Don ALFONSO de Castilla y León, son of don FERNANDO I "el Magno" King of Castile and León & his wife doña Sancha de León (Compostela [1038/40]-Toledo 30 Jun 1109, bur Sahagún, León, San Mancio chapel in the royal monastery of Santos Facundo y Primitivo). The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names (in order) "Urraca, Sancho, Alfonso, García and Elvira" and the children of King Fernando and Queen Sancha[305]. According to the Chronicle of Sahagún, Alfonso was 72 years old when he died[306], but this must be overstated if he was his parents' fourth child as stated in Historia Silense[307]. It is more likely that he was born in [1038/40]. Under the partition of lands in his father's will, he received León and the parias from the Taifa state of Toledo, succeeding in 1065 as ALFONSO VI King of León. Relations between Alfonso and his two brothers were tense. Although Alfonso and Sancho cooperated to deprive their brother García of Galicia, Sancho turned against Alfonso soon afterwards and defeated him at Golpejera Jan 1072. He was exiled to Toledo, seeking refuge with the Dhul-Nunid King[308]. He returned to León after the murder of his brother, arriving [10] Nov 1072, and was accepted before 8 Dec 1072 as ALFONSO VI King of Castile. Pursuing his father's close connections with the monastery of Cluny, he granted the order its first monastic house in Castile at San Isidro de Dueñas 29 May 1073, as well as doubling the annual census payment to Cluny in 1077[309]. The Roman liturgy was adopted in Castile and León in 1076. Pope Gregory VII asserted papal suzerainty over Spain 28 Jun 1077, although King Alfonso's response appears to have been to declare himself "imperator totius hispaniae", the first known use of this title being 17 Oct 1077[310]. King Alfonso VI took advantage of the assassination of Sancho IV King of Navarre in 1076 to invade Navarre, annexing La Rioja, Álava, Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa to Castile. Turning his attention to the reconquest of Moorish territories, Alfonso recaptured Toledo 25 May 1085, besieged Zaragoza in 1086, and also imposed his Government on the kingdom of Valencia, where he installed as ruler the deposed al-Qadir ex-taifa King of Toledo. His ambitions were, however, thwarted by al-Mu'tamid King of Seville who, with the help of Yusuf bin Tashfin Emir of the Almoravids, defeated King Alfonso at Sagrajas near Badajoz 23 Oct 1086. The Almoravids rapidly consolidated their position, absorbing the taifa kingdoms of Granada and Seville and subduing Jén, Almería, Denia and Murcia. Undeterred, Alfonso recaptured Córdoba in 1091, and persuade Al-Mutawakkil of Badajoz to cede him Lisbon, Santarem and Sintra between 30 Apr and 8 May 1093, although Badajoz itself was captured by the Almoravids in early 1094. Meanwhile Rodrigo Díaz "el Cid" recaptured Valencia, establishing himself there as an autonomous prince. Previously his bitter enemy, Alfonso eventually united with him to fight the Moors. He also spread the call overseas, especially in France, for a general crusade to fight 'the infidel'. The end of his reign was marred by a crushing defeat at Uclés 29 May 1108, where his son was killed. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium records that King Alfonso lived for 79 years and reigned for 43 years and six months, died in Toledo 1 Jul "in the era 1147 (1109)" and was buried "in the church of saints Facundus and Primitivus"[311]. The Chronicon Lusitanum records the death "III Kal Jul" in 1147 (1109) of "Rex D. Alfonsus Regis D. Fernandi filius"[312].
Betrothed (by proxy Caen, Abbey of Holy Trinity before [1069]) to AGATHE de Normandie, daughter of WILLIAM I King of England Duc de Normandie & his wife Mathilde de Flandres ([1064]-before 1074, bur Bayeux Cathedral). According to William of Malmesbury, an unnamed daughter of King William was "affianced by messengers" to King Alfonso[313]. Orderic Vitalis names her Agatha, identifying her as the daughter who had been betrothed to Harold Godwinson (see above), and says that she was betrothed to "Amfursio regi Galliciæ"[314]. Matthew of Paris places her as the fifth daughter (unnamed) betrothed to "Aldefonso Galiciæ regi" but different from the daughter betrothed to Harold[315]. Orderic says that she died en route to Spain, her body being brought back to Bayeux for burial[316]. The betrothal to Alfonso must have been a short-lived arrangement as he married his first wife in 1069[317].
