Sancho III of Castile

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Sancho III of Castile (1134 – August 31, 1158), called el Deseado (the Desired) due to his birth, as first child of his parents, not until eight years after their marriage, was King of Castile and Toledo for one year, from 1157 to 1158.

He was the eldest son of King Alfonso VII of Castile and Berenguela of Barcelona. During his father's reign, he appears as "king of Najera", as early as 1149. His father's will partitioned the kingdom between his two sons: Sancho inherited the kingdoms of Castile and Toledo, and Fernando inherited Leon. The two brothers had just signed a treaty when Sancho suddenly died in the summer of 1158, being buried at Toledo. He had married in 1151 to Blanca of Navarre, daughter of García Ramírez of Navarre, having two sons, his successor Alfonso VIII of Castile, and infante García, who died at birth in 1156, apparently also resulting in the death of Blanca. There may also have been an older son who died in infancy.

Preceded by Alfonso VII

King of Castile 1157–1158

Succeeded by Alfonso VIII

[edit] References

• Szabolcs de Vajay, "From Alfonso VIII to Alfonso X" in Studies in Genealogy and Family History in Tribute to Charles Evans on the Occasion of his Eightieth Birthday, 1989, pp. 366-417.