Alfonso of Molina - Marriage and Children

Marriage and Children

Alfonso of Molina married, in 1240, Mafalda González de Lara, Lady of Molina, daughter of Gonzalo Pérez de Lara, 3rd Lord of Molina and Mesa, and his wife, Sancha Gómez de Trastámara. They had two children:

• Fernando Alfonso of Molina (1242–1250).
• Blanca Alfonso of Molina (1243–1292), married, in 1269, Alfonso Fernández de Castilla, illegitimate son of Alfonso X.

In 1244, widowed of his first wife, he married his second, Teresa González de Lara, daughter of Count Gonzalo Núñez de Lara, Lord of Belorado, and his wife María Díaz I de Haro. They had a daughter:

• Juana Alfonso of Molina (1245/1246- after 1307), married Lope Díaz III de Haro, Lord of Biscay, who was killed by Sancho IV of Castile in Alfaro in 1288. She was the mother of Diego López IV de Haro (died 1289) and María II Díaz de Haro, Lady of Biscay, who married infante John of Castile "el de Tarifa".

He married, in 1260 as this third wife, Mayor Alfonso de Meneses, Lady of Meneses and Villanueva, widow of Gonzalo Gil of Villalobos and daughter of Alfonso Téllez de Meneses "el Mozo", 4th Lord of Meneses, San Román and Villanueva, and his first wife María Yáñez de Lima. They had two children:

• Alfonso Téllez of Molina (1262–1314), 7th Lord of Meneses and Lord of Tiedra, Montealegre, Grajal, Alba de Liste, San Román and San Felices. He was also the proprietor of half of the lordship of Alburquerque. He was commander-in-chief for Sancho IV of Castile from 10 December 1288 to 25 April 1295. He married Teresa Pérez of Asturias, daughter of Pedro Álvarez of Asturias, Lord of Noreña, and his wife Sancha Rodríguez of Lara.
• Maria of Molina (1260?-1321), Queen Consort of Castile by her marriage to her cousin Sancho IV of Castile, son of Alfonso X and Queen Violant of Aragon. They were the parents of King Ferdinand IV of Castile. She was buried in the Abbey of Santa María la Real de las Huelgas in Valladolid.

Alfonso of Molina also had several illegitimate children from various extramarital relationships:

• Juan Alfonso of Molina (1225–1293) was declared legitimate by Pope Innocent IV in a bull published 14 October 1243. He was dean of Burgos Cathedral, and later Bishop of Palencia from 1278 to 1293. In order to be named Bishop of Palencia he had to receive a dispensation, which was published by Pope Alexander IV on 24 January 1259.
• Teresa Alfonso of Molina (1225-?), married, according to some authors, Nuño González de Lara "el Bueno", Lord of the House of Lara. Nonetheless, there is controversy among genealogists on the identity of Nuño the Good's wife, as while Luis de Salazar y Castro indicated that he married Teresa Alfonso, daughter of Pedro Alfonso of León, Grand Master of the Order of Santiago and supposed illegitimate son of King Alfonso IX of León, Count Pedro de Barcelos claims that he married Teresa Alfonso of León, illegitimate daughter of Alfonso IX of León and Aldonza Martínez de Silva. Julio González González indicates that Teresa Alfonso could have been the daughter of Urraca Alfonso of León, illegitimate daughter of Alfonso IX of León, and Lope Díaz II de Haro, Lord of Biscay. Her husband died in 1275 in combat against the Muslims, and both were buried in the Monastery of Saint Paul in Palencia.
• Urraca Alfonso (1225/1230? - ?) married García Gómez Carrillo "el de los Garfios", mayor of Jerez de la Frontera.
• Berengaria Alfonso of Molina (1230/1235? - 1272), Lady of Melgoso and Caldelas. She married, in 1251, Gonzalo Ramírez, son of Ramiro Froilaz and his wife Aldonza González. They had no children, and Berengaria became the mistress of James I the Conqueror, King of Aragon. They were the parents of Pedro Fernández de Híjar, Baron of Híjar. She was buried in the Monastery of Saint Francis in Narbonne.
• Leonor Alfonso (1230/1235 - ?) married Alfonso García de Villamayor, Lord of Villamayor, Celada, and Sisamón, and son of García Fernández de Villamayor and his wife Mayor Arias. Her husband was adelantado mayor of Andalusia and mayordomo mayor (royal high steward) for Alfonso X.
• Juana Alfonso (1266 - ?). In 1283 she received a gift from Alfonso X.