Isabel of Portugal, Countess of Gijón and Noroña
Encyclopedia
Isabel of Portugal was the natural daughter of King Ferdinand I of Portugal
, from unknown mother.
, son of the powerful Dom João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 4th Count of Barcelos
. However, this project was abandoned or dissolved.
She married Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noroña, natural son of King Henry II of Castile. Her marriage was one of the clauses of the peace treaty, signed in 1373, between Portugal
and Castile
.
Through a royal letter issued on October 2, 1377, her father granted her the Lordship of Viseu
, Celorico
, Linhares
and Algodres
.
She left to the Royal Court of King Henry II of Castile where she lived while waiting for an appropriate age to get married, once her groom was, then, only 9 years old. They finally married in 1378 in the city of Burgos
. From this marriage was issued the Noronha
family, still represented in several aristocratic
houses, both in Portugal
and in Spain
.
The couple had 7 children:
Due to her husband's conflit with his brother, King John I of Castile
, Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noroña was arrested and died during a fight. Isabel returned to her native Portugal
where her uncle, King John I of Portugal
, gave her a warm welcome and protection, both to her and to her children.
Once Alfonso was Count of Noreña
, an Asturian
village he had received from his father, Isabel's children used the Portuguese spelling Noronha
as their family name.
Ferdinand I of Portugal
Ferdinand I , sometimes referred to as the Handsome or rarely as the Inconstant , was the ninth King of Portugal and the Algarve, the second son of Peter I and his wife, Constance of Castile...
, from unknown mother.
Biography
Before 1386 she was betrothed to João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 1st Count of Viana (do Alentejo)Count of Viana (do Alentejo)
Count of Viana was a Portuguese title of nobility granted to D. João Afonso Telo de Menezes, direct cousin to Queen Leonor Telles de Menezes, by King Ferdinand I of Portugal royal decree, dated from March 13, 1373....
, son of the powerful Dom João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 4th Count of Barcelos
Count of Barcelos
Count of Barcelos is a title of nobility, the first to be granted in Portugal. It was created in 1298 by king Denis I and initially it was a non hereditary title, although most of the holders belonged to the Teles de Menezes family...
. However, this project was abandoned or dissolved.
She married Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noroña, natural son of King Henry II of Castile. Her marriage was one of the clauses of the peace treaty, signed in 1373, between Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
.
Through a royal letter issued on October 2, 1377, her father granted her the Lordship of Viseu
Viseu
Viseu is both a city and a municipality in the Dão-Lafões Subregion of Centro Region, Portugal. The municipality, with an area of 507.1 km², has a population of 99,593 , and the city proper has 47,250...
, Celorico
Celorico da Beira
Celorico da Beira is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 247.2 km² and a total population of 8,752 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of 22 parishes, and is located in Guarda District.Main town: Celorico da Beira, near the Mondego River....
, Linhares
Linhares
Linhares is the name of a municipality in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 135 km north of the state capital, Vitória. It is the largest municipality by area in the state, at 9,501.6 km², and has a population of 130,901 people ....
and Algodres
Fornos de Algodres
Fornos de Algodres is a municipality and a town in Portugal with a total area of 131.5 km² and a total population of 5,435 inhabitants. The municipality is composed of 16 parishes, and is located in Guarda District, Centro Region, Serra da Estrela Subregion...
.
She left to the Royal Court of King Henry II of Castile where she lived while waiting for an appropriate age to get married, once her groom was, then, only 9 years old. They finally married in 1378 in the city of Burgos
Burgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
. From this marriage was issued the Noronha
Noronha
Noronha is a family name common among some aristocratic families in Portugal.This family has its origins in the marriage of Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noreña with Isabel of Portugal...
family, still represented in several aristocratic
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
houses, both in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The couple had 7 children:
- Diogo Henriques of Noronha, died still a child;
- Pedro of Noronha (1379–1452), Archbishop of Lisbon (ancestor of the Marquesses of AngejaMarquis of AngejaCount of Vila Verde was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, dated from December 10, 1654, by King John IV of Portugal, and granted to Dom António de Noronha, 12th Lord of Vila Verde....
, and of the Counts of Arcos; - Fernando of Noronha (c.1380- ?), 2nd Count of Vila RealCount of Vila RealCount of Vila Real was a Portuguese title of nobility created by a royal decree, in 1424, by King John I of Portugal, and granted to Dom Pedro de Menezes, also known as Peter I of Menezes, 1st Count of Viana .The Menezes, a high nobility family quite close to the first Dynasty Kings in Portugal,...
by marriage with Beatrice of Menezes, 2nd Countess of Vila Real; - Sancho of Noronha (c.1390- ?), 1st Count of OdemiraCount of OdemiraCount of Odemira was a Portuguese title of nobility granted to D. Sancho de Noronha by royal decree issued on October 9, 1446, by King Afonso V of Portugal....
; - Henrique of Noronha (c.1390- ?) died single without legitimous issue;
- João of Noronha, died still a child;
- Constance of Noronha (1395–1480), married in 1420 Afonso, Duke of Braganza, from whom she was his second wife.
Due to her husband's conflit with his brother, King John I of Castile
John I of Castile
John I was the king of Crown of Castile, was the son of Henry II and of his wife Juana Manuel of Castile, daughter of Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile...
, Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noroña was arrested and died during a fight. Isabel returned to her native Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
where her uncle, King John I of Portugal
John I of Portugal
John I KG , called the Good or of Happy Memory, more rarely and outside Portugal the Bastard, was the tenth King of Portugal and the Algarve and the first to use the title Lord of Ceuta...
, gave her a warm welcome and protection, both to her and to her children.
Once Alfonso was Count of Noreña
Noreña
Noreña is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. It is completely surrounded by the municipality of Siero...
, an Asturian
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
village he had received from his father, Isabel's children used the Portuguese spelling Noronha
Noronha
Noronha is a family name common among some aristocratic families in Portugal.This family has its origins in the marriage of Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noreña with Isabel of Portugal...
as their family name.