Infanta Mafalda of Portugal was a Portuguese infanta, later Queen consort of Castile for a brief period.
Background
She was the second youngest daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal and Dulce of Aragon. Malfada of Portugal was born around 1195, the daughter of King Sancho I of Portugal and his queen, Dulce of Aragon. On the death of her father, Mafalda, under the provisions of his will, was to receive the Seia Castle and the remaining portion of the municipality as well as all income produced there.
Career
Married briefly to the ten-year-old Henry I of Castile, she held for a time the title Queen of Castile. Upon the dissolution of the marriage, she retired to religious life. Inheritance Furthermore, she was granted the right to use the title of queen.
The final peace came in 1223.
Marriage Mafalda then entered the Abbey of Arouca, which had adopted the Cistercian observance, but was granted a special dispensation to retain control of her inheritance. She had a great devotion to Our Lady of Silva and made substantial donations to the shrine in Oporto. she also had a hospice for travelers built as well as a number of bridges, churches, monasteries, and hospitals.
Returning from a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Silva, she fell ill at Rio Tinto (Gondomar) and died in the monastery there on May 1, 1256. In 1616, wanting to move her body to Arouca it was found not to have deteriorated, which generated a strong devotion to the Portuguese princess.
She was beatified in 1792.
Her feast is celebrated on May 2.