CHAPTER IV.
ALLIANCES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. - DEATH OF PRINCE JOHN AND PRINCESS ISABELLA.
Royal Family of Castile. — Matrimonial Alliances with Portugal. — With Austria. — Marriage of John and Margaret. — Death of Prince John. — The Queen's Resignation. — Independence of the Cortes of Aragon. — Death of the Princess Isabella. — Recognition of her infant Son Miguel.
Chapter IV.Royal family of Castile
The credit and authority which the Castilian chapter sovereigns established by the success of their arms, were greatly raised by the matrimonial connexions which they formed for their children. This was too important a spring of their policy to be passed over in silence. Their family consisted of one son and four daughters, whom they carefully educated in a manner befitting their high rank ; and who repaid their solicitude by exemplary filial obedience, and the early manifestation of virtues rare even in a private station.[1] They seem to have inherited many of the qualities which distinguished their
- ↑ The princess Doña Isabel, the eldest daughter, was born at Dueñas, October 1st, 1470. Their second child and only son, Juan, prince of the Asturias, was not born until eight years later, June 30th, 1478, at Seville. Doña Juana, whom the queen used playfully to call her "mother-in-law," suegra, from her resemblance to King Ferdinand's mother, was born at Toledo, November 6th, 1479. Doña Maria was born at Cordova, in 1482, and Dona Catalina, the fifth and last child, at Alcala de Henares, December 5th, 1485. The daughters all lived to reign; but their brilliant destinies were clouded with domestic afflictions, from which royalty could afford no refuge. Carbajal, Anales, MS., loc. mult,
