Shakespeare was wrong: the story is sadder than Romeo and Juliet exists. The main sadness is that it is real. Long before the play appeared, a genuine drama was unfolding in front of non-fictional characters. Who, after all, was the prototype of the most popular couple in the literary world?
Of course, one cannot say unconditionally what exactly Shakespeare was inspired by. However, there are historical facts that leave their mark on the minds and imaginations of great creators. This tragedy began with the existence of the King of Portugal Afonso IV the Brave, who had a son in 1320. His name was Pedro. It was he who became the hero of the most dramatic love story in his country.
When Pedro was 14 years old, his father decided to marry him to the Spanish princess Constance. All would be fine, but the young man was in love with one of her ladies-in-waiting - a blond girl named Ines de Castro. In the first place, the prince had duty, not feelings. Therefore, obeying his father, he married Constance. However, this union did not prevent him from building a relationship with a pretty maid of honor in parallel. When, in 1345, his lawful wife left this world prematurely, the prince considered it a blessing of love.
The tragedy of Pedro and Ines became the basis of the national epic of Portugal
Pedro did not hide his relationship with the maid of honor, which incredibly angered the king, who was planning a second dynastic marriage for his son. By all means Afonso IV was determined to separate the lovers. While the king was thinking about how to organize a new marriage, the couple began to live together. Ines managed to give birth to four children to the prince. Surprisingly, unlike Pedro's legitimate son, Ines's children grew up healthy. This fact also worried Afonso IV, who made sure that the future heir was a worthy pretender to the throne, and not a half-breed. In order to protect the dynasty, he decided to imprison Ines.
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Ines de Castro asked Afonso IV to spare her. She was ready for lifelong exile, if only her children, and, by the way, his grandchildren were not left without a mother. However, the king was adamant - the woman was killed in front of the children.
In revenge for the murder of Ines Pedro went to war against his father
Pedro was furious. The conflict led to a two-year civil war, where the prince became the instigator of the split, opposing his father. The point in the dispute was put in 1357 - Afonso IV died, and Pedro became king of Portugal. First of all, he found the killers of his beloved and punished them: on charges of heartlessness, they were literally deprived of their hearts.
The hand of the dead queen, seated on the throne, was kissed by all the courtiers
Then there was madness. The newly made king ordered the body of Ines to be taken out of the grave, seated her on the throne as a queen. All courtiers were required to kiss the hand of the corpse.
Later, Pedro still buried his beloved in the church of the Alcubas monastery. On the contrary, another sarcophagus was made, in which Pedro himself was supposed to lie after death.
Anna Baklaga
