BETWEEN HUSBAND AND FATHER: QUEEN
ISABEL OF LANCASTER'S CROSSED LOYALTIES
Da e o ecep ion:
19"
o No embe ,
2008
Final da e o accep ance:
6Ih
o Feb ua y,
2009
Isabel o Lancas e became engaged o A onso
V
o Po ugal when hey we e bo h
se en yea s old. He a he was Ped o, he uncle o he in an king and egen o
he ealm a e he o cing ou o he qneen no he Leono o A agon. The egency
allowed Ped o o a oii his own lineage. Howe e , when A onso
V
ook o e he
go e ninen , o he b anches o he oya1 amily and he high nobili y who el
endange ed by Ped o's policy s a ed o u n he king agains him. We will show
how Isabel nego ia ed he loyal y bo h o he husband and o he a be du ing he
con lic ha a ose be ween he n, and how she managed o keep he s a us and
powe while honou ing he a he 's memo y and p o ec ing he o he women o
he lineage a e hc ignominious dea h o Ped o in a ba le agains he king.
KEY
WORDS
Endogamy, P incely ma iage, Queenship, Regency, Roya1 amily.
Endogamia, Nup iae p incipum, Manus eginae, Regeu is digni as, Regia do nus.
I has been a gued ha a c icial poin in medie al noble women's und s anding
o hemsel es was ha a man's place in he medie al wo ld was de ined p ima ily
by his me nbe ship o a single pa i ineal amily while a wo nan's place was de ined
by double and po en ially con adic o y amily allegiances.' Royal wo nen who
na ied ab oad in o de o consolida e peace ea ies o o es ablish new alliances
among wo mona chies, and who had o c oss cul u al, geog aphical, and linguis ic
bounda ies in addi ion o a iilial ones, expe ienced his duali y in an exagge a ed
o m; his nigh gi e hem a s ong sense o sel and enhance hei pe sonal p~we .~
Ye i was no wi hou dange : o eign qi eens could be c i icized, physically abused
o e en mu de ed o Ea ou ing hei kin and coun ymen o in oducing new and
"dep a ed" cus oms in he ealm.)
János Bak has ne e heless ale ed o he ac ha oyal na iages made wi hin
he bounda ies o one kingdon~ could also mee s ong c i icism as hey would ge a
magna e's a nily oo close o he h ~ne.~ "Na i e" queeils we e also suspec ed o
bene i ing hei ela i es and p o égés, hus dis u bing he exis ing balance among
he a is oc acy and gi ing ise o an agonis ns and con lic s. Wha , hcn, i he na -
iage was made wi hin he oyal amily i sel , de ying he canonical iinpedimen s?
Would i s eng hen o en eeble he king's ole as a bi a o o he nobili y and
so e eign o he ealm's subjec s? Would i ein o ce lo e and solida i y o sow dis-
co d among he amily's di e en b anches? And he s a us oI he queen, woi ld
i
be enhanced o cu ailed by he p e ious posi ion as a membe o he oyals? We
will y o answe hese and a he ela ed ques ions by analysing he case o Queen
Isabel o Lancas e .'
The idea o ma ying lsabel o he i s cousin A onso o Po ugal i s a ose in
d ama ic condi ions: on Sep embe
9,
1438,
King Dua e died suddenly om plague,
lea ing as hei a boy aged
6.
In his will, Dila e en us ed his wi e Leono o A agon
wi h he gua dianship o hei child en and he egency o he ealm. Howe e , he
deceased king had ou b o he s who saw in his si ua ion an oppo uni y o inc ease
hei in luence and iches, and possibiy e en exe cise sup eme powe : Ped o. duke
1, Wood, Cha les
T.
"The Fi s
%o
Quecns Eli abe h, 1464-1503".
Women and So e eigniy,
Louise Olga
Fiadenbu g, ed. Edi ihu gh: Edinb i gh Uni e si y P ess, 1992: 127.
2.
Pai on .
John Ca mi. "Mo he s. Daugh e s. 'Ma iage, Pow :
Some
Plan agenel
E iden e,
1150-
1500".
Medie al Queenship.
.lohn
Ca ni
Pa sons, ?<l. NFW Yo k:
SL.
Ma lin's P ess. 1993: 77-78.
3. Bak, János M. "Roles and Fun ions o1 Quecns io Á pádian and Ange in Hunga y (1000-1386 A.D.)",
Medie al Queen hip.
John Ca mi Pa so is, cd. Ncw Yo k: S . Mai in's P ess, 1993: 14-16;
Hak,
János M.
"Oueens as Sca~enaa s in Medie al
ilun~a y'',
Qu ns
and
Oueenshin
in
Medie al Eu on .
