nanshe-of-nina: WOMEN’S HISTORY † PEYRONELA d’ARAGÓN (29 June/11 August 11
nanshe-of-nina: WOMEN’S HISTORY † PEYRONELA d’ARAGÓN (29 June/11 August 1136 – 15 October 1173) Peyronela d’Aragón was the daughter and only child of Remiro II d’Aragón and Agnès d’Aquitània. The circumstances of her birth were highly unusual. In 1134, her father’s older brother, Alifonso I d’Aragón, had died at the Battle of Fraga. His brief, annulled marriage to Urraca I de León y de Castilla had been childless and his only surviving brother, Remiro, had been a monk since childhood. Alifonso’s will left Aragón and Navarre to religious orders, but his will was rejected out of hand by the nobility of both lands. Navarre recognized Gartzea Remiritz as their king while the Aragonese plucked Remiro from his monastery and quickly arranged for him to marry the widow, Agnès d’Aquitània, daughter of Guilhèm IX, duc d’Aquitània and Felipa de Tolosa. When Peyronela was still a baby, her father betrothed her to Raimon Berenguer IV de Barcelona (son of Dolça I de Provença, grandson of Mathilde de Hauteville, and great-grandson of Almòdis de la Marcha) and abdicated on 13 November 1137 to return to the monastic life. Peyronela and Raimon Berenguer officially married in August 1150 and the marriage was consummated the following year, after she turned fifteen. They had five children, four sons and one daughter, all of whom but the eldest survived childhood. It is uncertain how much power Peyronela wielded as the queen of Aragon, though it does seem she acted as regent of Barcelona while her husband was away in Provence, assisting his brother and nephew against the comtes de Tolosa who claimed Provence as descendants of Emma, comtessa de Provença. Raimon died 6 August 1162 while in Italy. Two years later, Peyronela abdicated as queen so that her eldest surviving son, who became known as Alfons II, could succeed her as ruler. Peyronela died in 1173 and was buried in Barcelona Cathedral. Her only daughter, Dolça de Barcelona, married Sancho I de Portugal and had eleven children with him. Her non-royal descendants include the four daughters of Raimon Berenguier V de Provença and Joana, comtessa de Tolosa. -- source link