Henry II of Castile

Henry II (January 13,1334 Sevilla - May 29,1379 Santo Domingo de la Calzada), better known as Henry of Trastámara ("Enrique de Trastámara"), 1st Conde de Trastámara, before his coronation, was the illegitimate son of Alfonso XI of Castile and Eleanor of Guzmán, half brother to Peter of Castile. He took the throne after defeating and killing Peter 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 Nájera, 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.

On 27 July, 1350, Henry married Juana Manuel, the daughter of Juan Manuel, Duke of Peñafiel, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile. They had three children: John (1358–1390), Eleanor (1361–1425), wife of Charles III of Navarre, and Joanna (1367–1374).

Henry was the first ruler since King Ergica 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.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Henry III of Castile — Henry III (October 4, 1379–1406), sometimes known as Henry the Sufferer or Henry the Infirm ( es. Enrique el Doliente) was the son of John I and Eleanor of Aragon, and succeeded him as King of Castile and León in 1390.Henry was born in Burgos,… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry I of Castile — (14 April 1204 6 June 1217) was king of Castile. He was the son of Alfonso VIII of Castile and his wife Eleanor Plantagenet, (daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine). In 1211, Henry became heir to the throne when his older… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry IV of Castile — Enrique IV (5 January 1425 11 December 1474), King of Castile, nicknamed the Impotent (ruled 1454 1474), was the last of the weak late medieval kings of Castile. During Enrique s reign the nobles increased in power and the nation became less… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry II of England — Henry Plantagenet redirects here. For others, see Category:House of Plantagenet. Henry II King of England (more...) Reign 25 October 1154 – 6 July 1189 …   Wikipedia

  • John II of Castile — John II (March 6 1405 ndash; July 20 1454) was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454. He was the son of Henry III of Castile and his wife Katherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster by Constance of Castile, daughter of King… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry of Castile (disambiguation) — Henry of Castile could refer to: *Infante Enrique of Castile *Henry I of Castile *Henry II of Castile *Henry III of Castile *Henry IV of Castile …   Wikipedia

  • Henry II — may refer to: King or Emperor *Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor, Saint Henry II, (972 1024), Holy Roman Emperor *Henry II of Castile (1334 1379) *Henry II of England (1133 1189), reigned 1154 1189 *Henry II of France (1519 1559) *Henry II of… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry, King of Portugal — Henry 17th century painting of Cardinal King Henry King of Portugal and the Algarves Reign 4 August 1578 31 January 1580 Predecessor …   Wikipedia

  • Henry III of England — Henry III Oil painting of Henry III by unknown artist, ca. 1620, later incorrectly inscribed Eduardus . King of England (more...) Reign …   Wikipedia

  • Henry, Duke of Cornwall — was the name of two sons of King Henry VIII of England and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Henry in total had six children by Catherine of Aragon; 2 girls, 3 boys, and 1 whose sex is unrecorded. Only one of their children, Princess Mary… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”