Elvira of Castile, Countess of Toulouse

Who was Elvira of Castile, Countess of Toulouse?

Elvira of Castile was the illegitimate daughter of Alfonso VI of León and Castile, by his mistress Jimena Muñoz, and full sister of Theresa, Countess of Portugal. She married, firstly, Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse in 1094, being mother of count Alfonso Jordan.

Elvira accompanied Raymond on the First Crusade in 1096, and was present at the siege of Tripoli, were she gave birth to their son. It appears that she couple separated before the death of Raymond.

Elvira returned to Castile. Her son became the monarch if Tripoli upon the death of Raymond in 1105, but Elvira is not mentioned as present in Tripoli. In Castile, before 1117, she married Count Fernando Fernández de Carrión, having three additional children: Diego, García and Teresa Fernández, who was a wife of Count Osorio Martínez.