Juana la Beltraneja

Juana la Beltraneja (hwä'nä lä beltränā'hä) [key], 1462–1530, Castilian princess, daughter of Juana of Portugal, queen of Henry IV of Castile. Her paternity was generally attributed to the court favorite Beltrán de la Cueva, whence her name. Juana was recognized as legitimate heiress to the throne by the Cortes of Castile, but later Henry IV designated as successor first his half-brother Alfonso (d.1468) and then his half sister Isabella (later Isabella I). In 1470, Henry recognized Juana again, but when he died (1474) Isabella seized the throne. Juana's partisans called upon Alfonso V of Portugal for help and arranged his marriage to the young princess. After five years of struggle Alfonso was decisively defeated at Toro (1476), and Isabella was recognized (1479) as queen of Castile. Juana retired to a convent in Portugal.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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