Spanish Origins
| Strangely the story begins in England with the first Plantagenet King, Henry II (1154-1189). Henry’s children, through their marriages, spread family connections throughout Europe. His daughters became Duchess of Saxony, Queen of Sicily with Henry’s daughter, Eleanor (1160-1214), married to King Alfonso VIII (1156-1214) of Castile and Toledo. King Alfonso VIII built the convent of Santa Maria la De Huelgas at the specific request of his wife, Eleanor of England. Indeed they both died in the same year, 1214 and were entombed at the convent. The heraldic motifs on the tombs (see photo below) in the Las Huelgas Abbey, show the same Coats of Arms of Castile and the Plantagenet Lions, as on the Eleanor Cross at Geddington, although this also includes the later additions of the Arms of Leon and Ponthieu. |  |
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Las Huelgas Abbey - Courtyard |
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Tombs of Alfonso VIII & Eleanor of England in the convent of Santa Maria la De Huelgas |
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Coat of Arms carved on the Eleanor Cross at Geddington. |
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Alfonso VIII, King of Castile, his marriage to Eleanor, daughter of Henry II of England, brought him under the influence of the greatest governing interlect of his time.
One of the daughters of this marriage was Berenguela (1180-1246) who became Queen of Castile and Leon. She married Alfonso IX in 1198 and in 1217 her son, became Ferdinand III (1198-1252), the Saint, King of Castile and Léon (1230), he founded the University of Salamanca and the Cathedral in Burgos. Ferdinand was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671.
After his first wife, Beatrice died in 1236, he married Joan of Dammartin (Ponthieu) his daughter by Joan was Eleanor of Castile, later to become wife of Edward I of England.
Edward I (1272-1307) son of Henry III (direct descendent of Henry II) married Eleanor (1244-1290) in 1254 in the Las Huelgas Abbey and was knighted their in 1255.
To see and read about our trip to Burgos in 1997 click here. |
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Convent high altar |
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Cloisters "Las Claustrillas" |
Chapter House |
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