m firstly (betrothed 1069, [late 1073/early 1074], repudiated after 22 May 1077) as her first husband, AGNES d'Aquitaine, daughter of GUILLAUME VIII Duke of Aquitaine [GUILLAUME VI Comte de Poitou] & his second wife Mathilde --- ([1059]-[1077/93] or after 1099, bur Sahagún, León, royal monastery of Santos Facundo y Primitivo[318]). The Chronicle of Saint-Maxence records that the only daughter of "Goffredus" & his second wife was the wife of "Hildefonsi regis, filii Freelandi et nepotis Garsii", in a later passage recording their marriage in 1069[319]. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Ines" ("Agnetam") as the first of the "five legitimate wives" of King Alfonso[320]. The De Rebus Hispaniæ of Rodericus Ximenes names "Agnes" as first wife of "rex Aldefonsus"[321]. "Agnes regina" confirmed the donation to Cluny by "Adefonsus…princeps" dated 22 May 1077[322]. Reilly[323] quotes no other Spanish source which gives any indication of her origin. Orderic Vitalis refers to the second marriage of "Agnetem filiam Guillelmi Pictavorum ducis relictam Hildefonsi senioris Galiciae regis"[324]. According to Kerrebrouck[325], Agnès d'Aquitaine never existed. He says that the first wife of King Alfonso VI was Inés de Guzmán, although he does not name her parents or precise origin. She was known as INÉS in Castile. Reilly[326] says that Queen Constanza was buried next to Queen Inés, implying that the latter had predeceased her successor. The primary source on which this is based has not yet been identified, although if it is correct it does seem surprising that the repudiated queen should have remained in Castile until she died and that she was buried in the royal monastery. She married secondly (after 1099) as his second wife, Hélie Comte du Maine.
m secondly (Dec 1079) as her second husband, CONSTANCE de Bourgogne, widow of HUGUES [II] Comte de Chalon-sur-Saône, daughter of ROBERT I Duke of Burgundy [Capet] & his first wife Hélie de Semur ([1045]-[25 Jul/25 Oct] 1093, bur Sahagún, León, royal monastery of Santos Facundo y Primitivo). The Chronicon Trenorciensi records that "Constantiæ…filia Roberti Ducis" married firstly "Hugonis Cabilonensis Comitis" and secondly "Hispaniæ Rex Adefonsus"[327]. "Infanta donna Urraka Regis domni Adefonsi filia" names her mother "Constantie regina" in her donation to Cluny dated 22 Feb 1117 "Spanish Era"[328], although the date was presumably AD as 1117 Spanish Era was equivalent to 1079 AD. An early 12th century document at Fleury records that "filiam Roberti ducis Bugundionem…Constantiam" married Alfonso VI King of Castile and was mother of a daughter who married "Raymundo comiti"[329]. The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Queen Constance" as the second of the "five legitimate wives" of King Alfonso[330]. Her second marriage date is estimated based on the likely estimated death date of her first husband in [Nov/early Dec] 1079 and her subscribing a document dated 25 Dec 1079 at Dueñas with her second husband[331]. Queen Constance was instrumental in having the Roman rite replace the Visigothic rite in the churches of Castile. "Adefonsus…Hispaniarum rex…cum coniuge mea Constantia regina" donated property to the monastery of San Salvador de Oña by charter dated 1 May 1092[332]. The date of her death is fixed by her last known mention in a charter dated 25 Jul 1093 and a donation by King Alfonso to the monastery of Sahagún dated 25 Oct 1093, which does not include Queen Constanza's name in the subscription list[333].
