Individual Details
Fernando II King of León
(1137 - 1188)
Fernando was born in 1137 in Toledo, Castile, the son of Alfonso VII, king of Castile and León, and his first wife Berenguela of Barcelona, daughter of Ramon Berenguer III el Grande, conde de Barcelona, Provence and Carcassonne and Aldonza/Doulce/Dulcia de Gevaudan, heiress of Provence. Fernando was king of León from his father's death in 1157 to his own death in 1188. His father had divided his kingdom upon his death, with Fernando receiving León and his brother Sancho Castile.
Fernando married three times. His first marriage, in 1156 to Urraca of Portugal, daughter of Afonso I 'o Conquistador', king of Portugal and Matilde de Savoie, produced his heir Alfonso IX. He divorced Urraca in 1175. His children from his other marriages would not have progeny.
Fernando's reign of thirty years was one of strife marked by no signal success or reverse. He had to contend with his unruly nobles, several of whom he put to death. During the minority of his nephew, Alfonso VIII of Castile, he endeavoured to impose himself on the kingdom as regent. To the west he was in more or less constant strife with the kingdom of Portugal, which had separated from León in 1139. His relations with the Portuguese House of Burgundy must have suffered by his repudiation of his wife Urraca. Though he took the king of Portugal prisoner in 1169, he made no political use of his success. He extended his dominions southward in Extremadura at the expense of the Moors. Fernando left a reputation of a good knight and hard fighter, but did not display political or organising facility. He died on 22 January 1188 and was succeeded by his son Alfonso IX.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Fernando married three times. His first marriage, in 1156 to Urraca of Portugal, daughter of Afonso I 'o Conquistador', king of Portugal and Matilde de Savoie, produced his heir Alfonso IX. He divorced Urraca in 1175. His children from his other marriages would not have progeny.
Fernando's reign of thirty years was one of strife marked by no signal success or reverse. He had to contend with his unruly nobles, several of whom he put to death. During the minority of his nephew, Alfonso VIII of Castile, he endeavoured to impose himself on the kingdom as regent. To the west he was in more or less constant strife with the kingdom of Portugal, which had separated from León in 1139. His relations with the Portuguese House of Burgundy must have suffered by his repudiation of his wife Urraca. Though he took the king of Portugal prisoner in 1169, he made no political use of his success. He extended his dominions southward in Extremadura at the expense of the Moors. Fernando left a reputation of a good knight and hard fighter, but did not display political or organising facility. He died on 22 January 1188 and was succeeded by his son Alfonso IX.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 1137 | ||||
| Death | 1188 | ||||
| Marriage | Urraca Infanta of Portugal |
Families
| Spouse | Urraca Infanta of Portugal (1151 - 1188) |
| Child | Alfonso IX King of León and Castilla (1171 - 1230) |
| Father | Alfonso VII King of Castilla y León (1105 - 1157) |
| Mother | Berenguela de Barcelona (1105 - 1149) |