Anne Diia uii,
andEa iy~ide n S udies,
3712 (2007): 393-418.
4. Bak. János M. "Quecns as scapejioals in Medie al
Hunga y"
...
:
228.
5. Isabel was he g and-daugh e o Philippa o1 Lancas e ,
qucen
oÍPo iiga1
by
he na iagc io King Joáo
I(1385-1433). Philippa
was
e y
Ío id
oi
he Plamapene oiigins and ansmi ed his p ide
-and
lie
amily name,
"Lenca , "
in Po uguese- o he p ugeny. Sil a, N(anuela San os. "Filipa
dc
Lencas e e
o
a nbien i cul i~ al
na
co e
de
se"
pai (1360-1387)".
Clio. No asé ie.
16117 (2007): 253-254.
BETWE~N HUSBAND
AND
FK~IER
207
o C~imb a;~ Hen ique, duke o Viseu and mas e o he mili a y o de o Ch is ;'
Joao, mas e o he mili a y o de o San iag~,~ and A onso, coun o
ba celo^,^
an
elde bu illegi i na e hal -b o he ."'
The queen's counsello s wa ned he especially agains Ped o, who was "a
powe iul P i ice, belo ed by he People, who ha[d] child en and in whom migh
en e he desi e o eigning, which o e powe s al1 he o he s"." Bu Leono had
o he easolis no o us him comple ely: he a he , Fe nando o Aii eque a. had
gained he h one o A agon in compe i ion wi h o he applican s, among which
s ood Jai me o U gell, Ped o's a he -in-law." As a es ~l o Jaume's e usal o
accep his ou come, his es a es we e con isca ed and he died in cap i i y; his
wi e and daugh e s hus became dependen on he new king o hei li ing.I3
Ch onicle s such as Goines Eanes de Zii a a asse ha he e was always ill will
amony Leono and Ped o because o chis old amilia an ag~nism'~ hough some
node n his o ians do no{ hink ha was he main eason o hei disag ee~nen .'~
Appa en ly, Leono s a cd lo go e n alone wi hoi any open opposi ion sho iy
a c
he
p ociama ion o he son as King A onso
V
and he eading o he will o he
deceased.I6 Ne e heless, o secu e Ped o's loyal y o he in an king, she p oposed
6.
Tlie e is no eccii biog aphy ol Ped o bu1 aii e i i c schola ly jou ial Izas beeii dcdica ed u s e al
aspeas o his li e and wo ks on his 500 D bi hday:
Aiblos,
LXIX,
1993. On he pe iod o his li e ha made
Ihi n anious bo h in his homeland and ab oad. see Rogen, F ancis
M.
The
T a e1,s o he In an e Dom Ped o
q Po n<gal.
Camb idge (Mass.): Ha a d Uni si y P ess, 1961; Co eia, Ma ga ida Sé ulo.
As Via#ens do
In an e
D.
i>ed,ii.
Lisbon: G adi a. 2000.
7.
011
TIen iqile. see Russei, Pe e
E.
P ince Iiex>y mThe Na igaio ~,: A Lile.
New Ha e i
-
London: Yale
Uni e si y P ess, 2000; Sousa, Joao Sil a de.
A Casa Senho iai do in an e
D.
Hen ique.
Lisbon: Li os Ho i-
zon c, 1991
8. On Joáo.
ec
Medei os, Ma ia Dlilcina Viei a Coelho de.
O
In an e
D.
3060
(1400-1442). Subsidios pa a
u na biog a a.
Lisboii: Fanildade de 1.c as da Uni e sidade de 1.i boa (Mas e hesis). 1999.
9.
O i
him he e is only an old biog aphy: klachado, Jos6 Tiniá eo Mon al áu.
Dnm
A onso P i nei o
Duquc de B agan$a.
Sua
ida e si a ob a.
Lisbon: Li a ia Po ugal, 1964.
10.
The e exis ed
a
i h legi ima e
h o hei,
Fe nando bu1 hc was imp isoncd in Mo occo since ic de-
ea1 o Tangie in 1438.1.Ie was ne e o be libe a ed iin il his d a h in 1443 and he e o e colild play no
ole in he poli ical s cne in his homelund. On his ii e and hc cons mnion
oí
]lis mc no y, see Fon es,
.loa(> Luis Ingles.
Pe cu sos e Memó ia:
do
Ii2 anu
D.
Fe nando
ao
in an e Sanio.
Cascais: Pa imonia. 2000.
l
l. Thesc
a e
ilie wo ds ha
he
ch onicle o he cal n assume hey Iha e uscd. Pina, Riii de.
