Pedro Alfonso de León



Pedro Alfonso de León (born c. 1196 – died 1226) was a Leonese Spanish noble of the House of Burgundy. He was, according to many historians, the illegitimate son of Alfonso IX of León. He was elected Grand Master of the Order of Santiago in 1225, succeeding Fernán Pérez Chacín in the role.

Biography
His exact date of birth is not known, but is estimated to be around 1196. There is also controversy amongst historians surrounding his true identity. Some chroniclers hold that he was the illegitimate son of Alfonso IX of León and an unknown woman, while others maintain that his mother was Aldonza Martínez de Silva, daughter of Martín Gómez de Silva and his wife Urraca Ruiz de Cabrera. Still other historians have cast doubt on Pedro Alfonso's status as Alfonso IX's illegitimate son or the fact that he existed at all. Regardless of these doubts, it can be stated with certainty that his name does appear on the roles of the Grand Masters of the Order of Santiago.

In 1225, he was elected Grand Master of the Order of Santiago but died one year later in 1226.

Marriage and descendancy
The name of his wife is not known, and historians disagree over whether Pedro Alfonso had one or two children. His children were as follows.


 * Diego Alfonso de León. Married Urraca de Tenorio, Lady of Tenorio and Cotovad.
 * Alfonso Pérez de León (born c. 1215 – d. ?). Navarrese noble from Monreal. Married Inés Gutiérrez de Páramo.