HENRY III. (1379-1406), king (1390) of Castile, "El Doliente" (the Sufferer), was the son of John I., of Castile and Leon, and Beatrice, daughter of Ferdinand of Portugal. Though delicate and a minor, he succeeded, by the generous support of the cities, in regaining (1393) his crown lands from the nobles. In 1394 he summoned the Cortes at Madrid, and established a practically despotic royal authority, based on the consent of the commons. His marriage with Catherine, grand-daughter of Peter the Cruel united the rival claims of the descendants of Peter and of Henry of Trastamara. He died on Dec. 25, 1406.