Editing Ferdinand III of Castile (section)

==Early life==

The exact date of Ferdinand's birth is unclear. It has been proposed to have been as early as 1199 or even 1198, although more recent researchers commonly date Ferdinand's birth in the summer of 1201.{{sfn|Ansón|1998|p=39}}{{sfn|Emmerson|2013|p=215}}{{sfn|Ezquerra|2001|p=284}} Ferdinand was born at the [[Monastery]] of Valparaíso (Peleas de Arriba, in what is now the [[Province of Zamora]]).

As the son of [[Alfonso IX of León]] and his second wife [[Berengaria of Castile]],{{sfn|Linehan|2008|p=xvii}} Ferdinand descended from [[Alfonso VII of León and Castile]] on both sides; his paternal grandfather [[Ferdinand II of León]] and maternal great grandfather [[Sancho III of Castile]] were the sons of Alfonso VII between whom his kingdom was divided. Ferdinand had other royal ancestors from his paternal grandmother [[Urraca of Portugal]] and his maternal grandmother [[Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile|Eleanor of England]] a daughter of [[Henry II of England]] and [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]].{{sfn|Shadis|2010|p=xix}}

The marriage of Ferdinand's parents was annulled by order of [[Pope Innocent III]] in 1204, due to [[consanguinity]], but the legitimacy of the children was recognized.<ref name="EB1911">{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Ferdinand III. of Castile|volume=10|page=266}}</ref> Berengaria then took their children, including Ferdinand, to the court of her father, King [[Alfonso VIII of Castile]].{{sfn|Shadis|2010|p=70}} In 1217, her younger brother, [[Henry I of Castile|Henry I]], died and she succeeded him on the Castilian throne with Ferdinand as her heir, but she quickly surrendered it to her son.

Alfonso of León considered himself tricked, and the young king had to begin his reign by a war against his father and a faction of the Castilian nobles. His and his mother's abilities proved too much for the king of Leon and his Castilian allies. Berengaria continued to be a key influence on Ferdinand, who followed her advice in prosecuting wars and even in the choice of a wife, [[Elisabeth of Swabia]].<ref name="EB1911"/>