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Henry IV of Castile

Also known as Henry the Impotent (epithet)

Casa de las Aldabas, 14 Jan 1425 – Madrid, 20 Dec 1474

15 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born14 Jan 1425, Casa de las AldabasRecords disagree1 source
  • MarriedBlanche II of Navarrenot verified1 source
  • MarriedJoan of Portugalnot verified1 source
  • TitlePrince of Asturias, 1425–1454or Grand Master of the Order of Santiago, 1453–1462 · Monarch of Castile and Leon, 1454–1474not verified1 source
  • TitleGrand Master of the Order of Santiago, 1453–1462or Prince of Asturias, 1425–1454 · Monarch of Castile and Leon, 1454–1474not verified1 source
  • TitleMonarch of Castile and Leon, 1454–1474or Prince of Asturias, 1425–1454 · Grand Master of the Order of Santiago, 1453–1462not verified1 source
  • Died20 Dec 1474, Madridnot verified1 source
  • MotherMaria of Aragonnot verified1 source
  • FatherJohn II of Castilenot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1425–1454

    Prince of Asturias

  2. 14 Jan 1425

    Born in Casa de las Aldabas

  3. 1453–1462

    Grand Master of the Order of Santiago

  4. 1454–1474

    Monarch of Castile and Leon

  5. 9 Mar 1462

    A daughter is born

  6. 20 Dec 1474

    Dies in Madrid, aged 49

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partners

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Casa de las Aldabas.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1440s · Henry IV is 15 to 24

What people wore

Around 1500–1524

Men's Hairstyles and Layered Robes

Men often grew long beards and hair, sometimes styling the tips into curls. Clothing could be layered, with high-status individuals wearing a pellizón, which was a long robe with wide, loose sleeves that could be knotted at the ends.

Daily life

Around 1500–1524

Household as the center of life

The household served as the primary center for education, work, and life, with tasks like laundry and water fetching falling to women and domestic servants.

Work

Around 1500–1524

Agricultural life and self-sufficiency

About 80 percent of Navarre's population relied on agriculture, with most households aiming for self-sufficiency. Two-thirds of farmers combined agricultural work with artisan activities.

Music

Around 1500–1524

Social customs of the youth groups

Young men formed social groups called Los Mozos, where joining on the feast of Saint Agatha cost one real. Members shared communal items like guitars, wine skins, and playing cards for their social gatherings.

At the table

Around 1500–1524

Large feasts and local wine consumption

Ordinary people often held large feasts after mass, consuming lamb, veal, and wine from local towns like Artajona and Olite. These communal meals were so common that they were eventually restricted by law in 1757 to prevent excessive spending and disorder.

Getting around

Around 1500–1524

Limited river navigation

Rivers in the region were generally not navigable, except for the Ebro, where small boats transported goods like grain, wine, and iron.

What it cost

Around 1500–1524

Wheat and Bread as Basic Staples

Bread was the most appreciated food, with wheat being the basic crop; however, poor harvests frequently led to tragic famines.