Cat's Historical Doodles

Isabella (Portuguese: Isabel) was born on 21 February 1397, in Évora. She was daughter of King João I of Portugal and his wife, Philippa of Lancaster . Isabella was the fourth child and only daughter to survive to adulthood. Philippa instilled in all her children, including Isabella, a sense of duty, faith and belief in education. Isabella was an avid reader and was interested in politics. Her father ensured that she was given a good understanding of politics, joining her brothers in their instructions in affairs of state. Isabella became proficient in Latin, French, English and Italian; she was fond of riding and hunting. In 1415, Isabella received an offer of marriage from her cousin, King Henry V of England, an effort to form closer links with Portugal against France. The negotiations failed and Isabella remained unmarried. 1415 was also the year she grieved the death of her mother, with whom she had a close relationship. At the age of 30, Isabella was still unmarrie...

Maria (aka The Most Beautiful Maria ) was born on 9 February 1313; she was the first daughter of King Afonso IV of Portugal and his wife, Beatrice of Castile. In 1328, Maria married King Alfonso XI of Castile. Their relationship was unhappy: from 1327, Alfonso had a mistress, Leonor de Guzmán, who gave him ten children, including the future King Henry II of Castile. Maria did not participate in the affairs of the court, being relegated by the mistress Leonor and it is quite likely that she spent long periods secluded at the Royal Monastery of San Clemente in Seville. Maria and Alfonso had two sons: Fernando (died aged 1) and Peter (who succeeded his father as King of Castile). In 1335, Maria returned to her father, who had demanded that Alfonso separated from Leonor by use of alliances with the Pope, the Muslims and rebels in Castile, and finally by an invasion. In July 1340, in the peace treaty of Seville, Alfonso agreed to have Leonor imprisoned in a convent, thereby secu...

Philippa (Portuguese: Filipa) was born on 31 March 1360, in Leicester. She was the oldest child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and his wife, Blanche of Lancaster. Philippa spent her infancy moving around the properties owned by her family with her mother and her wet-nurse, Maud. She was raised and educated with alongside her two siblings, Elizabeth and Henry. Blanche of Lancaster died of plague in 1369 and, in 1371, her father remarried: the chosen wife was Infanta Constance of Castile. In 1394, Constance died and John of Gaunt remarried yet again, this time to his mistress, Katherine Swynford (Katherine had been Philippa's governess). This affair and eventual marriage was considered scandalous. Katherine Swynford seems to have been well liked by Philippa and her siblings; she played an important role in Philippa's education. Katherine was related to Geoffrey Chaucer, since her sister (also called Philippa) was his wife. John of Gaunt became Chaucer's pat...

Isabella (French: Isabelle) was born on 9 November 1389 and was daughter of King Charles VI of France and his wife, Isabeau of Bavaria. She was the third of twelve children; one of her younger sisters, Catherine of Valois, would become the mother of the Tudor dynasty. Isabella grew up during a period of political tension between France and England known as the Hundred Years War. This situation was only made worse by the mental instability of her father, King Charles. On 31 October 1396, Isabella married the widower King Richard II of England, a move for peace with France. Isabella was only seven years old at the time! The fact that Isabella was a child was discussed during the negotiations, but Richard thought that this was an advantage, as he would be able to shape her in accordance to his ideal. Isabella herself told the English envoys that she was very happy to be Queen of England, because that would make her a great lady. Richard II travelled to Paris to fetch his future Qu...

Duarte was born on 31 October 1391, in Viseu, Portugal. He was son of King João I of Portugal and his wife, Philippa of Lancaster . Duarte was the oldest member of the so-called Illustrious Generation of accomplished royal children who contributed immensely to the development of Portuguese civilisation during the 15th century. In 1428, Duarte married Eleanor of Aragon, daughter of King Ferdinand I of Aragon. They would have nine children: João, Filipa, Afonso, Maria, Fernando, Leonor , Duarte, Catarina and Joana. Before he became King, Duarte followed his father in the affairs of the Kingdom. He was knighted in 1415, after the Portuguese conquest of the city of Ceuta, in North Africa. In 1433, João I died of the plague and Duarte succeeded him. As King, Duarte showed interest in building consensus. During his short reign, he called the Portuguese Cortes (the national assembly) no less than five times! He also followed his father's politics concerning the exploration of ...

Elizabeth of Aragon (Portuguese: Isabel) was born on 1271 in Zaragoza, Kingdom of Aragon. She was the daughter of Infante Peter of Aragon (later King Peter III) and his wife, Constance of Sicily. She showed early enthusiasm for her faith and religious fervour was common in her family (her great-aunt Elizabeth of Hungary was a saint!). She said the full Divine Office daily, fasted and attended choral masses twice a day. In 1281, when Elizabeth was 10, a marriage was arranged for her; the chosen husband was King Dinis of Portugal . However, the wedding was not celebrated until 1288, when Elizabeth was 17 and Dinis 26. The now Queen of Portugal quietly pursued the religious practices of her youth and was devoted to the sick and the poor. Elizabeth had an active interest in Portuguese politics and was conciliator in the negotiations concerning the Treaty of Alcañices, signed by her husband and King Sancho IV of Castile in 1297. Dinis and Elizabeth would have two children: Cons...