Fadrique Alfonso of Castile
| Don Fadrique Alfonso | |
|---|---|
| Lord of Haro | |
Cross of the Order of Santiago
|
|
| Spouse(s) | Leonor de Angulo |
| Father | Alfonso XI of Castile |
| Mother | Eleanor of Guzman |
| Born |
13 January 1334 Seville |
| Died | 29 May 1358 (aged 24) Seville |
Fadrique Alfonso of Castile, 1st Señor de Haro (1334–1358), 25th Master of the Order of Santiago (1342–1358), was the fifth illegitimate child of Alfonso XI of Castile and Eleanor of Guzman. He was born in Seville.
Fadrique was a twin to Henry of Trastámara. While his father lived, the children of Eleanor profited from appointments and royal grants. With this backing, in 1342, Fadrique rose to the leading role of Maestre of the militant monastic Order of Santiago. The prior Maestre had been Alonso Meléndez de Guzmán, his maternal uncle.
When Alfonso XI died suddenly in a siege of Gibraltar, attempts were made by his half brother King Pedro I, his mother, and her court favorite, the Duke of Albuquerque to disposess the entire family of Eleanor. This and the subsequent execution of Eleanor in Talavera in 1351, led to rebellion by Eleanor's sons, Henry, future Henry II of Castile, Fadrique, Tello of Castile, and Sancho of Castile, Count of Alburquerque. Each rebelled from their independent corners of the Spanish kingdom. Through a combination of threats and diplomacy, Peter I of Castile was able to elicit fealty and a temporary reconciliation with his half-brothers. But this was not to last. Fadrique was named royal emissary to France, where he went to escort the Pedro's bride, Blanche of Bourbon. The subsequent turmoil of this marriage and Pedro's entanglement with his mistress, María de Padilla, was unlikely to have help cement a relationship between Pedro and Fadrique.
In 1354, Fadrique was granted the role as custodian (Adelantado Mayor de la Frontera) of the Portuguese frontier. Here, along with his brother Henry, they again began to plot rebellion, entering in negotiations with Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque, formerly a foe and the favorite of Pedro's court, but now fallen from favor with the king. Henry ultimately also went to seek support from the French monarchy. A second rebellion was launched against Pedro, this time others joined including the city of Toledo, who requested help from Fadrique. He arrived with 700 soldiers.
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