Catherine, Princess of Asturias

Who was Catherine, Princess of Asturias?

Catherine of Castile was suo jure Princess of Asturias and heiress presumptive to the Castilian throne all her life.

Catherine was born on 5 October 1422 in Illescas, Toledo. She was the first child of King John II of Castile and his first wife, Maria of Aragon. Named after her aunt and grandmother, the Duchess of Villena and Catherine of Lancaster, she immediately became heiress presumptive to the throne of Castile upon her birth. The Infanta was formally recognised as successor to the throne of the kingdom and sworn in as Princess of Asturias on 1 January 1423 by the Cortes of Toledo.

However, the Princess of Asturias did not live long enough to succeed her father as Queen of Castile. She died in Madrigal de las Altas Torres on 17 September 1424. Her younger sister, Infanta Eleanor, replaced her as heiress and Princess of Asturias. Princess Catherine is buried in Miraflores Charterhouse, along with her father and stepmother, Isabella of Portugal.