Berengaria of Castile

Berengaria
1753 statue in Madrid
Queen regnant of Castile and Toledo
Reign	6 June – 31 August 1217
Predecessor	Henry I
Successor	Ferdinand III
Queen consort of León
Tenure	1197–1204
Born	1179 or 1180 Burgos
Died	8 November 1246 (aged 66) Las Huelgas near Burgos
Burial	Las Huelgas near Burgos
Spouse	Conrad II, Duke of Swabia m.1187 – dec.1196 Alfonso IX of León m.1197 – annul.1204
Issue more...	Ferdinand III of Castile Alfonso, Lord of Molina Berengaria, Latin Empress
House	House of Ivrea
Father	Alfonso VIII of Castile
Mother	Eleanor of England
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Berengaria (Castilian: Berenguela; nicknamed the Great (Castilian: la Grande); 1179 or 1180 – 8 November 1246) was queen regnant of Castile in 1217 and queen consort of León from 1197 to 1204. As the eldest child and heir presumptive of Alfonso VIII of Castile, she was a sought after bride, and was engaged to Conrad, the son of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa. After his death, she married her cousin, Alfonso IX of León, to secure the peace between him and her father. She had five children with him before their marriage was voided by Pope Innocent III.

When her father died, she served as regent for her younger brother Henry I in Castile until she succeeded him on his untimely death. Within months, she turned Castile over to her son, Ferdinand III, concerned that as a woman she would not be able to lead Castile's forces. However, she remained one of his closest advisors, guiding policy, negotiating, and ruling on his behalf for the rest of her life. She was responsible for the re-unification of Castile and León under her son's authority, and supported his efforts in the Reconquista. She was a patron of religious institutions and supported the writing of a history of the two countries.

Berengaria was born either in 1179 or 1180, in Burgos. She was the eldest daughter of King Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England. Those who cared for the young infanta were generously rewarded. Her nurse, Estefanía, received land from Alfonso and Eleanor on her retirement in May 1181. Another nurse, Elvira, received a similar retirement gift in 1189 at Berengaria's request.