m thirdly ([Dec] 1094) BERTA, daughter of --- (-early Jan 1100[334], bur Sahagún, León, royal monastery of Santos Facundo y Primitivo). The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Berta, who was of Tuscan descent" as the third of the "five legitimate wives" of King Alfonso[335]. The De Rebus Hispaniæ of Rodericus Ximenes names "Berta ex Tusca oriunda" as third wife of "rex Aldefonsus"[336]. Las crónicas anónimas de Sahagún refer to her as "otra mugger de la nacion de Lombardia llamada Berta". The precise origin of Berta is not known. According to Europäische Stammtafeln[337], she was Berta de Bourgogne [Comté], daughter of Guillaume I Comte Palatin de Bourgogne, Comte de Vienne et de Macon, which is inconsistent with the "Tuscan descent" reported in the Chronicon Regum Legionensium. Szabolcs de Vajay suggests that she was the daughter of Guillaume Comte de Bourgogne[338]. Reilly does not mention this possible Burgundian origin of Berthe, implying that the Castilian king chose his third wife from outside the Burgundian circle in order to diminish the influence of the Burgundians at court. As Berthe de Bourgogne would have been the sister of Raymond de Bourgogne who married Infanta doña Urraca, oldest legitimate daughter of King Alfonso, around the same time that King Alfonso married Queen Berta, it is surprising that the chronicles do not refer to this relationship if it is correct. The references to "Tuscia" and "Lombardia" in the chronicles could be consistent with the family of Bourgogne [Comté] having originated in northern Italy, their ancestors being Marchesi of Ivrea until 968, although this was nearly 130 years before the date of Queen Berta's marriage. Reilly dates this marriage to "during the Christmas season of 1094", but does not state his source[339]. In a later passage, Reilly states that the first reference to Berta as queen is dated 28 Apr 1095[340]. "Adefonsus…Ispanie imperator" permitted the abbey of Silos to establish outposts near the abbey, with the consent of "uxoris mee Berte regine", by charter dated 20 Jan [1096/98], confirmed by "Garcia Ordoniz et comes…Gomiz Gonçalviz armiger regis, Fernando Munoz maiordomus regis, Didago Albariz, Fernando Ansuriz, Gutier Munoz, Ruderico Gonçalviz, Monio Roderiquiz, Didago Bermudez, Petro Gonçalviz…"[341]. "Adefonsus…totius Hispanie imperator" granted rights to the abbey of Silos, with the consent of "uxoris mee Berte regine", by charter dated 19 May 1097[342]. "Adefonsus…tocius Ispanie imperator" donated property to the abbey of Silos, with the consent of "uxoris mee Berte regine", by charter dated 30 Sep 1098, confirmed by the same persons as in the earlier charter dated 20 Jan [1096/98][343]. According to Reilly, Queen Berta died shortly after the new year 1100, probably before 16 Jan[344]. In another passage, he notes that the last notice of her is dated 17 Nov 1099[345]. She was dead in 25 Jan 1100, the date of the charter under which "Adefonsus…Toletani imperii rex" donated the churches of "Sancti Facundi et Sancti Primitivi…cum sua villa…Villaverde", ceded by "comitis Monini Fernandis…in vita sua dederam uxori mee Berte regine", to Cluny, confirmed by "Raimundus totius Gallecie comes et gener regis, Urraca soror regis, Urraca regis filia et Raimundi comitis uxor, Enricus Portugalensis comes, uxor ipsius Tarasia filia regis…"[346].
[m fourthly ([Burgos] 1100 before 14 May) ISABEL [Elisabeth], daughter of --- (-[1107 after 14 May], bur Royal Pantheon of San Isidor de León). The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Elizabeth" as the fourth of the "five legitimate wives" of King Alfonso, stating that she was the mother of "Sancha the wife of count Rodrigo and Elvira who married Duke Roger of Sicily"[347]. According to Reilly, her first documentary mention is dated 14 May 1100, but he does not cite the reference[348]. "Adefonsus…totius Hispanie imperator" donated property to the monastery of San Salvador de Oña with the consent of "uxoris mee Helisabeth regine" by charter dated 12 Dec 1075[349], although this date is clearly incorrect. "Aldefonsus rex Yspaniarum…cum…coniuge mee Helisabeth regine" donated property to the monastery of San Salvador de Oña by charter dated 1086[350], also clearly misdated. "Adefonsus totius Ispanie imperator" donated property to the monastery of San Salvador de Oña with the consent of "uxoris mee Helisabet regine" by charter dated 23 Mar 1103[351]. Her origin is not known. Reilly assumes a French origin, speculating that she belonged to a younger branch of the house of Burgundy, but quotes no documentary evidence for this or any other French origin[352]. It used to be widely accepted that she was the daughter of Louis VI King of France, based on a funerary inscription, but this is chronologically impossible. Her existence is questionable and it is possible that she was in fact the same person as Isabel née Zaïda, shown below as King Alfonso's fifth wife. The question of the separate existence of King Alfonso VI's fourth wife would be resolved if we knew there had been two different memorials to "Queen Elisabeth" in the Royal Pantheon, but it appears that a record of these memorials no longer exists. According to Reilly, she is last named in a charter dated 14 May 1107[353], but it is more likely that this document refers to Queen Isabel/Elisabeth née Zaïda (see below).]
