Maria of Aragon, Queen of Castile

Maria of Aragon ((1403-02-24)24 February 1403 – (1445-02-18)18 February 1445) was the Queen of Castile as the first wife of King John II from their marriage in 1420 until her death in 1445. She was the daughter of Ferdinand I of Aragon and Eleanor of Alburquerque.

Life

Maria was married by her brother in his ambition to place his father's issue on the thrones of Castile and Aragon. The marriage took place in simplicity. Maria was occasionally politically active on behalf of her brothers, the princes of Aragon; she disregarded her husband's policy in favor of her brothers and the relationship between Maria and John was somewhat tense.

After her death on 18 February 1445, her husband married Isabella of Portugal and they became the parents of Isabella I of Castile. Maria has no descendants today, her line having gone extinct within a few decades of her death.

Children

Maria and John II of Castile had four children:

• Catherine, Princess of Asturias ((1422-10-05)5 October 1422–(1424-09-17)17 September 1424).
• Eleanor, Princess of Asturias ((1423-09-10)10 September 1423–(1425-08-22)22 August 1425).
• Henry IV of Castile ((1425-01-05)5 January 1425–(1474-12-11)11 December 1474). First married Blanche II of Navarre and later married Joan of Portugal.
• Infanta Maria (c. 1428–c. 1429).

Ancestry

References