HENRY Ill., King of Castile, was born at Burgos in 1379, and succeeded his father John Lin October 1390. '1'lle struggles of the various pretenders to the regency occasioned many disorders, but at the age of thirteen Henry put an end to them by assuming the govern taut himself ; he possessed a strong intellect and an energetic character. lie speedily suppressed all internal commotions, vanquish ing those that appeared in arms, and then winning them by his clemency. lie laid aside the pomp of courts, living with the utmost economy In order to restore the shattered finances of his oountry and to avoid burdening his subjecta. E rly In his reign he sought to reconcile the disputes between the rival popes Benedict XIII. and Bonifaoe III.; but though he vainly persuaded Benedict to resign, Boniface was so irritated at his disposal of the oburch patronage during the dispute that ho excommunicated him. This however had
no effect on Henry's subjects; and at last, to terminate the schism, in conjunction with other sovereigns, Henry acknowledged 13suedict in 1403. He endeavoured to live in peace with his neighbours; bat when engaged in war with Portugal and with Granada he showed no want of spirit, and was successful in war, though his feeble and delicate frame prevented him being eminent as a warrior. He also undertook to repress the incursions of the African piratical states, and took and destroyed Tetuan. In 1401, Castile, in common with other Fula of Spain. was desolated by the plague, and he endeavoured to mitigate its evils. He died duriog the war with Granada, on the 25th of December 1406, from exhaustion, and was succeeded by his son, John II., by Catherine of Lancaster, to whom Henry had been married in his father's life-time.