Isabel of Portugal, Lady of Viseu

Isabel of Portugal (1364-1395) was the natural daughter of King Ferdinand I of Portugal, from unknown mother.

Biography

Before 1386 she was betrothed to João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 1st Count of Viana (do Alentejo), son of the powerfull Dom João Afonso Telo de Menezes, 4th Count of Barcelos. However, this project was abandoned or dissolved.

She married Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noroña, natural son of King Henry II of Castile. Her mariage was one of the clauses of the peace treaty, signed in 1373, between Portugal and Castile.

Through a royal letter issued in October 2nd, 1377, her father granted her the Lordship of Viseu, Celorico, Linhares and Algodres.

She left to the Royal Court of King Henry II of Castile where she lived while waiting for an appropriate age to get married, once her groom was, then, only 9 years old. They finally married in 1378 in the city of Burgos. From this marriage was issued the Noronha family, still represented in several aristocratic houses, both in Portugal and in Spain.

The couple had 7 children:

• Diogo Henriques of Noronha, died still a child;
• Pedro of Noronha (1379-1452), Archbishop of Lisbon (ancestor of the Marquesses of Angeja, and of the Counts of Arcos;
• Fernando of Noronha (c.1380- ? ), 2nd Count of Vila Real by marriage with Beatrice of Menezes, 2nd Countess of Vila Real;
• Sancho of Noronha (c.1390- ? ), 1st Count of Odemira;
• Henrique of Noronha (c.1390- ? ) died single without legitimous issue;
• João of Noronha, died still a child;
• Constance of Noronha (1395-1480), married in 1420 Afonso, Duke of Braganza, from whom she was his second wife.

Due to her husband's conflit with his brother, King John I of Castile, Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noroña was arrested and died during a fight. Isabel returned to her native Portugal where her uncle, King John I of Portugal, gave her a warm welcome and protection, both to her and to her children.

Once Alfonso was Count of Noreña, an Asturian village he had received from his father, Isabel's children used the Portuguese spelling Noronha as their family name.

See also

• Noronha
• Noreña

External links

• Genealogical information on Isabel of Portugal, Countess of Gijón and Noreña (in Portuguese)

Bibliography

• "Nobreza de Portugal e Brasil" – Vol. II, pages 234/235. Published by Zairol Lda., Lisbon 1989.