CASTRO, Inez de, Spanish lady: d. 1355. She was descended from the royal line of Castile. After the death of Constantia, wife of Pedro, son of Alfonso IV, King of Por tugal, in 1345, Inez was secretly married by Pedro, whose mistress she had already been. As he steadily rejected all propositions for a new marriage, his secret was suspected, and the envious rivals of Inez were fearful that her brothers and family would gain a complete ascendency over the future King. At length Alfonso resolved to put Inez to death. The first time that Pedro left Inez, the King hastened to Coimbra, where she was living in the convent of Santa Clara with her children. The arrival of Alfonso filled the unhappy lady with terror. She threw herself with her children at the King's feet, and begged for mercy. Alfonso was softened, but afterward gave his counsellors permission to commit the murder, and it was executed that very hour. Inez expired under the daggers of her enemies. She was buried in the convent where she was murdered. Pedro took arms against his father, but soon became reconciled to him. Two years later Alfonso died; the assassins had already left the kingdom and taken refuge with Pedro the Cruel of Castile. An exchange of fugitives was carried out. Of the three murderers of Inez, one escaped, but the other two were tortured in the presence of the young King Pedro at Santarem in 1360. Their hearts were
torn out, their bodies burned and their ashes scattered to the winds. Two years later, it is said, King Pedro at Cataneda declared on oath that after the death of Constantia he had ob tained the consent of the Pope to his union with Inez. and had married her. The arch bishop and Lobato confirmed the assertions of the King; and the Papal document to which the King referred was publicly exhibited. The King caused the body of Inez to be disinterred, and placed on a throne, adorned with the diadem and royal robes, and required all the nobility of the kingdom to approach and kiss the hem of her garment, rendering her when dead that homage which she had not received in her life. The body was interred at Alcobac,a, where a splendid monument of white marble was erected, on which was placed her statue, with a royal crown on her head. The history of the unhappy Inez has furnished many poets of different nations with materials for trag edies, and the Portuguese muse has immortal ized her through the pen of Camoens, in whose celebrated (Lusiad) the history of her love is one of the finest episodes.