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Castilian and Leonese royalty
House of Trastámara

Henry II Children include    John I    Eleanor, Queen of Navarre John I Children include    Henry III    Ferdinand I of Aragon, Valencia and Sicily Henry III and II of Leon Children include    John II    Maria, Queen of Aragon, Valencia, Sicily and Naples John II Children include    Henry IV    Isabella I    Alfonso, Prince of Asturias Henry IV and III of Leon Children    Joan, Queen of Portugal Isabella I with Ferdinand V Children    Isabella, Queen of Portugal    John, Prince of Asturias    Joanna the Mad    Maria, Queen of Portugal    Catherine, Queen of England Joanna

Henry III (October 4, 1379 – December 25, 1406), sometimes known as Henry the Sufferer or Henry the Infirm (Spanish: Enrique el Doliente) was the son of John I and Eleanor of Aragon, and succeeded him as King of Castile and León in 1390.

Henry III of Castile on a stained glass window in Alcazar of Segovia, Spain

Henry was born in Burgos, the capital of Castile. Before becoming king, he was known by the title Prince of Asturias, designating him as the heir apparent. After succeeding to the throne at 11, Henry took power at 14. Despite his nickname, he engaged in a vigorous foreign policy and maneuvers during the first few years of the 15th century. He was able to pacify the nobility and restore royal power. During his reign, the Castilian fleet won several victories against the English; Henry sent a naval fleet in 1400 that destroyed Tétouan in North Africa, a pirate base. In 1402, Henry began the colonization of the Canary Islands, sending French explorer Jean de Béthencourt. He deflected a Portuguese invasion with an attack on Badajoz, finally signing a peace treaty with Juan I of Portugal in 1402. He restarted the conflict against the kingdom of Granada, winning a victory at Collejares, near Úbeda in 1406. He also sent the envoy Hernán Sánchez de Palazuelos, and later Ruy González de Clavijo, to Timur.

In 1388, Henry married Katherine of Lancaster (Catalina de Lancaster; 1372–1418), the daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Gaunt's second wife, Constance of Castile, who was the elder daughter of Pedro of Castile. This ended a dynastic conflict and solidified the House of Trastamara. Henry and Catherine's son became John II of Castile, who succeeded Henry when he died in Toledo, Catherine acting as Regent of Castile because John II was then underage.

[edit] Ancestry

[edit] Children

All of them by his wife Catherine of Lancaster:

• Catalina (1402-1439)
• John II of Castile
• Maria of Castile. Married Alfonso V of Aragon.