User:Kansas Bear/Pedro Fernandez de Castro

Pedro Fernandez de Castro (? - † Algeciras, 1342), was a Galician noble. Son of Fernando Rodriguez de Castro and Violante Sánchez of Castile, illegitimate daughter of Sancho IV of Castile, King of Castile and Leon. Lord of Lemos and Sarria, Lord Steward of Alfonso XI, King of Castile and León, Head mayor of the frontier of Andalusia, Galicia and Murcia, and mayor of Santiago. Grandson of Sancho IV of Castile, King of Castile and Leon.

Family Origins
Pedro was the son of Fernando Rodriguez de Castro and Violante Sánchez of Castile and was the paternal grandson of Stephen Fernandez de Castro, Lord of Lemos and Sarria, and his wife, Aldonza Rodriguez de León, granddaughter of Alfonso IX of Leon. On his mother's side, he was a grandson of Sancho IV of Castile, King of Castile and León, and Mary de Meneses.

Biography
His father, Fernando Rodriguez de Castro, was killed in battle in 1304, while fighting against Infante Philip of Castile, son of Sancho IV of Castile. On the death of his father, he was sent by his mother to the Kingdom of Portugal, where he was raised and educated along with Infante Pedro, illegitimate son of Denis of Portugal, King of Portugal. Around the year 1319, he returned to Galicia and Alfonso XI of Castile gave him the Manor of Lemos, the de Sarria and appointed him Lord Steward.

In 1334, Alfonso IV of Portugal invaded the kingdom of Castile and León, entering through the lands of Galicia. However, Pedro Fernandez de Castro refused to fight against him, due to the favors he received in the past at the court of Portugal. Alfonso XI to gave him the county of Trastamara, which the sovereign had intended to give his son Henry. Due to his military skills, Alfonso XI sent Pedro Fernandez to fight Muslims in Andalusia, where he fought at the Battle of Salado in 1340, where tradition refers to Pedro Fernandez de Castro grabbed his spurs of gold from the Sultan of Morocco, Abu Al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman.

He participated in the siege of Algeciras in 1342, which he led his retinue in the company of the Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela Martin Fernandez.

Pedro Fernandez de Castro died, victim of an epidemic, in 1342 during the siege of Algeciras.

Marriage and offspring
His first wife was, Beatrice of Portugal, Manuel, infant daughter of Alfonso of Portugal and Violante Manuel, granddaughter of Ferdinand III the Holy, King of Castile and Leon. There were children from this marriage.

His second wife was, Isabel Ponce de Leon, daughter of Pedro Ponce de Leon, Lord of Cangas and Tineo, and his wife, Sancha Gil de Braganza. Their children were:


 * Fernando Ruiz de Castro "all the loyalty of Spain" (1338? - 1375). Lord of Lemos and Sarria. Ensign of the King and Lord Steward of Pedro I the Cruel. He married Joan Alfonso, in Toro in 1354, illegitimate daughter of Alfonso XI of Castile. Divorced from his first wife, he married Eleanor Enriquez in 1367, Lady of Melgar, widow of Alonso de Guzmán and daughter of Enrique Enriquez and his wife, Urraca Ponce de Leon.
 * Jeanne de Castro (†1374). She married Pedro I the Cruel in 1354, King of Castile and Leon. She is buried in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
 * Juana de Castro II. She married Diego Lopez de Haro, Lord of Orduña and Valmaseda, son of Fernando Díaz de Haro and Maria of Portugal.
 * Urraca Perez de Castro. She married Enrique Enriquez "the Younger", son of Enrique Enríquez of Castile.

From his mistress, Aldonza Lorenzo de Valladares was born:


 * Ines de Castro, wife of Pedro I of Portugal. She is buried beside her husband at the Monastery of Alcobaça

From his mistress Mayor Leguizamon:


 * Álvaro Pérez de Castro. Count of Arraiolos. Lord of Cadaval and Ferreira and Constable of Portugal. He married Maria Ponce de Leon.

Burial of Pedro Fernandez de Castro
At his death, the body of Pedro Fernandez de Castro was taken to Galicia and buried in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. His remains were buried in the choir of the Cathedral. During nineteenth century his tomb was examined and found next to his remains were some pieces of silk, a brooch and gold spurs, which are supposed were those of Sultan of Morocco Abu Al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman, of which Pedro Fernandez de Castro had seized during the Battle of Salado.