OTD 19 October 1469 A secret royal wedding in Spain
On 19 October 1469 Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married
in the Palacio de los Vivero in the city of Valladolid (Spain).
Isabella of Castile was the daughter of King John II of Castile and
Isabella of Portugal. She belonged to the noble house of Trastámara.
Ferdinand of Aragon was the son of King John II of Aragon and
Navarre and Juana Enríquez.
This royal wedding really had a long history. Already at the age of 6,
Isabella made her debut in the royal matrimonial market with a betrothal
to Ferdinand, the younger son of John II of Aragon (who also belonged
to the Trastámara family). However this arrangement did not last long.
In 1458 Ferdinand's uncle Alfonso V of Aragon died. All of Alfonso's
territories were left to his brother John II. A new arrangement was
made between him and the King of Castile. Isabella would marry now
Charles of Navarra, King John's eldest son. But ... Charles died in 1461.
In 1465 there was an attempt to marry Isabella of Castile to King
Alfonso V of Portugal, Henry's brother-in-law. Isabella refused to consent.
Then a civil war broke out in Castile over King Henry's inability to reign.
Isabella was betrothed to Pedro Girón Acuña Pacheco. Isabella prayed to
God that the marriage would not come to pass. Don Pedro suddenly fell ill
and died while on his way to meet his fiancée.
On 19 September 1468 King Henry recognised Isabella as his heir-presumptive.
He also promised that his sister should not be compelled to marry against her
will.
There also was a talk of a royal marriage to King Edward IV of England or
to one of his brothers probably Richard, Duke of Gloucester.
In 1468 a new marriage proposal arrived from King Alfonso V of Portugal.
Isabella refused and she made secret promise to marry her cousin and her
very first betrothed: Ferdinand of Aragon.
King Henry once again tried to marry Isabella to Charles, Duke of Berry, the
brother of King Louis XI of France. This alliance would cement the friendship
between Castile and France but Isabella refused.
Meanwhile King John II of Aragon negotiated in secret with Isabella for
a wedding to his son Ferdinand.
On 18 October 1469 the formal betrothal between Isabella and Ferdinand
took place. Because they were second cousins, a dispensation from the Pope
was obtained.
With the help of the Vatican, Isabella and Ferdinand were allowed to
marry. Afraid of opposition Isabella eloped from the court of Henry with the
excuse of visiting her brother Alfonso's tomb in Ávilla.
Ferdinand, on the other hand, crossed Castile in secret, disguised as a servant.
Finally on 19 October 1469, they could marry each other in the lovely
city of Valladolid.
This really was an important event in the royal history of Spain. It marked
the unification of the Kingdoms of Castile, Aragon and Navarre!
Source pictures: Wikipedia
in the Palacio de los Vivero in the city of Valladolid (Spain).
Isabella of Castile was the daughter of King John II of Castile and
Isabella of Portugal. She belonged to the noble house of Trastámara.
Ferdinand of Aragon was the son of King John II of Aragon and
Navarre and Juana Enríquez.
This royal wedding really had a long history. Already at the age of 6,
Isabella made her debut in the royal matrimonial market with a betrothal
to Ferdinand, the younger son of John II of Aragon (who also belonged
to the Trastámara family). However this arrangement did not last long.
In 1458 Ferdinand's uncle Alfonso V of Aragon died. All of Alfonso's
territories were left to his brother John II. A new arrangement was
made between him and the King of Castile. Isabella would marry now
Charles of Navarra, King John's eldest son. But ... Charles died in 1461.
In 1465 there was an attempt to marry Isabella of Castile to King
Alfonso V of Portugal, Henry's brother-in-law. Isabella refused to consent.
Then a civil war broke out in Castile over King Henry's inability to reign.
Isabella was betrothed to Pedro Girón Acuña Pacheco. Isabella prayed to
God that the marriage would not come to pass. Don Pedro suddenly fell ill
and died while on his way to meet his fiancée.
On 19 September 1468 King Henry recognised Isabella as his heir-presumptive.
He also promised that his sister should not be compelled to marry against her
will.
There also was a talk of a royal marriage to King Edward IV of England or
to one of his brothers probably Richard, Duke of Gloucester.
In 1468 a new marriage proposal arrived from King Alfonso V of Portugal.
Isabella refused and she made secret promise to marry her cousin and her
very first betrothed: Ferdinand of Aragon.
King Henry once again tried to marry Isabella to Charles, Duke of Berry, the
brother of King Louis XI of France. This alliance would cement the friendship
between Castile and France but Isabella refused.
Meanwhile King John II of Aragon negotiated in secret with Isabella for
a wedding to his son Ferdinand.
On 18 October 1469 the formal betrothal between Isabella and Ferdinand
took place. Because they were second cousins, a dispensation from the Pope
was obtained.
With the help of the Vatican, Isabella and Ferdinand were allowed to
marry. Afraid of opposition Isabella eloped from the court of Henry with the
excuse of visiting her brother Alfonso's tomb in Ávilla.
Ferdinand, on the other hand, crossed Castile in secret, disguised as a servant.
Finally on 19 October 1469, they could marry each other in the lovely
city of Valladolid.
This really was an important event in the royal history of Spain. It marked
the unification of the Kingdoms of Castile, Aragon and Navarre!
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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