The Whip's Cousin

If I were still alive, I would be
 visiting my cousin
The Whip this summer

Saint Ferdinand III of Castille

memorial

30 May

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Our Saint today was the son of Alfonso IX, King of Leon, and Berengaria, daughter of King Alfonso III of Castile; which makes him the cousin of Saint Louis IX, everyone knows this.    What you might not know is that he is the ancestor of The Whip.*    I am not joking.   

I may have mentioned it in the past but my late brother in law, Beek-bop-o-roo, was into genealogy.  He came up to visit and was bored so he did The Whip’s family tree.    Frankly, most of the trees he has done for the family are boring, all common serfs and weirdoes et al…..when he did the Whip’s he hit a gold mine.      She is also related to King Edward I (Longshanks) of England, and a Revolutionary war officer who fought with General Wooster at the battle of White Plains.    

Anyhoo, our saint for today married to Princess Beatrice, daughter of Philip of Swabia, King of Germany. The couple had seven sons and three daughters, thank God I don’t have to get birthday gifts for them…..what pests nephews and nieces can be!    When his beloved Beatrice died Ferdinand re married, and had an additional two sons and a daughter.

Our Saint was an excellent administrator and just ruler; often showing mercy to those who worked against the crown, his motivation was always to use his power to better his people and his nation.  He reformed Spanish law, and compiled it into a form used for centuries after.    Ferdinand was a stern but fair judge in administering the law of the land, plus he was gentle and forgiving in his personal life.    He founded and funded hospitals, bishoprics, monasteries, churches, universities and cathedrals.  He fought the good fight for 27 years against the Muslims in Spain.    In 1225 he successfully held back Islamic invasions, and re took Cordoba and Seville from them in 1234-36.

Ferdinand, who is my distant Cousin by marriage was a man of great faith with a special devotion to Our Lady; tell that to the Lutheran branch of the family.    He was a member of the Secular Franciscan (Third) Order, and was and is buried in the Cathedral of Seville in their habit.   His bodine  is incorrupt and many miracles are reported at his tomb.    The San Fernando Valley is named for him….he is the Whip’s relative and mine by marriage….

 

Born

1198 near Salamanca, Spain

Died

30 May 1252 at Seville, Spain of natural causes

Canonized

1671 by Pope Clement X

Patronage

authorities

engineers

governors

large families

magistrates

parenthood

paupers

poor people

prisoners

rulers

Spanish monarchy

tertiaries

Representation

greyhound

* So who the heck is the Whip?   See 8th bullet point down at this link.