m fifthly (Mar 1106) as her second husband, ZAÏDA, widow of ABU NASIR al Fatah al Ma'Mun Emir of Córdoba, daughter of --- (-13 Sep 1107, bur Royal Pantheon of San Isidor at León). The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Zaida, the daughter of King Abenabeth of Seville, who was baptised…Elisabeth" as the second of two concubines of King Alfonso, and their son "Sancho who died at the battle of Ucles"[354]. The Chronicon de Cardeña records that King Alfonso married "Mora, que decien la Cayda, sobrina de Abenafanle" who was mother of his son Sancho[355]. The primary source which confirms that she was the widow of Abus Nasir has not yet been identified. She was King Alfonso's mistress for some time before they married. Reilly[356] dates the start of her relationship with King Alfonso to late 1091 or 1092, suggesting its diplomatic importance would have been greatest after the fall of Córdoba in Mar 1091 but before the fall of Badajoz in early 1094. This seems supported by the likelihood that their son Sancho was at least 15 years old when he was killed at the battle of Uclés in May 1108. Zaïda was christened ISABEL[357], date not known. Reilly cites a document of Galician origin dated 27 Mar 1106 which indicates that King Alfonso had married "Helisabet" shortly before[358]. Reilly[359] quotes a charter granted at Oviedo 19 Mar 1106 which lists members of the royal family, naming "Elisabeth" directly before "Sancho", which presumably refer to Zaïda and her son. Reilly cites a charter dated 14 May 1107 which also names "Elisabeth" directly before "Sancho"[360], which presumably also refers to Zaïda. Reilly says that her sepulchral inscription (presumably now lost) reportedly stated that she had died in childbirth on 13 Sep, without giving the year, and in a later passage that the inscription stated that this was the "second ferial day", which he interprets as meaning a Monday or Thursday[361]. If the charters dated 1106 and 1107 correctly refer to Zaida, the year must have been 1107 assuming that King Alfonso married his sixth wife in 1108.
m sixthly ([Apr] 1108) BEATRIX, daughter of [GUILLAUME VIII Duke of Aquitaine [GUILLAUME VI Comte de Poitou] & his third wife Hildegarde de Bourgogne [Capet] (-1110). The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Beatrice" as the fifth of the "five legitimate wives" of King Alfonso[362]. The De Rebus Hispaniæ of Rodericus Ximenes names "Beatrix ex partibus Gallicanis" as fifth wife of "rex Aldefonsus"[363]. The primary source which confirms her parentage has not yet been identified. According to the Chronicon Regum Legionensium, she "returned to her own country" after the king died[364].
[365]Mistress (1): ([1081/82][366]-) doña JIMENA Muñoz, daughter of don MUNIO Rodríguez de Guzmán & his wife doña Jimena Ordóñez (-Esinareda del Bierzo 1128). The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Jimena Muñoz" as the first of two concubines of King Alfonso, and their daughters "Elvira the wife of count Raymond of Toulouse…and Teresa the wife of Count Henry"[367]. The Chronicon de Cardeña names "Ximena Nuñez" as mother of the king´s daughters "la Infant Doña Elvira è la Infant Doña Teresa"[368]. Kerrebrouck states that Jimena Múñoz was King Alfonso VI's second wife, married before the end of 1078 (marriage annulled), but this is chronologically difficult to maintain. King Alfonso's relationship with doña Jimena lasted long enough to produce two children. As noted above, the last documentary reference to Queen Inés was dated 22 May 1077 while King Alfonso's marriage to Queen Constance took place in late 1079. This leaves insufficient time for the king to have married and had two legitimate children by Jimena. The reference in Kerrebrouck to the annulment of King Alfonso's alleged marriage to doña Jimena is presumably based on Pope Gregory VII's letter of 27 Jun 1080 which, among other things, objected to King Alfonso's "marriage" on the grounds of consanguinity. The letter does not name the wife whose marriage was objected to[369], but Reilly appears correct in concluding that "it can be no other than Queen Constance herself", given the likely date of her marriage and the likely date of birth of her daughter doña Urraca. Doña Jimena retired to the Benedictine convent of Esinareda del Bierzo, where she died.