Editing Peter of Castile (section)

==Sources==
The great original but hostile authority for the life of Peter the Cruel is the ''Chronicle of the Chancellor [[Pedro López de Ayala]]'' (1332–1407).<ref name="EB1911"/> To put that in perspective are a biography by [[Prosper Mérimée]], ''Histoire de Don Pedro I, roi de Castille'' (1848) and a modern history setting Peter in the social and economic context of his time by Clara Estow (''Pedro the Cruel of Castile (1350–1369)'', 1995).

Strictly speaking, Peter was not defeated by Henry but by the opposing aristocracy; the nobles accomplished their objective of enthroning a weaker dynasty (the [[House of Trastámara]]), much more amenable to their interests.{{cn|date=April 2022}} Most of the bad stories about Peter are likely to be colored by [[black legend]], coined by his enemies, who finally succeeded in their rebellion. The Chancellor [[López de Ayala]], the main source for Peter's reign, was the official chronicler of the Trastámara, a servant of the new rulers and of Peter's aristocratic adversaries.{{cn|date=April 2022}}

The change of dynasty can be considered as the epilogue of the first act of a long struggle between the Castilian monarchy and the aristocracy; this struggle was to continue for more than three centuries and come to an end only under [[Charles I of Spain]], the grandson of Ferdinand II of [[Aragon]] (Ferdinand V of Castile) and [[Isabella I of Castile]] ([[The Catholic Monarchs]]), in the first quarter of the 16th century.{{cn|date=April 2022}}