Berengaria of Barcelona
| Berengaria of Barcelona | |
|---|---|
|
Empress of All Spain Queen of León, Castile and Galicia | |
 Effigy of Queen Berengaria at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela | |
| Queen consort of León and Castile | |
| Reign | 1128–1149 |
| Empress consort of All Spains | |
| Reign | 1135–1149 |
| Born |
c. 1116 Barcelona |
| Died |
15 January 1149 Palencia |
| Burial |
15 January 1149 Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela |
| Spouse | Alfonso VII of León and Castile |
| House | House of Barcelona |
| Father | Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona |
| Mother | Douce I, Countess of Provence |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Berenguela or Berengaria of Barcelona (1116 – January 15, 1149) was Queen consort of Castile, León and Galicia. She was the daughter of Raimon III of Barcelona and Dulce Aldonza Milhaud.[1] Berenguela was the sister of Ramon Berenguer IV who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Aragon.[2]
On November 10/17 1128 in Saldaña, Berengaria married Alfonso VII, King of Castile, León and Galicia[3] (1127–1157). Their children were:
- Sancho III of Castile (1134–1158)
- Ramon, living 1136, died in infancy
- Ferdinand II of León (1137–1188)
- Constance (c. 1138–1160), married Louis VII of France
- Sancha (c. 1139–1179), married Sancho VI of Navarre
- García (c. 1142–1145/6)
- Alfonso (c. 1144–c. 1149)
In her lifetime a new political entity was formed in the northeast Iberian Peninsula: Portugal seceded from León in the west, giving more balance to the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian peninsula. Her brother Ramon Berenguer successfully pulled Aragon out of its pledged submission to Castile, aided no doubt by the beauty and charm of his sister Berengaria, for which she was well known in her time.
Her niece Dulce of Aragon married Sancho I of Portugal, whilst her famous granddaughter was Queen Berengaria of England.
She died in Palencia, and was buried at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
Appearance and Character
"She was a very beautiful and extremely graceful young girl who loved chastity and truth and all God-fearing people."[4]
| Preceded by Beatrice |
Queen consort of León 1128–1149 |
Succeeded by Richeza of Poland |
| Queen consort of Castile 1128–1149 | ||
| None | Empress consort of All Spains 1135–1149 |
Sources
- ↑ Marek, Miroslav. "Genealogy.Euweb.cz". Genealogy EU.
- ↑ Medieval Lands Project on Berenguela of Barcelona
- ↑ Gesta Comitum Barcinonensium
- ↑ Chronica Adefonsi Imperatoris, Book 1 Chapter 12, trans. Simon Barton and Richard Fletcher in The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Reconquest, (Manchester University Press, 2000) page 168.