Ch onica do
Senho
Rey
D. A onso
V.
C ónicasde Rui de Pina,
M. 1.opes de Almeida. ed. Po o: L llo
b
I mao.
1977:
591.
12. Ped o inaiiied .launie's ooides daiigli e . Isabel.
On
he ciicu ns a ices
o1
he ele a ion o
Fe nando
o
An eque o he lh one
o
A agon, see Vic ns
Vi es,
Jaime. "Los T as á na as y Ca aluiia".
Hisio ia
de
Es-
paña.
Ranión Menendcz Pidal, di . Mad id: Espasa~Calpc, 1982:
XV,
669-681: Saba é, Flocel. "El Comp o-
niís de Casp".
ilis d ia
de
la
Co ona
d'Aii agó,
F nes Bclci>giie , di . Ba celona: Edicions 62. 2007: 287-304.
13. 'end eil, F uncesca; Massii. Angcls.
Jaume el Di so o ,
dn ei
com e
d'u geii
Ba elona: Aedos, 1956:
113-120.
14. Zu a a. Gomes Ean s de.
C ónica do Conde D. Dua ie deMenescs,
La iy I<ing, ed. Lisbon: Uni c sidade
No a de Lisbon, 1978: 110.
15. Fonsecu, Luis Adao da.
O
Condes á ei
D.
Ped o
de
Po ugal.
Po o: ins i u o Nacional de ln es iga~ao
Cien í ica
-
Cen o de HisiO ia da Uni c sidade do Po o. 1982: 22-23.
16. Tbe i s clia e s issued by
he
in lile name o1 he1 son da e om Scp e nbe 29
and
<)c cibe 6.
1438. Mo eno. Huliibe o Baqu io.
A Bn alha de A(i¿ n>h i u. Aniecede~ es
e
signi icado his ó ico
Coi nbi-a:
Uiii e sidad de Coiinb a, 1979:
L
8.
he ma iage o A onso
V
o he duke's daugh e Isabel, s aiing ha
i
had been King
Dua e's las will as decla ed by his con esso . This sugges ion was gladly accep ed
and he quecn issued a cha e decla ing he a angemen s made."
Though he e e ence o I<ing Dua e's iii en ion was o be used again lale on
by Ped o o jus i y his insis ence on his ma imonial p ojec , we ha e easons o
belie e ha
i
was Leono 's idea, no Dua e's.
I
is ue ha he deceased kiiig was
e y oiid o his b o he and liked o please him. Bu when choosing a b ide o
his i s -bo n child he would p obably look heyond he bo de s o he kingdom, as
bis p edecesso s had done, o es ablish new alliances o s eng hen old ones while
a oiding a he same ime o disa ange he exis ing balance among he a is oc acy
by dis inguishing a membe o one o i s lineages.'@
Leono did no ha e much o a choice. She aced u gen p ohiems: she knew
ha he Po uguese people mis us ed he o being he sis e o he
"in an es de
A agón"
who we e pe sis en ly ying o gain con ol o al1 he Ch is ian kingdoms
o£ he lbe ian Peninsula.'"~ secu e he independence o he ealm, he subjec s
wan ed one o he Po uguese
"p íncipes de
A isn
o be Regeii ins ead o he .'O So,
o be su e ha she would be able o keep oyal auiho i y and
LO
hand i o e o
he son when he woilld ha e he p ope age, she needed o be on good e ms
wi h he in-laws, a id especially wi h Ped o. P omising ha his daugh e would be
queen and his u u e g and-son would be king was a way oí seci~ ing ha he would
ne e a emp o d i e A onso
V
om he h one, no allow o he s o do so. In he
inimedia e p esen , howe e , Leono also made an app oach o Ped o, ag eeing
o sha e he go e nmen wi h him: she would keep he u o ship o he child en
and he managemen o he oyal inances wh'ile he would be in cha ge o he
adminis a ion o j~is ice and he de ence o he ealm.2'
These wo se lemen s we e ne e heless s ongly opposed by he queen's coun-
sello s, and abo e al1 by he coun o Ba celos, who had also wished o play a ole
in he go e nmen and o ha e he king ina ied o his g and-daugh e Isabel.22
He
and he a chbishop o Lisbon Ped o de No onha, whom he queen us ed mo e
17.
Pina. Rui de.
Ch onicado
S nho
Rey
D.
A onS0
V..:
594-596.
18.
Theie we e o he possibic op iuns, especially in Enyland o Bu gundy
as
sugges ed by
Go nes.
Sa il
An ónio.
D.
A anso
V.
Rio de Mou o: Cí culo de 1.ei o es.
