Henry II of Castile

Henry II (January 13, 1334 Sevilla - May 29, 1379 Santo Domingo de la Calzada), better known as Henry of Trastámara (Enrique de Trastámara), 1st Conde de Trastámara, before his coronation, was the illegitimate son of Alfonso XI of Castile and Eleanor of Guzmán, half brother to Peter of Castile. He took the throne after defeating and killing Peter in the Castilian Civil War (1366–1369).

As head of a band of mercenaries, and with the aid of Bertrand du Guesclin, he drove Pedro from his throne in 1366. He was, however, defeated the next year at the Battle of Nájera, and Pedro was restored. Henry defeated Pedro at the Battle of Montiel and then murdered him in 1369. Henry then went to war against Portugal and England in the Hundred Years' War. For most of his reign he had to fight off the attempts of John of Gaunt, a son of Edward III of England, to claim the Castilian throne in right of his second wife, Pedro's daughter.

On 27 July 1350, Henry married Juana Manuel, the daughter of Juan Manuel, Duke of Peñafiel, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile. They had three children: John (1358–1390), Eleanor (1361–1425), wife of Charles III of Navarre, and Joanna (1367–1374).

Henry was the first ruler since King Ergica to use Anti-Semitism as a political tool in Spain. This led to an end to the convivencia, and a period of riots and pogroms, and can be seen as sowing the seeds of the persecution of the Jews by the Spanish Inquisition, beginning a hundred years later.

-------------------- Enrique II de Trastámara (Sevilla, 13 de enero de 1333 o a principios de 1334- Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 29 de mayo de 1379), primer rey de Castilla de la dinastía Trastámara, llamado el Fratricida o el de las Mercedes.

Rey de Castilla, Toledo, León, Galicia, Sevilla, Córdoba, Murcia, Jaén, el Algarve y Señor de Molina. (Ver http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_II_de_Castilla.) -------------------- Henry II of Castile From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Henry II (January 13, 1334 Sevilla - May 29, 1379 Santo Domingo de la Calzada), better known as Henry of Trastámara (Enrique de Trastámara), 1st Conde de Trastamara, before his coronation, was the illegitimate son of Alfonso XI of Castile and Eleanor of Guzmán, half brother to Peter of Castile. He took the throne after defeating and killing Peter in the Castilian Civil War (1366–1369). As head of a band of mercenaries, and with the aid of Bertrand du Guesclin, he drove Pedro from his throne in 1366. He was, however, defeated the next year at the Battle of Nájera (Navarette), and Pedro was restored. Henry defeated Pedro at the Battle of Montiel and then murdered him in 1369. Henry then went to war against Portugal and England in the Hundred Years' War. For most of his reign he had to fight off the attempts of John of Gaunt, a son of Edward III of England, to claim the Castilian throne in right of his second wife, Pedro's daughter. On 27 July 1350, Henry married Juana Manuel, the daughter of Juan Manuel, Duke of Peñafiel, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile. They had three children: John (1358–1390), Eleanor (1361–1425), wife of Charles III of Navarre, and Joanna (1367–1374). Henry was the first ruler since King Ergica to use Anti-Semitism as a political tool in Spain. This led to an end to the convivencia, and a period of riots and pogroms, and can be seen as sowing the seeds of the persecution of the Jews by the Spanish Inquisition, beginning a hundred years later.

-------------------- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_II_of_Castile

Also known as Enrique (or Henry) of Trastamara, he was the illegitimate son of King Alfonso XI, who was succeeded after he died in 1350 by his legitimate son, Peter the Cruel. Henry II took part in several revolts against his half-brother, but they were all unsuccessful. Henry II sought help from Du Guesclin and Peter IV of Aragon and finally succeeded in removing Peter the Cruel from the throne in 1366. Peter the Cruel responded by forming an alliance with England and, with the aid of Edward the Black Prince, defeated Henry II in battle at Najera in 1367. However, Edward the Black Prince had to depart to participate in the French campaign and, after he departed, Henry II attacked and killed Peter the Cruel in battle at Montiel in 1369. Henry II was able to retain the throne despite opposition from King Ferdinand I of Portugal and John of Gaunt. John of Gaunt was the brother of Edward the Black Prince and, in 1371, married Constance of Castile, the daughter of Peter the Cruel (perhaps marriage was the price Constance paid for the help of John of Gaunt, who undoubtedly used it make his own claim to Castile). Henry II successfuly resisted all opposition and remained King until his death in 1379; he was succeeded by his son, John I of Castile. -------------------- CPB-pg. 280

HGCRP-Tomo I-pg. 178

HGCRP-Tomo IX-pg. 4 -------------------- Henry II of Castile

Henry supervising the beheading of his rival Peter, from the Grandes Chroniques de France.Henry II (January 13, 1334 Sevilla - May 29, 1379 Santo Domingo de la Calzada), better known as Henry of Trastámara (Enrique de Trastámara), 1st Conde de Trastámara, before his coronation, was the illegitimate son of Alfonso XI of Castile and Eleanor of Guzmán, half brother to Peter of Castile. He took the throne after defeating and killing Peter in the Castilian Civil War (1366–1369).

As head of a band of mercenaries, and with the aid of Bertrand du Guesclin, he drove Pedro from his throne in 1366. He was, however, defeated the next year at the Battle of Nájera, and Pedro was restored. Henry defeated Pedro at the Battle of Montiel and then murdered him in 1369. Henry then went to war against Portugal and England in the Hundred Years' War. For most of his reign he had to fight off the attempts of John of Gaunt, a son of Edward III of England, to claim the Castilian throne in right of his second wife, Pedro's daughter.

On 27 July 1350, Henry married Juana Manuel, the daughter of Juan Manuel, Duke of Peñafiel, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile. They had three children: John (1358–1390), Eleanor (1361–1425), wife of Charles III of Navarre, and Joanna (1367–1374).

Henry was the first ruler since King Ergica to use Anti-Semitism as a political tool in Spain. This led to an end to the convivencia, and a period of riots and pogroms, and can be seen as sowing the seeds of the persecution of the Jews by the Spanish Inquisition, beginning a hundred years later.

-------------------- Henry II of Castile

Henry supervising the beheading of his rival Peter, from the Grandes Chroniques de France.Henry II (January 13, 1334 Sevilla - May 29, 1379 Santo Domingo de la Calzada), better known as Henry of Trastámara (Enrique de Trastámara), 1st Conde de Trastámara, before his coronation, was the illegitimate son of Alfonso XI of Castile and Eleanor of Guzmán, half brother to Peter of Castile. He took the throne after defeating and killing Peter in the Castilian Civil War (1366–1369).

As head of a band of mercenaries, and with the aid of Bertrand du Guesclin, he drove Pedro from his throne in 1366. He was, however, defeated the next year at the Battle of Nájera (Navarette), and Pedro was restored. Henry defeated Pedro at the Battle of Montiel and then murdered him in 1369. Henry then went to war against Portugal and England in the Hundred Years' War. For most of his reign he had to fight off the attempts of John of Gaunt, a son of Edward III of England, to claim the Castilian throne in right of his second wife, Pedro's daughter.

On 27 July 1350, Henry married Juana Manuel, the daughter of Juan Manuel, Duke of Peñafiel, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile. They had three children: John (1358–1390), Eleanor (1361–1425), wife of Charles III of Navarre, and Joanna (1367–1374).

Henry was the first ruler since King Ergica to use Anti-Semitism as a political tool in Spain. This led to an end to the convivencia, and a period of riots and pogroms, and can be seen as sowing the seeds of the persecution of the Jews by the Spanish Inquisition, beginning a hundred years later.