1468 or How a Spurned betrothal changed history

How a Spurned betrothal changed history


When Henry recognized Isabella as his heir-presumptive on 19 September in 1468, he also promised that his sister should not be compelled to marry against her will, while she in return agreed to obtain his consent. It seemed that finally the years of failed attempts at political marriages were over. There was talk of a marriage to Edward IV of England or to one of his brothers, probably Richard, Duke of Gloucester, but this alliance was never seriously considered. Once again in 1468, a marriage proposal arrived from Alfonso V of Portugal. Going against his promises made in September, Henry tried to make the marriage a reality. If Isabella married Alfonso, Henry's daughter Joanna would marry Alfonso's son John II and thus, after the death of the old king, John and Joanna could inherit Portugal and Castile. Isabella refused and made a secret promise to marry her cousin and very first betrothed, Ferdinand of Aragon.


After this failed attempt, Henry once again went against his promises and tried to marry Isabella to Louis XI's brother Charles, Duke of Berry. In Henry's eyes, this alliance would cement the friendship of Castile and France as well as remove Isabella from Castilian affairs. Isabella once again refused the proposal. Meanwhile, John II of Aragon negotiated in secret with Isabella a wedding to his son Ferdinand.


However, a surprise happened, Ferdinand of Aragon is discovered to have married Joanna of Portugal[1], the betrothal between Isabella and Ferdinand is broken, in this time in order to secure French and Portuguese support, Joanna, the daughter of Henry IV is betrothed to Charles, Duke of Berry, Normandy and Guyenne and Isabella of Castile is married to John, Prince of Portugal on 1469, on the condition that she would not claim the Kingdom of Castille and Portugal and King Alfonso would protect the rights of his niece Joanna.


On 1475, Joanna of Castile is married by proxy to the Duke of Guyenne and Berry, a man twice her age and married in Valladolid making the Duke of Guyenne, the future King of Castile, de jure uxoris.


The Castilians don’t want a foreign monarch in their land and supported Isabella’s claims instead...


In this point Isabella of John of Portugal have two children, namely, Isabella(1472) and John(1475).


The Isabellistas and the Juanistas would war on each other due to the Isabellistas having more power, Juana and Charles, duke of Berry, Normandy and Aquitaine, however Henry IV died and the Duke of Berry took power as the King of Castile.

1. The OTL betrothed of Richard III..

Mary-Queen-of-Scots-reign-tv-show-36023896-1280-720.jpg

Adelaide Kane as Joanna, the Disputed Queen of Castile, Duchess of Berry on the TV series Isabel

to be continued...
 
In January 1476, Alfonso and his army crossed into Spain and advanced to Plasencia, while the French support from Louis XI were from in Navarre. A long and bloody war for the Castilian succession then took place. The war went back and forth for almost a year until 1 March 1476 when the Battle of Toro took place, a battle in which both sides claimed victory and celebrated the victory: the troops of Afonso V were beaten by the French centre-left commanded by the Duke of Alba and Cardinal Mendoza while the forces led by Prince John of Portugal defeated the Castilian right wing, led by the Duke of Berry and remained in possession of the battlefield.


But despite its uncertain outcome, the Battle of Toro represented a great political victory for the Catholic Monarchs, assuring them the throne since the supporters of Juana disbanded and the French army, without allies, left Castile. As summarised by the historian Justo L. González: "Both armies faced each other at the camps of Toro resulting in an indecisive battle. But while the Portuguese King reorganised his troops, John sent news to all the cities of Castile and to several foreign kingdoms informing them about a huge victory where the Portuguese were crushed. Faced with these news, the party of "la Beltraneja" [Joanna] was dissolved and the French were forced to return to their kingdom." With great political vision, Isabella took advantage of the moment and convoked courts at Madrigal-Segovia (April–October 1476) where her daughter was sworn heiress of Castile's crown. That was equivalent to legitimizing Isabella's own throne.


In August of the same year, Isabella proved her abilities as a powerful ruler on her own. A rebellion broke out in Segovia and Isabella rode out to suppress it, as her husband was off fighting at the time. Going against the advice of her male advisors, Isabella rode by herself into the city to negotiate with the rebels. She was successful and the rebellion was quickly brought to an end.


Meanwhile, the Castilian and Portuguese unified had hegemony in the Atlantic Ocean and for the wealth of Guinea (gold and slaves.


The war dragged on for another three years and ended with a Portuguese victory on land and the French withdrew from the Fight with the new King and Queen of Castile, Joanna of Castile and her husband Charles, Duke of Guyenne, promised that they would return to Castile and leave to France.


On 1480, Joanna gave birth to a daughter named Eleanor of Berry and a few months Eleanor is proposed to be betrothed to the King of Scotland and Edward of Middleham, the event forced the King of Castile and Portugal John and Isabella propose their daughter, Isabella to the Dauphin of France and Edward of Middleham, in order to prevent the future possible marriage between their rival claimants, only the betrothal to the King of Scotland sticked out since Eleanor is a direct descendant of Katherine of Lancaster, a son was finally born on 1482, John, the future duke of Berry.

to be continued...

Michelle Jenner as Isabella
The Coronation of Isabella of Castile
isabella-crowning-herself.jpg
 
John II of Castile

Children by Maria of Aragon

Katherine

Eleanor

Henry IV m. Blanche of Navarre(a) Joan of Portugal(b)

1b.Jeanne, duchess of Berry m. Charles, Duke of Berry, Normandy and Aquitaine

Infanta Maria


Children by Isabella of Portugal

Isabella I, Queen of Castile m. John, Prince of Portugal

Alfonso, Prince of Asturias
 
Last edited:
Top