María de Molina


María de Molina

(märē`ä dā mōlē`nä), d. 1321, queen of Castile, consort of Sancho IVSancho IV
(Sancho the Brave) , 1257?-1295, Spanish king of Castile and León (1284–95), son and successor of Alfonso X. On the death (1275) of his elder brother, Ferdinand de la Cerda, Sancho was designated as Alfonso's successor by a coalition of nobles.
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. As regent (1295–1301) for her son, Ferdinand IVFerdinand IV,
1285–1312, Spanish king of Castile and León (1295–1312), son and successor of Sancho IV. His mother, María de Molina, was regent during his turbulent minority.
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, she defended his throne against several pretenders, who were at various times supported by France, Aragón, Portugal, Navarre, and Granada. After Ferdinand's death (1312), she acted as a guardian to her grandson Alfonso XIAlfonso XI,
1311–50, Spanish king of Castile and León (1312–50), son and successor of Ferdinand IV. His vigorous campaign against Granada provoked an invasion by the Moors from Morocco; they took Gibraltar in 1333.
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, while the regency was contested among his other relatives.