Biography of Peter "Cruel" I King Castile 1334-1369

In 1325 [his father] Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile [aged 13] and [his step-mother] Constanza Manuel Queen Consort Castile [aged 9] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. The marriage was annulled in 1327; there was no issue from the marriage. He the son of [his grandfather] Ferdinand IV King Castile IV King Leon and [his grandmother] Constance Burgundy Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. They were second cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1328 [his father] Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile [aged 16] and [his mother] Maria Burgundy Queen Consort Castile [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Alfonso "Brave" IV King Portugal [aged 36] and [his grandmother] Beatrice Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal [aged 35]. He the son of Ferdinand IV King Castile IV King Leon and Constance Burgundy Queen Consort Castile Queen Consort Leon. They were double first cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 30th August 1334 Peter "Cruel" I King Castile was born to [his father] Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile [aged 23] and [his mother] Maria Burgundy Queen Consort Castile [aged 21]. Coefficient of inbreeding 14.45%.

In 1353 [his illegitimate daughter] Beatrice Ivrea was born illegitimately to Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 18] and Maria Padilla [aged 19].

Around July 1353 Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 18] abandoned Blanche within three days when he learned that she had an affair with his illegitimate brother [his illegitimate half-brother] Fadrique Alfonso Ivrea [aged 19] en route to Spain, and that the dowry was not coming.

Around July 1353 Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 18] and Blanche Bourbon Queen Consort Castile [aged 14] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of Peter Bourbon Duke Bourbon [aged 42] and Isabella Valois Duchess Bourbon [aged 40]. He the son of Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile and Maria Burgundy Queen Consort Castile [aged 40]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

In 1354 [his illegitimate daughter] Constance of Castile Duchess of Lancaster was born illegitimately to Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 19] and Maria Padilla [aged 20].

In 1355 [his illegitimate daughter] Isabella of Castile Duchess York was born illegitimately to Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 20] and Maria Padilla [aged 21].

On 18th January 1357 [his mother] Maria Burgundy Queen Consort Castile [aged 44] died.

On 29th May 1358 [his illegitimate half-brother] Fadrique Alfonso Ivrea [aged 24] was murdered at Seville on behalf of his brother Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 23].

Before 24th August 1358 [his illegitimate half-brother] Henry "Fratricide" II King Castile [aged 24] and [his sister-in-law] Juana Manuel Queen of Castile [aged 19] were married. He the illegitmate son of [his father] Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile and Eleanor Guzman. They were third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1359 [his illegitimate son] Alfonso Ivrea was born illegitimately to Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 24] and Maria Padilla [aged 25].

In 1361 [his wife] Blanche Bourbon Queen Consort Castile [aged 22] died.

On 19th October 1362 [his illegitimate son] Alfonso Ivrea [aged 3] died.

In 1369 [his illegitimate daughter] Beatrice Ivrea [aged 16] died.

Excerpta Historica Page 152. Issue Of Katherine De Roelt. Wife Of Sir Hugh Swynford, And Afterwards Of John of Gaunt Duke Of Lancaster.

Letters Patent Of King Henry The Fourth Certifying The Legitimacy Of Sir Thomas Swynford; With Notices Of The Swynford Family.

Every one is aware that John of Gaunt, "time-honoured Lancaster," formed an illicit connection with Katherine, the widow of Sir Hugh Swynford, and daughter and coheiress of Sir Payne Roet, Knight, a native of Hainault, and Guienne King of Arms, and that he subsequently married her.

This lady had been governess of the Duke's daughters by his first wife, when his attachment to her, perhaps, commenced. In March 1377, Lady Swynford obtained a confirmation from Edward the Third of a grant from the Duke of Lancaster, of the manors of Gryngelley and Wheteley for life.¹ On the 27th December, 3 Ric. II. 1379, the Duke granted her the wardship of the heir of Bertram de Sanneby, "pour le bone et greable service quelle nostre treschier et bien amee Dame Katherine Swynford, Maistresse de noz tresames filles Philipe et Elizabeth de Lancastre, ad fait a nos dittes filles;" and in September, 5 Ric. II. 1381, he gave her an annuity of two hundred marks, payable out of his honor of Tickhill.² The Duke's second wife [his illegitimate daughter] Constance, daughter and heiress of Peter, King of Castile and Leon, died in 1394; and two years afterwards, namely, on the 13th January 1396, being then about the age of fifty-four, he married Lady Swynford at Lincoln, to the great displeasure of the Duchess of Gloucester and other ladies of the blood royal.³ As Lady Swynford was then upwards of forty, and had been the Duke's mistress above twenty years, it may be inferred, that gratitude and conscientious motives were his only inducements for making her his wife. The Duke of Lancaster had by her, before his marriage, four children, who were surnamed Beaufort, from being born in Beaufort Castle in France: namely, John, who became Earl and Marquess of Somerset; Henry, Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal of England; Thomas, Duke of Exeter;⁴ and Joan, who married Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland. All these children obtained letters of legitimation from Richard the Second, in February 1397, which was preceded by a similar act by the Pope. The King's patent for the purpose was read in the Parliament then sitting at Westminster;⁵ and the proceeding was ratified and confirmed by its authority. On the same occasion, Sir John Beaufort was created Earl of Somerset to hold to him and the heirs male of his body.⁶

Note 1. Fœdera, vii. 140.

Note 2. Sandford's Genealogical History, ed. 1707, p. 253.

Note 3. Ibid. and Dugdale's Baronage, ii. 119.

Note 4. He was buried at Bury St. Edmund's, and on the 20th of February 1772, his corpse being accidentally discovered, the coffin was sold as old lead, and his remains shamefully exposed.

Note 5. Rot. Parl. iii. p. 343^a.

Note 6. Rot. Parl. iii. p. 343.