Background
He was the second son of Alfonso X and Yolanda, daughter of James I of Aragon. Sancho"s ascension was in part due to his rejection of his father"s elitist politics.
He was the second son of Alfonso X and Yolanda, daughter of James I of Aragon. Sancho"s ascension was in part due to his rejection of his father"s elitist politics.
Sancho was recognised and supported by the majority of the nobility and the cities, but a sizable minority opposed him throughout his reign and worked for the heirs of Ferdinand de la Cerda. He executed 400 more in Talavera and more in Ávila and Toledo. John bided his time before fomenting revolt again: the conflict over Tarifa.
He called in the aid of the Marinids in Morocco and besieged Guzmán the Good in his castle (1291).
At this siege occurred that famous act of heroism, the innocent death of the son of Guzmán. The intent of both John and the Sultan of Marinids (to invade) was foiled.
When James II succeeded to the Crown of Aragon, he endeavoured to bind the two crowns more closely and to unite in the Reconquista. Indeed, both of James" predecessors had tried to do likewise.
Sancho was also the friend and tutor of Manuel of Castile.
He died in 1295 in Toledo. They had the following children:
Isabella (1283–1328). Married first James II of Aragon and secondly John III, Duke of Brittany.
Ferdinand IV (1285–1312).
Alfonso (1286–1291)
Henry (1288–1299)
Peter (1290–1319) married Maria daughter of James II of Aragon
Philip (1292–1327). Beatrice (1293–1359).
Married Afonso IV of Portugal. He had three illegitimate children:
By María Alfonso Téllez de Menezes (d Toro), wife of Juan García, Lord of Ucero:
Violante Sánchez (died bef 1327), who held the dowry of Ucero as its lady, married in 1293 Fernando Rodríguez de Castro, Lord of Lemos.
Teresa Sánchez, who married Juan Alfonso Téllez de Meneses (died 5 May 1304), a Castilian nobleman, 4th Lord of Alburquerque, who became the 1st Count of Barcelos and was the Mordomo Mor (high steward) of King Denis I of Portugal, and had female issue. by another woman whose name is unknown, he had:.
Tarifa was faithfully defended until Sancho could rescue it and the Marinids retreated to Magreb.