Sancha of Castile, Queen of Aragon

Sancha of Castile ( Catalan: SANCA de Castella, Spanish: Sancha de Castilla, born September 21, 1154/55; † November 9, 1208 in Villanueva de Sigena ) was from 1174 to 1208 a queen of Aragon as the wife of King Alfonso II the chaste.

Life

Sancha was the only surviving child of King Alfonso VII of León - Castile († 1157 ) from his second marriage with Richeza of Poland. She was married off by her nephew Alfonso VIII on January 18, 1174 in Zaragoza with Alfonso II of Aragon, who also received the knighting ceremony to mark the occasion. This marriage was to seal the dynastic already in 1170 negotiated alliance between Castile and Aragon. The marriage produced at least eight children were born, their birth dates, however, are not recorded:

• Peter II the Catholic (c. 1176/77, † September 12, 1213 ), King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona.
• Konstanze († June 23, 1222 ). 1 ∞ 1198 with King Emeric of Hungary ( † 1204).
• 2 ∞ 1208 Frederick II, King of Sicily and Holy Roman-German Emperor († 1250).

• ∞ 1204 Count Raymond VI. of Toulouse ( † 1222 ).

• ∞ 1211 Count Raymond VII of Toulouse ( † 1249 ).

Sancha became known by the funded primarily by its founding the Santa María Hospitaliterabtei of Sigena ( at today Villanueva de Sigena ), probably in the spring of 1188. Already in October 1187, they had acquired the goods from Sigena Sena and Urgellet under the condition in a swap deal with the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, to use them as the foundation of a monastic foundation that should be built for the Aragonese and Catalan Sisters. The Bishop of Huesca had the monastery allegedly consecrated on April 21, 1188, after which on April 23, the first 13 sisters, including Sanchas youngest daughter Dulcia could take the vows. That same month, let her husband get the first large land grant to the monastery, where he called Sancha on this occasion as " mistress " ( dominatrix ) of Sigena.

In the will of her husband in April 1196 who died shortly afterwards, Sancha was entrusted with the regency for her son Peter II, should they perceive to reaching his twentieth birthday. This time was apparently reached in the spring of 1197, since it is self- documented on April 23 this year for the first time as a nun of Sigena documented. Despite the retreat in a monastery life Sancha came in the following years with her son in dispute over the goods of their Wittums that were once transferred her from her husband. Although Alfonso II in his will, the provisions of Pope Celestine III. had been recognized, had decreed that her jointure was to be handed over to Peter II on the occasion of his coming of age, she did not want to give it up. In the dispute with her son, she had the support of her nephew Alfonso VIII of Castile, who hoped to preserve its influence in Aragon about his aunt. Ultimately, the dispute was only after the intervention of Pope Innocent III. , The Sancha had invited in 1201 to be settled by contract. In the year 1205 had Sanchas daughter Constance, widowed Queen of Hungary, quartered in Sigena, which was probably married here in October 1208 in a long distance marriage with King Frederick of Sicily.

Sancha in Sigena occurs for the last time on 6 November 1208 as a documentary witness. Already on 15 November -actuated her son in Sigena a donation to one of their vassals, as recognition for his many years of service for his mother, who was probably already died on this date. In relying on the no longer preserved in the original Klosternekrolog her death is dated usually on 9 November 1208. She was buried in Sigena, where in 1217 also her here in 1213 fallen son was buried.