Berengaria of Barcelona

Who was Berengaria of Barcelona?

Berenguela or Berengaria of Barcelona was Queen consort of Castile, León and Galicia. She was the daughter of Raimon III of Barcelona and Dulce Aldonza Milhaud. Berenguela was the sister of Ramon Berenguer IV who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Aragon.

On November 10/17 1128 in Saldaña, Berengaria married Alfonso VII, King of Castile, León and Galicia. Their children were:

Sancho III of Castile

Ramon, living 1136, died in infancy

Ferdinand II of León

Constance, married Louis VII of France

Sancha, married Sancho VI of Navarre

García

Alfonso

In her lifetime a new political entity was formed in the northeast Iberian Peninsula: Portugal seceded from León in the west, giving more balance to the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian peninsula. Her brother Ramon Berenguer successfully pulled Aragon out of its pledged submission to Castile, aided no doubt by the beauty and charm of his sister Berengaria, for which she was well known in her time.

Her niece Dulce of Aragon married Sancho I of Portugal, whilst her famous granddaughter was Queen Berengaria of England.