Eleanor of Alburquerque (1374 – 16 December 1435) was a Castilian noblewoman, Countess of Alburquerque, who became Queen of Aragon by her marriage to Ferdinand I of Aragon. She was the regent of Aragon during the absence of her son the king in 1420.
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Family
Eleanor was born in Aldeadávila de la Ribera, province of Salamanca. Her father was Sancho Alfonso, 1st Count of Alburquerque, who was an illegitimate son of King Alfonso XI of Castile and his mistress Eleanor of Guzman, and a brother of King Henry II of Castile. Her mother was Infanta Beatrice, Countess of Alburquerque, who was daughter of Peter I of Portugal and Ines de Castro.
Marriage and queenship
Eleanor was originally betrothed to Frederick, illegitimate son of Henry II of Castile, however this engagement was broken off.
Upon the death of John I of Castile on 9 October 1390, the Regency Council addressed the issue of the heir presumptive, Infante Henry, at the time eleven years of age and his brother, Infante Ferdinand, who was then ten years old. It was agreed that Ferdinand could not marry before his brother Henry reached the age of fourteen. Then he would be granted the political and social privileges of majority.