Ferdinand III of Castile

Ferdinand III, the Saint, (1198 - May 30, 1252), king of Castile (1217) and Leon (1230), was son of Alphonso IX and of Berenguela of Castile, daughter of Alfonso VIII.

In 1231 he united Castile and Leon permanently.

Ferdinand spent much of his reign fighting the Moors. He captured the towns of Cordoba in 1236, Jaen in 1246, and Seville in 1248, and occupied Murcia in 1243, thereby completing the reconquest of Spain excepting Granada, whose king nevertheless did homage to Ferdinand.

In 1219, Ferdinand married the daughter of the emperor Philip of Swabia, Beatrice, by whom he had six sons and one daughter. After Beatrice died in 1236, he married Joan of Dammartin (or Ponthieu). His daughter by Joan was Eleanor of Castile, wife of King Edward I of England.

He founded the University of Salamanca and the Cathedral of Burgos.

Ferdinand was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671.

Preceded by: Berenguela

List of Castilian monarchs

Followed by: Alfonso X