Fernando III called El Santo (the Saint), (1198/1199 – May 30, 1252) was a king of Castile (1217 - 1252) and Leon (1230 - 1252). He was the son of Alfonso IX and Berenguela of Castile, daughter of Alfonso VIII.

In 1231 he united Castile and Leon permanently.

Fernando spent much of his reign fighting the Moors. He captured the towns of Córdoba in 1236, Jaén in 1246, and Seville in 1248, and occupied Murcia in 1243, thereby completing the reconquest of Spain, except Granada, whose king nevertheless did homage to Fernando.

He Strengthened the University of Salamanca and founded the Cathedral of Burgos.

Fernando was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671. Several places named San Fernando were founded across the Spanish Empire.

Marriages and Family

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In 1219, Ferdinand married Elizabeth of Hohenstaufen, a daughter of the German king Philip of Swabia and Eirene Angelina. Elizabeth was called Beatriz in Spain. Their children were:

1. King Alfonso X of Castile (November 23, 1221-1284)
2. Infante Fadrique (September 1223-1277), secretly executed by his brother Alfonso.
3. Infante Fernando (1225-1243/1248)
4. Infanta Leonor (1227-died young)
5. Infanta Berenguela, a nun at las Huelgas (1228-1288/89).
6. Infante Enrique "El Senador" (March 1230-August 1304)
7. Infante Felipe (1231-1274). He was promised to the Church, but was so taken by the beauty of Christine of Norway, (daughter of Haakon IV of Norway), who had been intended as a bride for one of his brothers, that he abandoned his holy vows and married her. She died in 1262, childless.
8. Infante Sancho, Archbishop of Toledo and Seville (1233-1261)
9. Infante Juan Manuel (1234-1283).
10. Infanta Maria, died an infant in November 1235.

After Elizabeth died in 1235, he married Jeanne de Dammartin, Countess of Ponthieu, before August 1237. They had four sons and one daughter:

1. Infante Fernando, Count of Aumale (1239-1269)
2. Eleanor of Castile, Countess of Ponthieu (1241-1290), wife of King Edward I of England.
3. Infante Luis (1243-1269)
4. Infante Ximen (1244), died young and buried in a monastery in Toledo.
5. Infante Juan (1245), died young and buried at the cathedral in Cordoba.

Sources

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• Gonzalez, Julio. Estudio, 1980

Castilian monarchs | 1198 births | 1252 deaths

Ferran III de Castella | Ferdinand III. (Kastilien) | Fernando III de Castilla | Ferdinando la 3-a (Kastilio) | Ferdinand III de Castille | Ferdinando III di Castiglia | Ferdinand III van Castilië | フェルナンド3世 | Ferdynand III Święty | Fernando III de Leão e Castela | Фердинанд III Кастильский