2006:
62.
19.
011
his aiilily. e Beni o Ruano. Eloy
LosIn/an es
de
A agdn.
Mad id: Real Academia de
la
His o ia,
2002.
20.
Jus like lhei A agoiiese counie pa s, [he Po ugucse p inces we e ac i eiy p omo ed by lie polili-
cal
o o aeanda o heii lime and in hici ed
b
la e oels and his o ians. See Fonseca. Luis Adao da.
.
..
I .
11
1,
l..
5.1
. .,:LIII):~~
c~,!~>c,IL!.~ <>.
s.
O e
.l
8#li$',i (jllil<l
<Id;
.l .li~l
i.iii:ii
li
i.i i .a
ii.i
iii iii.i,ji
.I
iiii,
ii.iii.i
Ili<~ .i ..,
ii
K ,.i,i.i>
I i ~ i,.i.i.~~i~i.i?
.o ii.>ii! .,
,l.,,8,
1'mi.j
Delgada: Uni e sidade dos~~o cs,
1984:
295-302:
Fonseca, Liiis AdZo da. "Una elegía inédi a sob e
la
laniilia de A is. Un aspec o de la p opaganda polí ica en la Península ibé ica
a
nie8iados del siglo
XV".
Anua io
de Es udiosMedie ales,
16
(1986):
449-463.
21.
Pina.
Rui de.
Ci onicadoSenho Rq D. A o so
V..:
599.
22.
This lady was la e o ma y Juan
11
o1 Caslile and o gi e bi li o Isabel, he u u e Ca holic Queen.
0ii
he , ee Ca so i, Ma silio. "Dona Isabel
(1428-1496)".
in in nsdePo ugaiRainha m
Espanha.
Lisbon:
A
Es e a
dos
Li os.
2007:
149-179.
han anyone else, managed o make he s ep back in bo h decisions, aising he an-
ge o he b o he -in-law, who o e wi h his own hands hc ma imonial ag eemen
she had asked him o e u n o
he^.'^
Tliough Leono and Ped o e en ually signed ano he ag eemen a he Co es
o To es No as, in No embe
1438,
and ac ually began sha ing he go e nmen ,
he e was no way o es o e us among hem and no u he men ion was made
abou he ma iage o hei child en. As di icul ies accumula ed, he u baii popu-
la ion s a ed o show signs o un es and o accuse he queen o being he cause
o al1 w ongs. A yea la e , new Co es ga he ed in Lisbon and he ep esen a i es
o he concelhos (mainly he la ges u ban cen es). led by he capi al, elec ed Ped o
sole Regen o he ealm; he o he wo s a es ag eed, excep o a Eew suppo e s
o he queen who le he assembly o e used o sign he eco d o he p oceedings.
Leono was also dep i ed o he gua dianship o wo o he child en: I<ing A onso
V
and Fe nando, he second in he line o succe~sion.~~
The qiieen ied o o e come his si ua ion wi h he mili a y suppo o he o de
o he Hospi alle s whose p io was ai hlul o he . Bu she ecei ed no immedia e
help ei he om he coun o Ba celos o om he cousin he king o Cas ile and he
b o he s, he kings o A agon and Na a e. She was co isequen ly o ced o lea e
he coun y wi h he e inue and y o ga he mo e suppo in Cas ile.''
A e besieging he o ess o C a o wi h he help o his b o he Joiio, Ped o wen
o Viseu o join o ces wi h his o he b o he Hen ique in o de o ha e a s ong
a my o subdue he queen's suppo e s who had ga he ed in he no h o he coun-
y, and especially he coun o Ba celos. Be o e s a ing he igh , hough, Ped o
sen him messenge s o e ing him peace and o gi eness in exchange o his lea ing
he queeii's ac ion. 1 ook some ime bu e en ually Coun A onso accep ed he
e ms o he pac . The econcilia ion be ween he wo es anged b o he s allowed
he p og ession o he ma imonial p ojec be ween A onso
V
and Isabel o Lancas-
e : he coun o Ba celos who had been one o i s s onges opponen s, ag eed o i s
immedia e conclusion
in
e u n o Ped o's es i u ion o he A chbishop o Lisbon,
who was in exile in Cas ile, o his digni y and belonging~.'~
A his poin , no mo e impedimen s s ood in he way: bo h child en we e oE age
o commi hemsel es
COK
he u u e2' and he papa1 dispensa ion o consanguini y
had a i ed wo mon hs ea lie . Alas, i had been gi en sec e ly o he Po uguese
ambassado s " i ae oces o acuio", in o de no o displease he kings o Cas ile,
A agon and Na a e who had in e ened agains he ma iage a he eques o
23.
