Henry II Of CASTILE

Notes:

Henry of Trastamara (January 13, 1334 Sevilla - May 29, 1379 Santo Domingo de la Calzada) (Enrique de Trast·mara), was the illegitimate son of Alfonso XI of Castile and Eleanor of Guzman, and half brother to Pedro of Castile the Cruel (or the Lawful, depending on who wrote the history). He became Henry II of Castile (Enrique II de Castilla) after defeating and killing Pedro in the Castilian Civil War (1366-1369).

As head of a band of mercenaries, and with the aid of Bertrand du Guesclin, he drove Pedro from his throne in 1366. He was, however, defeated the next year at the Battle of N·jera (Navarette), and Pedro was restored. Henry defeated Pedro at the Battle of Montiel and then murdered him in 1369. Henry then went to war against Portugal and England in the Hundred Years' War. For most of his reign he had to fight off the attempts of John of Gaunt, a son of Edward III of England, to claim the Castilian throne in right of his second wife, Pedro's daughter.

Henry married Juana Manuel, daughter of Juan Manuel of Castile, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile. Their son was John I of Castile.

Henry was the first nobleman to use Anti-Semitism as a political tool in Spain. This led to an end to the convivencia, and a period of riots and pogroms, and can be seen as sowing the seeds of the persecution of the Jews by the Spanish Inquisition, beginning a hundred years later.

Family/Spouse: Juana Manuel Of CASTILE. Juana (daughter of Juan Manuel Of CASTILE and Blanca Nunez De Lara DE LA CERDA) was born in 1339; died on 27 Mar 1381. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Juan I King of Leon

Family/Spouse: Eleonor Of ARAGON. Eleonor (daughter of Peter IV King Of ARAGON and Elionor Of SICILY) was born on 20 Jan 1358; died on 13 Aug 1382. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Had 8 children, but only 2 survived

Family/Spouse: The Noble Charles III Of NAVARRE. Charles (son of Charles II King Of NAVARRE and Joan Of FRANCE) was born in 1361 in Nantes; died on 08 Sep 1425 in Olite. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]