Page 49 - All About History 48 - 2017 UK

14

Notorious
Royal
Mistresses

1 2

Alice

de Guzman Perrers

Royallover:AlfonsoXIofCastile Royallover:EdwardIIIofEngland
Years as mistress : 1328-50 Years as mistress: c.1364-77

n around 1328, Alfonso met the beautiful Eleanor in Seville, and erving in the household of Edward III’s wife, Queen Philippa, Alice
despite being recently married to Maria of Portugal, swiftly made caught the king’s eye. Their relationship was not made public,
I Eleanor his mistress. In a further humiliating snub to Maria, in 1334 S however, until after Philippa’s death in 1369. Alice was a grasping
he abandoned her to live openly with Eleanor instead. Her royal lover’s mistress who took full advantage of her position, accepting numerous
favour died with him in 1350, however, and intent upon revenge, Queen costly gifts both from the king and those who wished to curry his favour.
Maria ordered Eleanor’s imprisonment and execution in 1351. However, Unsurprisingly she was unpopular, and allegedly stole the rings from
Eleanor and Alfonso’s son, Henry, eventually toppled Maria’s son, Peter, her lover’s fingers as he lay dying. Following Edward’s death, Alice was
and succeeded in becoming king of Castile. banished from court and never regained her former influence.

Th e king took a beau from Seville Th ere once was a servant who said
But things took a turn for the ill “I’d rather serve the king in his bed”
When the queen came to rule Th en when he died

She was vicious and cruel She pulled and she pried
But was chucked from the throne of Castile Th e rings from his fi ngers instead

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