Pina, Riii de.
Ckionicado SenhoiRey
D.
A lonso
V..:
595-596. 600, 604.
24. Pina, Rui de.
Ch onica do Senho Rey
D.
A onso
V...:
624-645; The same e en s a e epo ed. wi h
ecou sc
o
a he sou ces. by Mo cno. Humbe o Baquc o.
A
Ba alha de Al a obei a
..:
9-65.
25. Pina, R ii de.
Ch onica do Senho Rey
D.
il onso
V...:
664-677; Mo eno, Hun be o Baque o.
A
Baiaiha
de Al a obei a
..:
69-92.
26. Pina, Rui
de.
Ch onica do Senho Rey
D.
Amn o
V...:
674-679.
27. The king had iu ned nine and Isabel was only a ew mon hs younge . Canon
law
es ablished ha
child en could be cngaged o ina y a e iu ning se en. Deb B. Cyiille.
'Tu,
elix Au ia. nube'. La dy insiie
de Habsbou g
el
so
poli ique ma imoniale
A
la in
du
Moyen
Agc
(XI1Ic-M si2cles)
Tu nhou : B epols, 2005: 39.

Qiieen Leono .'"u i was conside ed sa is ac o y o ca y on wi h he plan. Ped o
summoned he
Co es
o ga he in To es Ved as in May 1441 and ob ained hei
consen o he ce emony oge he wi h a subs an ial dona ion (p escn ed as a " ich
p esen ") o cons i u e Isabel's househo d. The be o hal inaily ook place la e ha
mon h, in Ascension Day in he own o 6bidos.2y
A
p ope bu11 can e a yea la e
o a i y he o al dispensa ion and he ows made by he child en, and o emembe
ha hese ows had o be con i med when hey would each he legal majo i y.'O
Ha ing nade his nine-yea -old daugh e he u u e queen. Pcd o con inued o
ele a e his amily by making his i s -bo n son Ped o Cons able in 1443 and mas e
o he mili a y o de o A is in 1444." This in u ia ed he coun o O~ ém,~~ who
belie ed ha he posi ion o Cons able belonged he edi a ily o his amily.13 The
Regen also ewa ded hose who had s ood by him, gi ing hem he pe sonal he-
longings and es a es seized I om he de ea ed.'" Ri he did no o ge o please as
well hose who had joined his pa y a a la c s age: indeed, he coun o Ba celos
was made duke o B aganza in 1442 and Sancho de No onha coun o Odemi a in
1446."
Exilcd in Cas ile. Leono kep asking he cousin and he b o he s o demand om
Ped o he e u n o he digni y and o he u o ship o he child en. Se e al embas-
sies we e sen by hem o Po ugal wi h his pu pose bu ob ained no a ou able
a iswe om he Regen . E en ally she le he Cas~ilian cou and i s in igues o
seek e uge in a con en . Dep i ed o he dowe and he dow y she was en i led o
ecei e o suppo he h ough he wid~whood'~ and ha ing spen al1 he jewels
and sil e o help he b o he s eco e hei sup emacy in Cas ile," she li ed in
po e y and died unde suspicious condi ions in Feb ua y 1445.'8
28. Pina.
Rui
de.
Ch o zica do
Senko
Rey
D.
A//onso
V...:
673-674.
29. Pina, Rni de.
Ck onica do Senho
Rey
D.
A lonso
V...:
680.
30.
Monumenia Hen icina.
ed. An ónio Joaquini Dias Dinis. Coimb a: Con~issio execiiii a das comen o-
a&s do
V
cen ená io da mo e
do
in an c D. Hen iqoe. 1962: Vil, 319-321 (doc. no 217).
31. Fonseca. Luis AdZo da.
O
Condes á ei
D.
Ped o de Po ugal
...
:
31
32.
The i s -boin o ihe wo
so ls
o he coun o Ba celos: he oihe
one
wa he coun o A aiolos.
33. iad beloi~ged o his g and a he Nuno Al a es Peiei a, his b o hei-ii,-law Joio
2nd
his nephew
Diogo. who had died i hou piogeny: he couni o
Ou dm
claimed ha he was n x in
ihe
iine o suc-
cession. al hough he lale ailed o p o e ha he e
wa
a iy clai~s conceiiiing Iie edi y in ihe o igiiial
cuncession. Conha, Ma alda
Soa es
da.
Linkagem. Pa en esco
e
Pode A Casa de
Biaganca
(1384-1483).
Lis-
hon:
Funda@o
da
Casa de H aganca.
1990:
75-76.
34.
