so filled her with disgust
that she determined, now that the union of Castile and Leon was
practically complete, to go outside of this narrow circle in her search
for a suitable mate for the young King Fernando. Her choice fell upon
the Princess Beatrice of Suabia, cousin of the emperor and member of the
same house which she had scorned in her younger days. But the Princess
Beatrice was fair and good, the young people were eager for the
marriage, and there was no good reason why the thing should not be done.
Before this wedding, Berenguela decided that her son must be received
into the order of knighthood. There was the customary period of courtly
ceremony, with games and gay festivals and much feasting, which lasted
for several days, and then came the sacred, final rites, which ended
with the accolade. The youthful king and would-be knight was taken, all
clothed in white, by two "grave and ancient" chevaliers to the chapel of
the monastery of Las Huelgas, near the old city of Burgos, and there,
having placed his arms piously upon the altar, he passed the night
alone, "bestowing himself in orisons and prayers." When the daybreak
came, he confessed to a priest, heard matins, and then went to rest and
prepare himself for the final scene. When he was at length brought back
to the chapel, there was a most imposing company awaiting him, composed
of all the knights of Castile and many others from far distant countries
who had come to wage war against the Moors; and in the presence of them
all, from the sanctified hands of his noble mother, came the magic touch
which made a man of him. The next day, in the great cathedral at Burgos,
the wedding was celebrated, for the German princess had come to Spain
for the function, and there was much pomp and much show of silks and
brocades and the glitter of gold and silver was backed by the glitter of
steel.

Soon King Fernando was in the saddle again, riding away toward the
south, leading a great host of knights, and one Moorish town after
another fell into their hands. While besieging Jaen, Fernando learned of
his father's death, which had occurred suddenly. Berenguela summoned her
son to return with all possible speed, but without waiting for his
arrival she set out at once for Leon, thinking that there might be work
to do. Nor was she wrong. Alfonso of Leon, jealous of his wife's great
renown and his son's growing success, and knowing that the union of
Castile and Leon was her most