had a carving of the queen. She was shown wearing a dress with fancy cuffs and neckline. Her hair was loose, and she wore a royal crown. An inscription in Latin was carved around the edges of her tomb.

Her Children

Teresa had children with both of her husbands.

Children with Nuño Pérez de Lara

• Álvaro (died 1218): He married Urraca Díaz de Haro, but they had no children. After Álvaro died, his wife became a nun. Álvaro had several children with his partner, Teresa Gil de Osorno.
• Fernando
• Gonzalo (died 1225): He married Jimena Meléndez first, but they had no children. Then he married María Díaz de Haro. They had five children: Leonor, Nuño, Teresa, Diego, and Fernando. After Gonzalo died, María became a nun.
• Sancha Núñez: She married Sancho, Count of Provence.
• María: She became the abbess (head nun) of Perales.
• Elvira: She married Ermengol VIII, Count of Urgell around 1176. They had some disagreements but promised to treat each other well. After Ermengol died, Elvira married Guillén de Cervera.

Children with King Ferdinand II of León

• Ferdinand (1179–1187): He was an Infante (a royal prince) of León.
• Sancho (1180): He was also an Infante of León.

See also

In Spanish: Teresa Fernández de Traba para niños