Joanna la Beltraneja
A Castilian princess whose disputed birthright sparked a bloody war for the throne, leaving her to spend most of her life in a Portuguese convent.
1462–1530 (age 68)·Queen of Portugal and claimant to the Castilian throne·Birthday: February 21
Biography
Joanna of Castile, known derisively as 'la Beltraneja' by her enemies, was born into a web of dynastic intrigue that would define her tragic life. As the only child of King Henry IV of Castile, she was the legitimate heir, but rumors swirled that she was not the king's daughter, hence the nickname implying her mother's alleged lover, Beltrán de la Cueva. Upon Henry's death, her aunt Isabella (later Isabella I) seized the throne, plunging Castile into a war of succession. Joanna's cause was championed by her uncle and husband, King Afonso V of Portugal, but their forces were defeated. The Treaty of Alcáçovas in 1479 forced her to choose: renounce her titles and marry Isabella's infant son, or enter a convent. She chose the cloister, spending over fifty years at the Monastery of Santa Clara in Coimbra, a queen in name only, her claim a ghost that haunted Spanish unification.
#1 When Joanna Was Born
The biggest hits of 1462
Joanna's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1462Born
1467Started school
1475Became a teenager
1478Could drive
1480Could vote
1483Turned 21
1492Turned 30
1502Turned 40
1512Turned 50
1522Turned 60
1530Died at 68
Key Achievements
- Her claim to the Crown of Castile triggered the War of the Castilian Succession (1475–1479).
- Was formally recognized as Queen of Portugal through her marriage to King Afonso V in 1475.
- The resolution of her claim via the Treaty of Alcáçovas helped solidify the union of Castile and Aragon under her rivals, the Catholic Monarchs.
Did You Know?
The treaty ending her war required her to decide between marriage and the convent before she turned 19.
She was briefly engaged to the Duke of Berry, brother of the French king Louis XI, as part of an anti-Isabella alliance.
Despite her monastic life, she was often referred to in documents as 'La Excelente Señora' (The Excellent Lady).
Her prolonged conflict with Isabella I of Castile is sometimes called the 'War of the Two Joannas.'
“I am the true Queen of Castile, and my blood is my right.”
