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Who was Inês de Castro? -

Inês de Castro was born in either 1320 or 1325 in Galicia, Spain. She was the illegitimate child of Pedro Fernández de Castro, a nobleman from Galicia, and a Portuguese woman named Aldonça Lourenço de Valadares.

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Origins -

Inês de Castro spent her early years in the Albuquerque castle (located in Spain close to the Portuguese border) before becoming a lady-in-waiting for Constanza Manuel, who was engaged to the prince of Portugal, Dom Pedro.

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D. Pedro is captivated by the Galician maid -

In Portugal, Inês de Castro arrived in Évora alongside Constanza's entourage. Dom Pedro married Constanza as intended, but simultaneously, he was falling madly in love with Inês. 

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D. Constanza -

Constanza was not happy with the situation and decided to take action.So, in an attempt to make Inês de Castro’s relationship with D. Pedro incestuous, she invited her to be the godmother of her son.

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King’s move -

In 1344, Dom Afonso IV, the King of Portugal and Dom Pedro's father, grew worried about Inês de Castro's relationship with his son. As a result, she was sent into exile near the Spanish border.

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Constanza's death -

In 1349, Constanza passed away, allegedly because she was unhappy about her husband's ongoing love for Inês. Following her death, Pedro and Inês rekindled their romance and settled in the palace connected to the Santa Clara Convent. This palace was situated alongside the Mondego River and Quinta das Lágrimas (as shown in the picture).

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Pedro and Inês' home -

The palace was constructed by Dona Isabel, Pedro's grandmother, who would later be known as Saint Elizabeth of Portugal.

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Political chance -

Inês de Castro’s brothers, who were powerful noblemen, tried to allure Pedro with the possibility of becoming entitled to the throne of Castile and León, which would one day be ruled by a son of Pedro and Inês.

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Afonso IV turned defensive -

Pedro's father, who was adamant about preserving Portugal's independence, succumbed to the recommendations of his advisors, who suggested that the most effective means of avoiding Spanish interference would be to permanently separate Pedro and Inês.

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Trial -

In Montemor-o-Velho, a trial was conducted while Pedro was away, and Inês de Castro was given a death sentence.

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Demise -

Afonso IV, along with Pêro Coelho, Álvaro Gonçalves, Diogo Lopes Pacheco, and other individuals, carried out Inês' execution on January 7, 1355.

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Pedro's reaction -

Pedro strongly responded to the passing of his beloved, leading to a civil war against his father. The conflict ceased only after the intervention of his mother, the Queen of Portugal.

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Pedro is king -

Pedro became Dom Pedro I and assumed the throne in 1357. Three years later, in 1360, he publicly acknowledged his marriage to Inês, which took place in Bragança in 1354. As a result, Inês would now hold the title of Queen of Portugal.

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Long live the queen -

Pedro requested the construction of tombs at the Monastery of Alcobaça for both himself and Inês.

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Long live the queen -

He then ordered her remains be moved from the Convent of Santa Clara in Coimbra to the new location.

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Long live the queen -

All social classes - clergy, nobility, and peasants - were instructed by Dom Pedro I to participate in a funeral procession to honor the deceased queen.

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Posthumous crowning -

One of the most well-known aspects of the Pedro and Inês tale is Inês being crowned as a deceased queen.

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Posthumous crowning -

Inês' remains were unearthed, adorned in regal attire, seated on the throne, and bestowed the title of queen!

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Posthumous crowning -

Dom Pedro I then commanded that all the nobles of the kingdom should kiss her hand and show tribute to the deceased queen.

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Posthumous crowning -

Although this story is well-documented and widely considered true, there is no mention of the coronation ceremony until the 16th century according to historical records.

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Getting revenge on those who killed Inês -

Two of the killers, Pêro Coelho and Álvaro Gonçalves, were captured and put to death.

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Getting revenge on those who killed Inês -

Legend has it that Dom Pedro had one man's heart torn out through his chest and another's heart cut out through his back. Some versions of the story even claim that the king himself performed these acts!

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Getting revenge on those who killed Inês -

However, the story takes a strange turn when alternative accounts suggest that the king feasted while watching the execution and, shockingly, even took a portion of their hearts.

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Getting revenge on those who killed Inês -

According to reports, Pedro claimed that individuals who took the life of an innocent woman could not have hearts.

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Getting revenge on those who killed Inês -

Diogo Lopes Pacheco, who had successfully escaped to France, was eventually granted pardon by Dom Pedro on his deathbed.

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Love story tragedy -

The tale of Pedro and Inês, the inaugural and ultimate posthumous queen of Portugal, has been immortalized in art and literature since its conception.

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Fonte das Lágrimas -

According to legend, the water from the fountain where Inês died is believed to be composed of her tears. It is said that the fountain is also stained with her blood, and that her ghost continues to wander around the estate.

Sources: (Fundação Inês de Castro)

See also: How dark were the Middle Ages, really?

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