Alphonse IV of Portugal

See also: Alphonse IV

Alphonse IV , called Valiant the for its bravery of which it made proof on the battle fields, born the February 8th 1291 with Lisbon, died the May 28th 1357 in Lisbon, was the seventh king of Portugal (and the sixth of the Algarves), of 1325 with 1357.

It was wire of the king Denis I^er (1261-1325) and of Isabelle d' Aragon known as holy Isabelle (1271-1336).

He married in 1309 Béatrice de Castille (1293-1359), legitimate girl of Sanche IV (1258-1295), king de Castille and of León (1284-1295), and Marie de Molina (apr. 1260-1321).

Although he was the single legitimate son of his father, Alphonse was not, according to certain sources, the Favori of king Denis Ier who preferred the company of Alphonse Sanche, one of his bastard. This preference caused a competition between the two brothers what gave place to an armed struggle. In 1325, Alphonse became king and, like first decision, exiled Alphonse Sanche in Castille, withdrawing all the grounds to him, titles and feudes received of their father. Exiled did not accept and, since the other side of the border, orchestrated a series of political and military operations with an aim of becoming him even king. After various attempts at reconciliation, the brothers signed a peace treaty under the auspices of the holy queen Isabelle.

His/her oldest daughter (resulting from her marriage with Beatrice de Castille), the princess Marie-Constancy of Portugal (1313-1357) married Alphonse XI of Castille in 1328, but the marriage was unhappy, because king de Castille treated his wife as a public badly. Alphonse, like revenge, attacked the borders of Castille.

Peace came four years later, and with the intervention of Marie of Portugal, a treaty was signed in Seville in 1339.

The following year, in October 1340, of the Portuguese troops, with those of Castille, took part in the great victory of the Bataille of Salado against the Moors.

In 1348, large the plague cut down by 50% the population of the country.

Under its reign the Canary islands were discovered.

Alphonse IV continued the fight of his predecessors against the seizure of the Church on the State. Like measures appeasing, it made count the documents of title of the Church.

The last part of the reign of Alphonse IV was not marked by an open conflict with Castille but well by intrigues.

The civil war between the king Pierre I {{er}} of Castille and its half-brother Henri de Transtamare caused the exile of many noble towards Portugal. These emigrants created, of continuation, a faction at the court of Portugal, seeking privileges and a capacity which could compensate for what they had lost on their premises. This faction increased its capacity, especially after Ines Castro, girl of an important member of the nobility and lady-in-waiting of the Constance princess of Castille, does not become the mistress of her Pierre husband. In spite of the opposition of Alphonse IV, Pierre posted his love for Ines openly, recognizing his children and, which is more serious, supporting the Castilians which surrounded it. Moreover, after the death of his wife, he did not want to marry another only Ines. The legend wants that Alphonse IV made assassinate the latter.

Of its union with Beatrice:

Marie-Constancy of Portugal (1313-1357) X 1328 Alphonse XI (1311-1350), king de Castille and León (1312-1350);
Alphonse of Portugal (1315-1315);
Denis of Portugal (1317-1318);
Pierre Ier of Portugal (1320-1367), king de Portugal (1357-1367);
Isabelle of Portugal (1324-1326);
Jean of Portugal (1326-1327);
Éléonore of Portugal (1328-1348), X 1347 Pierre IV (1319-1387), king d' Aragon (1336-1387), without posterity of this union.
Denis of Portugal (1317 - 1318)

Of a not identified relation, Alphonse IV also had an illegitimate girl:

Marie of Portugal (nonknown dates), married to an unknown date with Ferdinand de Valence (1316-1384), lord of Valencia de Campos, of which male posterity.

Internal bonds

Alphonse III of Portugal

Beatrice de Castille (1242-1303)

Denis Ier of Portugal

Isabelle d' Aragon (1271-1336)

Beatrice de Castille (1293-1359)

Sources

Genealogy of the kings and the princes of Charles Volkmann Edict. Jean-Paul Gisserot (1998)

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