Fernando IV, King of Castile
and Leon 1295-1312 (1285-1312)
Born 6 December 1285 Sevilla
Died 7 September 1312 Jaen
Married 1302 Valladolid
Constance of Portugal
Born 3 January 1290
Died 17 November 1313
Fernando IV was
something of a nonentity, a man of little ability and
weak character.
His sobriquet of 'the Summoned' refers to the
circumstances
of his death. Two brothers were accused of the murder of
one of the King's
gentlemen and, although the evidence against them
was slight,
Fernando IV ordered their execution without trial. As they
went to their
deaths protesting their innocence, they summoned the
King to appear
before God's judgment seat within thirty days.
Fernando, who
was only twenty-six, paid little heed to this; however,
on the thirtieth
day after the incident, he lay down in the afternoon
for a short
rest and was found dead by his attendants when they became
alarmed by his
prolonged absence and went to investigate
Source: Leo van de Pas
|