Leonora of Aquitaine (October 13, 1162 - October 31, 1214), was born as Princess Eleanor of England and became Leonora, Queen of Castile.
She was born in Domfort Castle , Normandy. She was the seventh child and second daughter of King Henry II of England and his wife Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. When she was eight years old, in 1170, she was married to King Alfonso VIII of Castile.
They had 12 children:
- Berengaria, Queen of Castile (1180-1244)
- Sancho of Castile (1181-1181)
- Sancha of Castile (1182-1184?)
- Mafalda of Castile (1183?-1204)
- Urraca of Castile (1186-1220), married King Alfonso II of Portugal
- Blanca of Castile (1188-1252)
- Fernando of Castile (1189-1211)
- Constance of Castile (1196?-late 1190's)
- Leonor of Castile (1202-1244), married King James I of Aragon
- Constanza, Abbess of Las Huelgas (1203?-1243)
- Henry I, King of Castile (1204-1217).
When Alfonso died, his queen was reportedly so devastated with grief that she was unable to preside over the burial. Their daughter Berengaria instead performed these honors. Leonora then took sick and died only twenty-eight days after her husband, and was buried at Abbey de las Huelgas , in Burgos.
Sources
- Fraser, Antonia. The Middle Ages, A Royal History of England.
- Rada Jiménez, Rodrigo. Historia de los hechos de España.
