Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-05
WhenaQueen
Was Crowned
After Death
(Romances of Great Loyers)
BY e DOUGLASS
Pedro Of Portugal and
Ines dc Castro.
ine5 de CASTRO.
AERHAPS the entire story may
be a myth. one OF those

be a myth. one OF those
legendary tales that come
down through the centuries ana are
accepted "a truth BY the fact or
their repetition. But on the other
hand. there may be more than a
glimmer OF veracity in the tale. for
anything was possible IN those early
days when a monarch was. indeed.
guilty Of no wron-.
Whichever way IL Is. the story OF
Pedro or Portugal. nicknamed the
"Heron's Neck" and Inez de Castro
is worthy OF the retelling. on account
OF the morbidly dramatic end to a
sordid
Inez was the daughter or Don
Pedro Fernandez de Castro and Dona
Aldonca Soares de Villadares. She
was educated In the court or the
Duke OF Penafiel and grew up side
by side with Costanca. daughter OF
the duke and her own cousin.
a brilliant marriage was planned
for Costanca. but after having re.
fused the several crowned heads, she
was at last persuaded 10 accept the
hand OF the infante Dom Pedro. son
or Alfonso the Proud. king OF
Portugal. After her marriage.
Costana took her cousin Inez 10
Lisbon with her. and ii was while
h was a member OF his own house
hold that Pedro conceived the Illicit
passion for her that eventually led
20 her death.
The example OF the Moors IN Spain
and Portugal did much 20 encourage
polygamy and the looseness OF the
marriage tie and lax morals were
matters OF everyday occurrence.
Pedro's love for Inez was openly
Haunted and there is nothing 10
show that his actions were resented
by his spouse. or that Il affected IN
any way her relations with her
cousin. All that Is known i thai
Costanca died in childbirth and tina
Pedro contracted a secret marriage
with 1nez in the following year.
However. the Castro family had
risen high in the political horizon Of
the country and were both feared
and hated. Probably this accounts
for the secret marriage. The ad.
visors Of the king. Pedro's father.
warned him that a union between
his son and the Castros would ne
fatal. and prevailed upon him 70 take
drastic steps 10 prevent the mar
rage. The old king went In secret
10 the palace where his son and TneZ
lived. accompanied by several OF his
confidantes- The beauty or IneZ and
her tears completely dlsarmed him.
and he turned 10 leave her. but one
Of those accompanying him stabbed
1nez TO death. Pedro forswore al
ieriance to his father and steps were
taken to restore peace between them.
On the death Of Alfonso In 1857,
Pedro was crowned king.
Then II was that drama entered
into the story. Pedro had the body
Of Inez exhumed. dressed in robes OF
state and placed on the throne beside
him. The assembled mobiles We're re
duired 10 pay homage TO their queen.
and swear fealty on the withered
hand OF the corpse. An elaborate
funeral was then arranged and the
queen was buried with much pomp
and maEnificence ~ a tomb or
marble. topped with a crowned
statue OF lnez.
The authenticity or this dramatic
anti-climax TO Inez' life has been as.
sailed by historians. but who knows7
IL may be rue and would. perhaps.
he a fit ending 70 the iifa which she
lei