Mo eno. Humbe o Baq ie o.
A
Ba alha
de Aya obei a
..:
97-133.
35. Cunha. Ma alda Soa es da.
Linhagem. Pn en e cDe Pode
...
:
154.
36. He inai imonial coni ac ipula ed hai. a ie he dea li o he Iiusband, she
would
ha e M o yea s
o ihoose ei he o siay in Po ugal and keep he es a es. en s and nain ciiance, o o
lea e
lie couniiy
and iecci Boih ihe dowe and ie dow y. The special condi iaiis nndei which she le i explain why she
was
unablc o iecci e any o hese sums. Rod igue , Ana Ma ia
S.
A. "Fo he hono
o
lie
lineage and
body The Dowc s and Dow ics
o
Some Laie Medie al Qiseens o Po ugal".
e-Jou nai oJPonquese Hii-
o!y,
5-1
(2007): 5-7.
37. Pina, Rui de.
Ch onica do Senho
Rey
D.
A in.70
V...:
681.
38.
The ch oniclei Rui de Pina sla es ha she and he sis e Maiia. queen o Ca ilc, wc e poisoned by
a
woliluii sen by hei con mon ene ny Al a o de Luna. Howe c , i e sy np om
oí
liei illness may
No mo e ha a n~on h la c , Queen Isabel ecci ed o~n he a he (in &e nainc
o he Icing) he owns o Alenque , Sin a, Óbidos, To es Ved as, To es No as, Al-
aiáze e, and Aldeia Galega io he o hold "as Queen Philippa had heid ~hem".)~ I
is qui e nleaning ul ha in his cha e Ped o should p e e o men ion his mo he
Philippa o Lancas e a he han his sis e -in-law Leono , who was he p e ious
holde o hese es a es bu had been dep i ed o hem by he
Co es
o É o a o
1442.*' In ac , du ing h ce yea s, he queenly holdings had heen acan ; howe e ,
he Regen had no da ed o dona e hem o his daugh e while he expa ia ed
queen-mo he was s ill ali e.
Bu was Isabel o Lancas e eally a queen in 1445? Was she uly en i led o e-
cei e he queen's end~wmen ?~' No qui e so because he wo eenage s we e io
p ope ly ma ied ye . Isabel had al eady passed he age o wel e whicli, o gi ls,
was conside ed he minimum o making he ows and consumma ing he ma i-
mony; bu he supposed hilsband was only o each he legal majo i y o boys, Ihe
age o o~ een,~~ on Janua y
15,
1446. Only hen new
Co es
ga he ed in Lisbon o
wi ness he solemn passing o¡ he go e nmen om he hands o Regen Ped o in o
he king's hands. The h ee s a es also once mo e ga e hei consen o he ma iage
o A onso
V
and Isabel.*'
Royal ma imonial ag eemen s had o he app o ed ac
Co ies
because hey we e
e y se ious ma e s ha engaged no only he oya1 anii y bu he en i e na ion.
They we e ~isnally embedded in poli ical, mili a y and coinme cial alliances wi ii
o he kingdoms and genc a ed expenses no only a sho no ice wi h he a i al
o! hc h ide, he li u gical ce emony, and he co esponding eas s, bu also a long
e m wi h he main ena ice o he queen du ing he li e ime and he paymen o
he dowe i she was o become a widow. Thc consen o he h ee s a es o he
ealm was he e o e necessa y o he signing o he in e na ionai ea ies and he
iinposing o he axes ha would mee he co~ s.~'
indica e neiiingi is. Al a ez Palen ~iela. Vicen e Angel. "Ma ía. iii un a de A agón y eina de Cas illa",
Es udos
de
Homenagem
ao
P ojho
Dou o José Ma ques.
Po o: Faci~ldade de Lc as
da
Uni e sidade
<lo
Po o. 2006: IV, 370.
39.
Fon es Medie ais da Hisió ia To eano,
ed. José Ma ia Co deiio
de
Sousa. To es Ved as: Cama a Mu-
~iicipal, 1958: 71-72 (doc. no 64).
40. Pina. Rui
de.
Ch onicadoSenho ReyD.
A on o
V..:
682.
41. The queen's endoi men and supplc nen a y g an s inade by he king wc e he wo c go ies o
ie enue ha suppoi ed he qucens o Po ugal aiid ihei household; in England, he e wss also he
queen-gold (Johns one. I-lilda. "Th'he
Queen's
Hoiisehold".
TheEngiish Go e nmen
a:
Wo k,
1327-1336.
Vol.
1
-
Cenl al and P e ogaii e Admini n ion.
James
F.
