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Maria of Aragon

Maria of Aragon was born on 29 June 1482, in Córdoba. She was the third surviving daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. She had three older siblings (Isabella, John and Joanna) and a younger sister (Catherine).

As an Infanta of Spain, her hand in marriage was very important in European politics. Her parents entertained the idea of marrying her off to King James IV of Scotland (this happened at the same time when her younger sister Catherine's marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales, was being planned). Ferdinand and Isabella thought that if Maria was Queen of Scotland, then the two sisters could keep the peace between their husbands. These plans, however, came to nothing.
Her elder sister Isabella, Princess of Asturias, was the first wife of King Manuel I of Portugal, but her death in 1498 created a necessity for Manuel to remarry. Maria was set to become the next bride of the Portuguese King, reaffirming the dynastic links with the Spanish royal houses.

Manuel and Maria were married on 30 October 1500, in Alcácer do Sal, and she was granted Viseu and Torres Vedras as her dower. She had 10 children, eight of whom reached adulthood: King João III; Isabella, Holy Roman Empress; Beatrice, Duchess of Savoy; Luís, Duke of Beja; Ferdinand, Duke of Guarda; Afonso; King Henrique; and Duarte, Duke of Guimarães.

Queen Maria became known as a fervent Catholic. She supported King Manuel's religious-imperial project, including the plan to conquer the Mamluk's realm, destroy Mecca and Medina, and reconquer Christian holy places such as Jerusalem. Maria also co-founded the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.

Maria of Aragon, Queen of Portugal, died on 7 March 1517, aged 34, as a result of her last pregnancy. The baby, António, died as well. She is buried at the Jerónimos Monastery.

Maria of Aragon
Henrique Ferreira
1720


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