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Birth:          ABT 1334 of Seville
Death:          Jul 1361 Seville

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_de_Padilla
María de Padilla (c. 1334 [1]–Seville, July 1361) was the mistress of King Peter of 
Castile.
Family[edit]

She was a Castilian noblewoman, daughter of Juan García de Padilla (died between 
1348 and 1351) and his wife María González de Henestrosa[2] (died after September 
1356). Her maternal uncle was Juan Fernández de Henestrosa, the King's favorite 
between 1354 and 1359[3] after Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque fell out of favor, and 
the mediator in an apparent pardon for Fadrique Alfonso, King Peter's half-brother. 
She was also the sister of Diego García de Padilla, Grand Master of the Order of 
Calatrava.[3] María’s family, members of the regional nobility,[4] originally came from 
the area of Padilla de Abajo, near Castrojeriz in the province of Burgos.

She is described in the chronicles of her time as very beautiful, intelligent, and small 
of body.[5]


 


 Real Monasterio de Santa Clara en Astudillo (Palencia) founded by María de Padilla
Relationship with King Peter of Castile[edit]

King Peter met María in the summer of 1352 during an expedition to Asturias to battle 
his rebellious half-brother Henry. It was probably her maternal uncle, Juan Fernández 
de Henestrosa, who introduced them, as mentioned in the chronicle of King Peter’s 
reign written by Pero López de Ayala.[6] At that time, María was being raised at the 
house of Isabel de Meneses, wife of Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque, a powerful 
nobleman. They became lovers and their relationship lasted until her death despite the 
King’s other marriages and affairs. The Padillas were raised to various offices and 
dignities. Her uncle, Henestrosa, became Alcalde de los fidalgos.[7]

In the summer of 1353, under coercion from family and the main court favorite, Juan 
Alfonso de Alburquerque, Peter wed Blanche of Bourbon, the first cousin of King John 
II of France. Peter abandoned Blanche within three days when he learned that she 
had an affair with his bastard brother Fadrique Alfonso en route to Spain, and that the 
dowry was not coming.

Children[edit]

María and Peter had three daughters: Beatrice (born 1354), Constance (1354–1394), 
and Isabella (1355–1394), and a son, Alfonso, crown-prince of Castile (1359 - October 
19, 1362).

Two of their daughters were married to sons of Edward III, King of England. Isabella 
married Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, while the elder, Constance, married 
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, leading him to claim the crown of Castile on 
behalf of his wife. Constance's daughter, Catherine of Lancaster, married Henry III of 
Castile in order to reunify any claim to succession that may have passed via 
Constance.

Death and burial[edit]

María de Padilla died in July 1361, possibly a victim of the plague, although Pero 
López de Ayala does not specify the cause in his chronicle of the King's reign. She 
was buried in the Real Monasterio de Santa Clara de Astudillo which she had founded 
in 1353. Shortly afterwards, however, her remains were taken, following the orders of 
King Peter, to the Cathedral of Seville where she received burial in the Royal Chapel 
with other members of the royal house.[8]

Depictions in fiction[edit]
Gaetano Donizetti composed Maria Padilla (1841), an opera about her relationship 
with King Peter.
Rudolf Gottschall wrote Maria de Padilla (18??), a drama about her life.

Parents
GARCIEZ DE PADILLA Juan Diego (ABT 1282 - ABT 1350)
DE HENESTROSA Maria Gomez Fernandez (ABT 1284 - AFT Sep 1356)

Siblings
DE PADILLA Maria Juana (ABT 1334 - Jul 1361)

Marriage To ALFONSEZ Pedro I "the Cruel" (30 Aug 1334 - 22 Mar 1369)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
FERNANDEZ Alfonso XI (13 Aug 1311 - 26 Mar 1350)
AFFONSEZ Maria (9 Feb 1313 - 18 Jan 1357)

Children by ALFONSEZ Pedro I "the Cruel" 30 Aug 1334 - 22 Mar 1369
____ Isabel (1355 - 23 Dec 1392)

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