come to her for a visit. The invitation was innocent enough,
to all appearances, and the request was granted, but no sooner was the
young prince safe within the boundaries of Castile than Berenguela
called a meeting of the States-General of her kingdom, and there, after
having received the homage of her nobles, in the midst of a most
brilliant gathering, she announced her intention of abdicating in favor
of her son, the heir to Leon. There was some objection to this move, as
Berenguela was so universally beloved that all were loath to lose her
from the sovereign's chair. She took great pains to point out to them
the advantage which would undoubtedly accrue to the country as the
result of this prospective union with Leon, assured them that her
interests would ever be theirs, and that she would at all times counsel
her son and help him in every way within her power; and finally, her
will prevailed and the abdication was approved.

Alfonso of Leon was more than irate when he learned of young Enrico's
death and realized the meaning of his son's visit to Castile, and he
immediately collected a large army and declared war upon his son.
Berenguela had foreseen this as the probable result of her course of
action and was not entirely unprepared in the emergency. The ultimate
peace and prosperity which might come to Spain with the definite union
of Castile and Leon were matters of such importance in her eyes that she
did not now hesitate to give of her personal wealth, even her jewels, as
Isabella did in a later day, to further the interests of the cause for
which she was contending. The goodness and sweetness of character
possessed by this great queen made such an impression upon all those who
came within the circle of her influence, and her cause was so manifestly
just, that her troops were filled with the zeal which knows no defeat,
and the conflict was a short one. Through Berenguela's diplomatic action
the war was brought to an end, harmony was restored between Castile and
Leon, and the united armies of the two countries were sent into southern
Spain to make further attack upon the Moorish strongholds.

Now comes an interesting moment in the queen's career, the moment when
she was planning with all her wisdom for her son's marriage and his
future success. The interminable commotion and discord, the vexatious
factional quarrels, and the undying hatreds which had been engendered by
a long series of Spanish intermarriages, had