what happened is unusual in the story of families. Just at the time when it is weakened by dilution it is again strengthened by the qualities of a great man. The wife of Alfonso was the daughter of Raymond Berengaria III. (d. 1131), Count of Provence, a prudent sovereign who extended his dominions by inheritance, marriage and victory, ruled fifty years and actually carried his conquests across the sea to the shores of Majorica and made successful wars against the Arabs.
The product of this union was Ferdinand II. (1187) of Leon. He was a very able general and had many estimable and generous personal qualities. He made a marriage calculated to perpetuate the great qualities of his stock, that with Urraca, daughter of Alfonso I., the great founder of Portugal, who by consulting the Portugal chart may be seen to be backed up by distinguished fathers and grandfathers and to have himself derived in part his genius for war from the same stock of Spain already discussed, namely, Alfonso VI. 'the Valiant.'
However, Alfonso IX., his son, was without distinguished qualities or virtues. Coming as he does at the union of greatness he must be counted as an exception. Still the genius of the race does not die here. His marriage was one of the very best. His wife, Berengaria, was a famous heroine of Spanish history. She was a truly great and noble woman. Not only in her own qualities, but by her ancestors she must have brought into Spain one of the best strains that any royal person at that time would have been likely to have represented.
She was the daughter of Alfonso VIII. of Castile, rightly called 'the Noble,' whose reign was of great benefit to the country, himself a son of a successful warrior during a short career and grandson of Alfonso VII. already noted for his success. Her grandfather was Henry II., one of England's most vigorous and able kings, according to Hume 'the greatest prince of his time for wisdom, virtue and abilities.'
After the death of Alfonso IX., the throne was taken up by Ferdinand III. his son. 'He was a just, pious, able and paternal ruler, as well as a valiant soldier.' He triumped over the infidels and considerably extended his domains. His wife was a daughter of the Emperor Philip, a vigorous, warlike character, who, being assassinated when only thirty years old, never had an opportunity to display his real abilities. Philip was the son of Frederick Barbarosa, the greatest man and greatest power of his day. Thus a certain amount of able blood was here introduced. Still we see Isaac Angelus in the pedigree, an abusive and incapable ruler. A little more than half of it all was very beneficial, for Frederick was just and wise as well as extremely able, while the Emperor Philip was up to the standard already established here in Spain. The power of the country was considerably increased under Ferdinand III.