Willa d, Willia n A. Mo is. cds. Camb idgc (Mass.):
Mediae al Acadcmy
o
Ame ica Publica ioiis. 1940: 250-299). Only he queen-gold did no1 exis in
Po ugal as well.
42. Deh is. Cy iile.
'~ , .iiXAzi in.
nube'
...
:
39.
43. Pina, Rui
dc.
Ch onica do
Senho
Rey D. A lonso
V...:
696-697.
44.
W
kniiw ha he kingdo n con ibii d wo and
a
hal
pedidos
( axcs) o he ma iiage
o
A onso
V
and Isabel;
one
and
a
hal
was
collec ed in 1447
and
hc eniaining one in 1448. Gon<al es, I ia
Pedidos e
em~ és:ilnospiibiicosen~
Po uyaldu aniea idadeMédia.
Lishon: Cen o de Es udos Piscais da Dii c~5o-Ge al
das Con ibui(óes e lnipos os, 1964: 162.
In he case o his pa icula ma iage, he e we e no ex e na1 implica ions bu a
delica e in e na1 si ua ion emained whe e an ambi ious a he was p o i ing om
his aiisi o y posi ion oi powe o o ce his daugh e in o he king's bed in spi e o
o he magna e's opposi ion. This is p obably he eason why Ped o ca ed o ob ain
he app o al oi he
Co es
a each s ep o he p ocess: he ne ded he decision o be
i e ocable, no mal e wha his inal des iily migh be. The u u e p o ed him ighi
o be so cau ious.
Though ha ing a ained legal ma,jo i y, A onso
V
decided o le his uncie ule o
some mo e ime, un il he himsel would eel p epa ed o do i on his own. I was
only in
1447
ha he asked Ped o lo hand o e he go e nmen o him and he Re-
gen ag eed, p o ided he king ac ually ook Isabel as his wi e a chu ch as ~ell.~'
The lku gical ce emony ook place in May in San a ém and, as no ma imonial con-
ac had been signed be o e, a oyal cha e was issued s a ing he a angemen s
made conce ~iing he wellbeing o he queen.
This cha e e eals ha Isabel's a he did no endow he wiih a do~ y.~~ This
migh ha e le he in a e y unpleasan inancia1 si ua ion i ii we en' o he good
disposi ion o he husband on he b~hal .~~ Though his belo ed wi e, as he said,
b ough no dow y, A onso
V
y an ed he a dowe o wen y housand golden
escudos
ha she was allowed o lea e o he hei s a e he dea h. He also appoin ed as he
aiinual main enance he same sum o
1.165.000
eais
ha his mo he had enjoyed.
In addi ion, o cons i u e Isabel's
cama a
( he adminis a i e uiii ha managed he
queen's end~wmen ~~) hc king dona ed o he al1 he lands and u ban cen es ha
had belonged o he p e ious queens o Po ugal -in ac , hose ha had al eady
been ans e ed o he possession h ee yea s ea lie - includiog he co esponding
oyal igh s and en s, he whole ju isdic ion, he pa onage o he local chu ches
and he appoin meli o he app op ia e o icial~.~~
45. This i how he ch onide pu s i , In acs. h las1 docu ncni signed by Ped o as Regen da es om
.Iiily
8,
bii lie wedding had al eady aken place wo nion lis ea lie . Pina, Rui dc. "Ch onica do Senho
Rey D. A onsa
V"
...
:
698-699: Mo eno, Humb i o Baqiie o.
A
Balalhade Ai a ob i a
..:
259.
46.
An
uncommon si ua ion among ihe queens
o
Po ugal bu no o iilly unkiiown: Leono Tcles and
Philippa o Lancas ei in he 14'Qen u y did no b ing dow ies ei h Rod igues,
Ana
Ma ia Seab a de
Almeida. "Fo he hono o he lineage and body"
...
:
4.
47. I he wi e b ough no dow y, he husband was no o ced by law o en usi he wi h a dowc : she
wocild hc e o e ha e no inancia1 independence and necd o iely on him
o
al1 he expenses.
Fo
i i-
s ance, when
Juan
o Ca ile na ied Ma ga c o Aus iia and lhis sis e
Juana
nia i d ?hilip o Bu gun-
dy, he wo gi ls sac i iced hei dow ies in exchange o a en o 20.000
escudos
paid by hei hu ba ids.
Bu while M ga e go he sha e
Juana
did no ecei e Iie s and ne c managed o con ol hc own
ina ices. This p e en ed hc om g an ing he ideli y o he niembeis o hc houseliold by showing he
gene osi y ha was expecled
om
a queeo, A am. Belhany.
La
Reina
Juma.
