Spain: June 1503

Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 1, 1485-1509. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1862.

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'Spain: June 1503', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 1, 1485-1509, (London, 1862) pp. 306-308. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/vol1/pp306-308 [accessed 24 March 2024]

June 1503

23 June.
S. E. T. c. I. L. 4. f. 88.
364. Treaty Between Ferdinand and Isabella and Henry VII.
Commission of Henry VII. to William, Bishop of London, Keeper of the Great Seal, Richard, Bishop of Winchester, Keeper of the Privy Seal, and Doctor William Barons, Master of the Rolls. Richmond, 20th of June 1503.
Commission of Ferdinand and Isabella to Ferdinand, Duke de Estrada. Toledo, 10th of May 1502.
Dispensation for the marriage.
1. Ferdinand and Isabella, as well as Henry VII., promise to employ all their influence with the Court of Rome, in order to obtain the dispensation of the Pope necessary for the marriage of the Princess Katharine with Henry, Prince of Wales. The Papal dispensation is required, because the said Princess Katharine had on a former occasion contracted a marriage with the late Prince Arthur, brother of the present Prince of Wales, whereby she became related to Henry, Prince of Wales, in the first degree of affinity, and because her marriage with Prince Arthur was solemnised according to the rites of the Catholic Church, and afterwards consummated.
Marriage per verba de prœsenti.
2. If the aforesaid dispensation be obtained, Ferdinand and Isabella on the one side, and Henry VII. on the other, promise that a marriage per verba de prœsenti shall be contracted within two months after this treaty shall have been ratified by both the contracting parties.
Marriage portion.
3. When the Princess Katharine contracted her marriage with Prince Arthur, Ferdinand and Isabella promised to give her a marriage portion of 200,000 scudos, each scudo being worth 4s. 2d. of English money. Of this sum, 100,000 scudos were paid into the hands of King Henry VII. at the time when the said marriage was solemnized. Ferdinand and Isabella renounce, in their name, and in the name of the Princess Katharine, all right to demand restitution of this payment.
4. Ferdinand and Isabella promise Henry VII. to pay, on the marriage of their daughter to Henry, Prince of Wales, a marriage portion of 200,000 scudos, each scudo being worth 4s. 2d. of English money. Henry VII., on the other hand, confesses that he has already received one half of the said 200,000 scudos. The remaining 100,000 scudos are to be paid in the following manner ; viz., 65,000 scudos in coined gold, 15,000 scudos in plate, and vessels of gold and silver, according to the valuation of silversmiths in London, 20,000 scudos in jewels, pearls, ornaments, &c. of the Princess of Wales, according to their price in London, which is to be fixed by sworn valuers. All these payments are to be made in London, within ten days before or after the solemnization of the marriage. The marriage is to be solemnized as soon as Prince Henry shall have completed the fourteenth year of his age, and as soon as Ferdinand and Isabella, or their successors, can show that the whole marriage portion is in London, ready for delivery. Ferdinand and Isabella pledge their and their subjects' fortunes as security for the punctual execution of this clause of the treaty.
Dowry to be assigned to the Princess of Wales.
5. Prince Arthur had settled on the Princess of Wales her dowry, consisting of lands, manors, &c., the revenues of which amount to the third part of the revenues of Wales, Cornwall, and Chester. She is to give back, within ten days before or after the solemnization of her new marriage, all documents and title deeds respecting this dowry ; and Prince Henry will endow her on the day of the solemnization of the marriage with a new dowry as great and as well secured as her first dowry was. Henry VII. promises to ratify the constitution of the new dowry within one month after the solemnization of the marriage. The Princess Katharine renounces all other claims on the revenues of Wales, Cornwall, and Chester, and promises to be content with her dowry.
Dowry when she becomes Queen.
6. In case the Princess Katharine become Queen of England, she is to have, besides her dowry as Princess of Wales, a dowry as Queen, consisting of the third part of all the revenues of the Crown of England. She is to hold both dowries for life.
Right of succession to Crown of Spain.
7. The right of succession to the Crown of Spain is reserved to the Princess Katharine.
8. If the Princess Katharine become Queen of England, she is to enjoy, during the lifetime of her royal husband, all the privileges and revenues that other Queens of England have enjoyed before her. Henry VII. pledges the whole of his fortune and the fortunes of his subjects as security for the punctual fulfilment of his obligations.
First born son of the Princess.
9. If Henry, Prince of Wales, should die before his father, and leave a son or sons born of the Princess Katharine during her marriage with him, Henry VII. promises to create such sons or the first-born son, Prince of Wales, and to do all in his power to secure to the said son the succession to the throne after his death.
10. Both contracting parties promise to ratify this treaty within six months after the date of its conclusion.—Richmond, 23rd June 1503.
Latin. pp. 47.
23 June.
P. R. O.
365. Henry VII. Treaty of Peace and Alliance with Ferdinand and Isabella.
[Scarcely a single line of this document is legible. It is written on parchment, the greater portion of which is entirely rotten.]—Dated Richmond, 23rd June 1503.
(Signed)
Ferdinand, Dux.
De Puebla.