Violant of Aragon
Encyclopedia
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
.
, the daughter of King James I of Aragon
(1213–1276) and his second wife the queen Yolande of Hungary (ca.1215-1253). Her maternal grandparents were Andrew II of Hungary
and Violant of Courtenay.
On December 26, 1246 she married at Collegiate Valladolid to King Alfonso X of Castile
. At the same time, Alfonso also had a romantic relationship with Sofia Mayor Guillén de Guzmán, who bore to him illegitimate daughter Beatrice.
Due to Violant's young age, she was unable to get pregnant for several years. Alfonso came to believed that his wife was barren and came to even consider the possibility of asking the pope for an annulment of the marriage.
Legend has it that the Queen could not get pregnant and the doctor told her to rest. Alicante
was recaptured by the Crown of Castile and the King and Queen rested in a farm located in the fields near the city, and there she became pregnant; the King decided to call the place "Pla del Bon Repos" ("Plain of good sleep"), a name that has been left to posterity and today is a suburb of Alicante.
In 1275, Violant's son and heir to Castile, Ferdinand de la Cerda died heir to the Castilian-Leonese throne and Alfonso at first ignored the rights of Ferdinand's children two sons and instead made their second son, Prince Sancho heir; he would later succeed as Sancho IV of Castile
.
In response, the widow of Ferdinand, Blanche of France
, enlisted the help of her brother, Philip III of France
. At the same time, queen Violant sought support for her grandchildren from her brother, King Peter III of Aragon
, who agreed to protect and guard them in the kingdom of Aragon, accommodating her grandchildren in the Castle of Xativa. During the reign of her son Sancho IV, and the latter's son, Ferdinand IV of Castile
, Queen Violant lived almost permanently in Aragon and she supported the rights to the throne of Castile and Leon of her grandson, Alfonso de la Cerda.
In 1276, Violant founded the Convent of San Pablo in Valladolid
. This was erected in honor of the Hungarian Order of St. Paul. Violant's mother brought some Hungarian influence on the Spanish culture, and also introduced the Order of St. Paul.
Queen Violant of Aragon died at Roncesvalles
, in the kingdom of Navarre
in 1301, on her return from Rome
, where she had won the Jubilee in 1300.
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
and León
Kingdom of León
The Kingdom of León was an independent kingdom situated in the northwest region of the Iberian Peninsula. It was founded in AD 910 when the Christian princes of Asturias along the northern coast of the peninsula shifted their capital from Oviedo to the city of León...
from 1252 to 1284 as the wife of King Alfonso X
Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death...
.
Life
Violant was born in ZaragozaZaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, the daughter of King James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
(1213–1276) and his second wife the queen Yolande of Hungary (ca.1215-1253). Her maternal grandparents were Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
and Violant of Courtenay.
On December 26, 1246 she married at Collegiate Valladolid to King Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death...
. At the same time, Alfonso also had a romantic relationship with Sofia Mayor Guillén de Guzmán, who bore to him illegitimate daughter Beatrice.
Due to Violant's young age, she was unable to get pregnant for several years. Alfonso came to believed that his wife was barren and came to even consider the possibility of asking the pope for an annulment of the marriage.
Legend has it that the Queen could not get pregnant and the doctor told her to rest. Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
was recaptured by the Crown of Castile and the King and Queen rested in a farm located in the fields near the city, and there she became pregnant; the King decided to call the place "Pla del Bon Repos" ("Plain of good sleep"), a name that has been left to posterity and today is a suburb of Alicante.
In 1275, Violant's son and heir to Castile, Ferdinand de la Cerda died heir to the Castilian-Leonese throne and Alfonso at first ignored the rights of Ferdinand's children two sons and instead made their second son, Prince Sancho heir; he would later succeed as Sancho IV of Castile
Sancho IV of Castile
Sancho IV the Brave was the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1284 to his death. He was the second son of Alfonso X and Yolanda, daughter of James I of Aragon.-Biography:...
.
In response, the widow of Ferdinand, Blanche of France
Blanche of France (1253–1323)
Blanche of France was a daughter of King Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence, and sister of King Philip III of France and Queen Isabella of Navarre.-Biography:...
, enlisted the help of her brother, Philip III of France
Philip III of France
Philip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
. At the same time, queen Violant sought support for her grandchildren from her brother, King Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
, who agreed to protect and guard them in the kingdom of Aragon, accommodating her grandchildren in the Castle of Xativa. During the reign of her son Sancho IV, and the latter's son, Ferdinand IV of Castile
Ferdinand IV of Castile
Ferdinand IV, El Emplazado or "the Summoned," was a king of Castile and León and Galicia...
, Queen Violant lived almost permanently in Aragon and she supported the rights to the throne of Castile and Leon of her grandson, Alfonso de la Cerda.
In 1276, Violant founded the Convent of San Pablo in Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
. This was erected in honor of the Hungarian Order of St. Paul. Violant's mother brought some Hungarian influence on the Spanish culture, and also introduced the Order of St. Paul.
Queen Violant of Aragon died at Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles is a small village and municipality in Navarre, northern Spain. It is situated on the small river Urrobi at an altitude of some 900 metres in the Pyrenees, about 8 kilometres from the French frontier....
, in the kingdom of Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
in 1301, on her return from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where she had won the Jubilee in 1300.
Children
Alfonso and Violant had the following children:- Ferdinand, died in infancy, and buried in Las Huelgas in BurgosBurgosBurgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
. - Berengaria of Castile (1253-after 1284). She was betrothed to Louis, the son and heir of King Louis IX of FranceLouis IX of FranceLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
, but her fiance died prematurely in 1260. She entered the convent in Las Huelgas, where she was living in 1284. - Beatrice of CastileBeatrice of Castile, Marchioness of MontferratBeatrice of Castile was a daughter of Alfonso X of Castile and his wife Violant of Aragon. She was Marchioness of Montferrat by her marriage and was mother of Irene of Montferrat.- Family :...
(1254–1280). She married William VII, Marquess of MontferratWilliam VII, Marquess of MontferratWilliam VII , called the Great , was the twelfth Margrave of Montferrat from 1253 to his death. He was also the titular King of Thessalonica.-Youth:...
. - Ferdinand de la Cerda, Infante of CastileFerdinand de la Cerda, Infante of CastileDon Ferdinand de la Cerda was the Crown Prince of Castile, eldest son of King Alfonso X of Castile and Violant of Aragon. His nickname, de la Cerda, means "of the bristle" in Spanish, a reference to being born with a strand of thick hair running down his chest.In November 1268 he married Princess...
(October 23, 1255-July 25, 1275). He married BlancheBlanche of France (1253–1323)Blanche of France was a daughter of King Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence, and sister of King Philip III of France and Queen Isabella of Navarre.-Biography:...
, the daughter of King Louis IX of FranceLouis IX of FranceLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
, by whom he had two children. Because he predeceased his father, his younger brother Sancho inherited the throne. - Eleanor of Castile (1257–1275)
- Sancho IV of CastileSancho IV of CastileSancho IV the Brave was the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1284 to his death. He was the second son of Alfonso X and Yolanda, daughter of James I of Aragon.-Biography:...
(13 May 1258-1295) - Constance of Castile (1258- 22 August 1280), a nun at Las Huelgas.
- Peter of Castile (June 1260-10 October 1283)
- Juan of Castile, Lord of Valencia (March or April, 1262- 25 June 1319).
- Isabella of Castile, died young.
- Violante of Castile (1265–1296). She married Diego López V de Haro, Lord of Biscay
- James of Castile (August 1266- 9 August 1284), Lord of Cameros