Eleonore of Aragon (1402-1445)
daughter of Fernando I "the Just", King of Aragon
and Sicily 1412-1416 and Eleonore de Albuquerque,
Condesa de Albuquerque
Born circa 1402
Died 18 February 1445 Toledo
Buried Batalha, Spain
Married 22 September 1428 Coimbra
Duarte, King of Portugal 1433-1438
Born 31 October 1391 Viseu
Died 9 September 1438 Tomar
Buried Alcobaca
In her husband's will she was appointed as regent of Portugal. However,
she was inexperienced and, as an Aragonese, unpopular with the people who
preferred the late king's brother Pedro, Duke of
Coimbra. Negotiations for a compromise arrangement were drawn out over
several months, but were complicated by the interference of the Count of
Barcelos and the Archbishop of Lisbon, as also by her giving birth to a
posthumous daughter in March 1439, and by the death of her eldest daughter,
Philippa.
Eventually the Cortes appointed Pedro the sole Regent after which Eleonore
continued conspiring, but was forced to go into exile in Castile in December
1440. She died at Toledo in February 1445.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
