Alfonso de la Cerda, (

Valladolid Valladolid () is a municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. It has a population around 300,000 peo ...

1270 -

Ávila Ávila (, , ) is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Ávila. It lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m a ...

1333), called "the Disinherited", was the elder son of

Ferdinand de la Cerda Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

and his wife Blanche of France, and was a grandson of

Alfonso X of Castile Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, es, el Sabio; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, León and Kingdom of Galicia, Galicia from 30 May 1252 until his death in 1284. During the April 1257 Imperial election, election of 1257, ...

. Alfonso and his brother

Fernando Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa, the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka. It is equivalent to the G ...

were candidates for the Castilian-Leonese crown during the reigns of

Sancho IV of Castile Sancho IV of Castile (12 May 1258 – 25 April 1295) called the Brave (''el Bravo''), was the king of Castile, León and Galicia from 1284 to his death. Following his brother Ferdinand's death, he gained the support of nobles that ...

Ferdinand IV of Castile Ferdinand IV of Castile (6 December 1285 – 7 September 1312) called the Summoned (''el Emplazado''), was King of Castile and León from 1295 until his death. His upbringing and the custody of his person were entrusted to his mother, Queen M ...

and

Alfonso XI of Castile Alfonso XI (13 August 131126 March 1350), called the Avenger (''el Justiciero''), was King of Castile and León. He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes ...

. In 1331, Alfonso renounced his rights and swore allegiance to Alfonso XI of Castile.

Biography

When Ferdinand de la Cerda died in 1275, Alfonso's grandmother,

Violant of Aragon Violant or Violante of Aragon, also known as Yolanda of Aragon (8 June 1236 – 1301), was Queen consort of Castile and León from 1252 to 1284 as the wife of King Alfonso X of Castile. Life Violant was born in Zaragoza, the daughter of K ...

, took him and his newborn brother Fernando to Aragon. They were kept there 13 years in the fortress of

Xàtiva Xàtiva (, es, Játiva ) is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right (western) bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the Valencia– Murcia and Valencia Albacete railways. It is located 25 km we ...

. Alfonso's grandfather, King Alfonso X of Castile, established a division of his realm. Sancho was to inherit Castile and Alfonso was to inherit León, according to historian Joaquín Cuevas Aller. After Alfonso X's death in 1284, the Leonese throne was usurped by Sancho, who would reign as Sancho IV. In September 1288, King

Alfonso III of Aragon Alfonso III (4 November 1265, in Valencia – 18 June 1291), called the Liberal (''el Liberal'') or the Free (also "the Frank," from ''el Franc''), was the king of Aragon and Valencia, count of Roussillon, Cerdanya and Barcelona (as ) from ...

released Alfonso de la Cerda and proclaimed him king of Castile and Leon. Despite this support from the King of Aragon, Alfonso was unable to regain the throne. In 1304, as part of the Treaty of Torrellas,

James II of Aragon James II (Catalan: ''Jaume II''; Spanish: ''Jaime II;'' 10 April 1267 – 2 or 5 November 1327), called the Just,, an, Chaime lo Chusto, es, Jaime el Justo. was the King of Aragon and Valencia and Count of Barcelona from 1291 to 1327. H ...

and

Alfonso agreed to resign all claims on the throne of León. In return, he was appointed Lord of Alba, Bejar and Gibraleón, and other manors, possessions and revenues, distributed throughout the Castilian-Leonese territory, in order that Alfonso de la Cerda could not form a large independent dominion. Later,

Charles IV of France Charles IV (18/19 June 1294 – 1 February 1328), called the Fair (''le Bel'') in France and the Bald (''el Calvo'') in Navarre, was last king of the direct line of the House of Capet, King of France and King of Navarre (as Charles I) from 1322 ...

gave Alfonso de la Cerda the title of Baron de Lunel, a municipality located in the region of

Languedoc-Roussillon Languedoc-Roussillon (; oc, Lengadòc-Rosselhon ; ca, Llenguadoc-Rosselló) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, it joined with the region of Midi-Pyrénées to become Occitania. It comprised five departments, and b ...

, France.

Death

On the death of Alfonso de la Cerda, his body was buried in the Monastery of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas de Burgos.

Marriage and offspring

In 1290, Alfonso married Matilde of Brienne,Masnata y de Quesada, David E. (1985). «La Casa Real de la Cerda». Estudios Genealógicos y Heráldicos (Madrid: Asociación Española de Estudios Genealógicos y Heráldicos): pp. 169–229 daughter of John I of Brienne. They had seven children: * Alfonso de la Cerda (France, 1289 - Gentilly, France, 15 April 1327), named ''of Spain'', Archdeacon of Paris to 1322, Baron de Lunel, 1324, Lord of Tafalla and Caparroso July 1325. Married Isabelle d'Antoing, Viscountess Ghent, the daughter of Hugh IV, Lord of Antoing, and Mary, Viscountess Ghent. He was the father of ** Charles de la Cerda,

Count of Angoulême Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

and

Constable of France The Constable of France (french: Connétable de France, from Latin for 'count of the stables') was lieutenant to the King of France, the first of the original five Great Officers of the Crown (along with seneschal, chamberlain, butler, and ch ...

. * Henry de La Cerda (France, 1290 - after 1326), Archdeacon of Paris after his brother Alfonso. *

Luis de la Cerda Luis de La Cerda, also called Louis of Spain (France, 1291 - Lamotte-du-Rhône, July 5, 1348) was an expatriate royal prince of the Crown of Castile, who lived and served in the Kingdom of France. Among his titles, Luis de la Cerda was the coun ...

(France, 1291 - La Motte du Rhône, 5 July 1348), Count of Clermont and Talmont, Admiral of France, chief prince of the Canary Islands 15 November 1344. In 1306, he married Leonor de Guzmán, daughter of Alonso Perez de Guzman and Maria Alfonso Coronel. Remarried in 1346 to Guiot d'Uzes daughter of Robert I, Vicomte d'Uzes and Guiot de Posquières. * Margarita de la Cerda (1293 - after 1328), Lady of Lemos and Sarri. Married to the ''Infante'' Philip of Castile y Molina, son of King Sancho IV of Castile and Leon and Queen Maria de Molina. She was buried alongside her husband Prince Philip at the Monastery of

Santa Clara Allariz Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...

in Galicia. * Juan Alfonso de la Cerda (France, 1295 - 7 August 1347), Lord of Gibraleón, Huelva, Real de Manzanares and Deza. Married Maria Alfonso de Portugal (illegitimate daughter of King

Denis of Portugal Denis (, ; 9 October 1261 – 7 January 1325 in Santarém), called the Farmer King (''Rei Lavrador'') and the Poet King (''Rei Poeta''), was King of Portugal. The eldest son of Afonso III of Portugal by his second wife, Beatrice of Castile, an ...

). * Maria de la Cerda (Spain, 1305 - before 1355), Lady of Villafranca de Valcárcel. Married Alfonso Melendez de Guzman. She was buried in the monastery of San Francisco de Villafranca, near Valcárcel. * Inés de la Cerda (Spain, 1307 - 24 October 1339), Lady of Bembibre. Married Fernán Rodríguez de Villalobos, Lord of Villalobos. She was buried in the monastery of San Francisco de Villafranca, near Valcárcel. He also had a natural child by an unknown mother: * Fernando Alfonso de la Cerda b. 1286 - 1340c. married to Elvira de Ayala.

Ancestry

Notes

References

* ''Europaische Stammtafeln'', Vol.3. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cerda, Alfonso De La 1270 births 1333 deaths Alfonso 13th-century Castilians 14th-century Castilians