Gobie no. piedad
y
dinas ía.
Mad id: Ma cial Pons,
2001:
86-93,
48.
As
de ined by Có do a Mi alles. Al a o Fe nandcz de.
La
Co le
de isubel
1.
Ri os
e
ce emonias
de
una
eina (1474-1504).
Mad id: Dykinson.
2002:
52.
49.
Monumen a I n i ina
...,
1968:
1X.
243-247
(doc.
11'
159).
Du ing he cou se o he li e, he I<ing made o he concessions o his wi e?O in
1450, he dona ed o he he en h o he commodi ies deal wi h
in
he cus oms o
Lisbon, Opo o, Viana, A ei o, Bua cos, Se úbal, Fa o and Ta i a, and he i h o
he goods belonging o bu gled ships; in 1452, he ans e ed o he possession an
es a e ha had belonged o he b olhe Ped o, and in
1453
he conceded o he he
adminis a ion o a majo a anda ew houses in Lisbon." Wi h al1 his cash, es a es,
and en s, she had no di icul y in main aining he s a us and a sizable hou~ehold.~~
Thus Isabel o Lancas e uly became a Queen when he a he 's o une
ini ia ed a decline. Soon she would ha e lo s a nego ia ing he loyal y bo h o he
p ogeni o and he husband. I was no1 an easy ma e o a gi l aged sixieen, bu
she had been educa ed o be he queen o Po ugal and she knew exac ly wha was
expec ed om he .
Though Isabel and A oiiso
V
had been b ough up oge he since he age o eigh ,
as he Regen was also he u o
o
he King5? hey only began io cohabi
as
hus-
band and wi e a le hei wedding i 1
1447.
Un o una ely o Isabel, she bo e no
child un il Janua y 1451, when she ga e bi h o a i s p ince. Joio, who died
sho ly a e wa d~.'~ No ha ing p o ided he h one wi h an hci in he i s h ee
yea s o he ma iage, he Queen's posi ion was agile in he ace o he iii will ha
g ew in ihe cou agains he a he .
As he ch onicle Rui de Pina pu s i , i we e he Regen 's ene nies - he coun o
Ba celos, now also duke o B aganza; his son he coun o Ou ém; he a chbishop
o Lisbon and his b o he Coun Sancho de No onha, anda ew o he s who we e
al1 o me pa iisans o Queen Leono - ha con inced he I<ing o go e n alone
because hey eckoned hey would be able o manipula e bim o11 hei behal . They
we e no con en wi h d i ing Ped o ou o go e n nen , hough, and no only did
hey accuse he Regen o eason and nade him lea e he cou , bu hey also ied
o b ing his b o he Hen ique in o disc edi in he King's eyes, so ha he would no
be able o help him." Alonso
V
is hus p esen ed by he ch onicle as an inexpe i-
enced young man, suscep ible o being in luenced by icious counsello s,
Ye we do no helie e he King o be im~na u e and nai e. He ac ually ac ed
agains Ped o and his iends as hci enemies sugges ed because i was bis ue will
50. Supplemen a y g an s we e o en made by he Po iuguese kings o hei dau~h e s-in-law o hei wi es
in o de o allow hem io main aín hei s a us and o ul ii hei du ics:
see,
íos ins ance. Suusa,
I o
Ca -
nei o de.
A
Rainha
D.
I ono
(1458-1525).
Pode mise icá dia, eligiosidade
e
espi i uaiidade
no
Po ugal do Renas-
cimen o.
Lishon: Funda<So Caious Gulhenkian
-
FundagZo pa a a Ciencia
e
a
Tecnoingia. 2002: 147-148.
51. Mo eno, Humbe o Baque a; F ei as, Isabel
Vaz
de.
A
Co e
de A onso
iio
Te npo
e
os
Homens.
Gijón:
T cu,
2006: 307-308.
52. On he composi ion
o
he household. sce Mo eno. Humbei o Baque o; F ei as.
Isabel
Vaz
de.
A
Co ede AJonso
V...:
303-307.
53.
I
has been denions a ed ha he King had hi own liai~sehold. di e en om hc Regen 's,
Gomcs.
Suul
An ónio.
D.
A inso
V...:
52. Bu1 ihey
we c
o en Loge he and i nlay be p esuincd h Ped o's wi e
and child en also siayed wi h he n.
54. The e a e doub s abou he enac da e
a
bi h o his p in e and hc da e o his dea h is unknown.
Comes,
Saul
An ónio.
D.
A onso
V...:
90.
55. Pina.
Rui
de.
Ch oniia do Senho
Rey
D.
A ónso
V...:
698-703.