Note on Names and Translations

Any study of the Iberian Peninsula in the premodern period faces a dilemma regarding the names by which to refer to persons and places. Through most of the premodern period, the peninsula was politically fragmented, under the rule of various polities, both Christian and Muslim: the Crown of Castile, Navarre, the Crown of Aragon, Portugal, and Granada, for example. These patrimonial divisions corresponded roughly to ethno-linguistic divisions: Castilian, Navarrese, Aragonese and Catalan, Portuguese, and Arabic. In addition, individuals and families from elsewhere—Germans, French, and English— made their way into the region and became part of its political and cultural landscape. Certain of these individuals and families also often moved within several dynastic and cultural environments and spoke several languages. The many overlapping dynasties in the premodern period, each generating successions of Johns, Peters, Marys, Henrys, and so on, can be challenging for readers to untangle and follow.

To mitigate confusion and to acknowledge and respect the culturo-linguistic variety of the medieval Spains, in this book individuals are referred to, in general, by the form of their name in what might be characterized as their “native” land or culture. Hence, kings of Castile are “Pedro” and “Juan,” but Juan is “João” in Portugal and “Joan” in the Catalan-speaking House of Aragon (where Pedro is “Pere”). A Mary from Castile is “María,” but “Maria” if she is Catalan, Aragonese, or Portuguese. Blanche of Navarre of the Evreux dynasty is “Blanche,” but her Aragonese Trastámaran daughter is “Blanca.”

Exceptions are made for individuals who are better known by a particular name that may not follow this schema. Thus, both “de Antequera” and “the Catholic” are Fernandos (rather than Ferrans), whereas their intermediates are Alfons and Joan (as opposed to Alfonso and Juan). With the exception of Joan II, Fernando de Antequera’s male offspring, the Infantes de Aragón, are called by the Castilian variants by which they are usually referred to. In the interest of consistency and recognition, when the Castilian queen Catalina of Lancaster is referred to as daughter, she is “Catherine,” while Catherine of Aragon, queen of England, is “Catalina” in the context of her parents. Otherwise, foreigners are referred to by their native linguistic variant. Princes and princesses (including queens) are typically referred to as “of” the kingdom of their origin, as in “María of Castile,” whereas noblemen and women are referred to in reference to their family or domain with “de,” as in “Blanche de Bourbon” or “Leonor de Albuquerque” (with the exception of English nobility, for whom “de” is “of”).

Generally speaking, places are referred to by the modern variant of their regional language, unless there is a standard modern English place-name. Thus, Lisbon is not referred to as “Lisboa.”

Unless otherwise noted, all translations to English are the author’s. Translations of verse are not necessarily literal; rather, an effort was made to convey the sense of the poems. As per the policies of the press, the untranslated original text is included only when it is required to clarify meaning or to support an argument. An exception is made for the chapter epigraphs, which are left in the original to better convey their spirit and tone and to reflect the linguistic variety and richness of the documents.