f Dom Affonso Sanches was one of the most famous of the
king's mistresses, and was very dearly beloved by him. He showered
favours on his illegitimate children, and made Affonso Sanches
Mordomo-Mor, or Lord High Steward, of his realm, to the extreme wrath
of his legitimate heir, who was afterwards King Affonso IV.

The latter years of the reign of King Denis were embittered by war
between the king and the heir apparent. As soon as the latter
ascended the throne in 1325 he banished his half-brothers from
Portugal and confiscated all the lands which his father had granted
to them. Dom Affonso Sanches, who was a renowned warrior, took refuge
at the court of the King of Castile, and there married Dona Theresa
Martins, daughter of Joao Affonso Telles de Menezes and granddaughter
of Sancho III, King of Castile. With her he obtained, in addition to
other lands, the Castle of Albuquerque, near Badajoz, which he
entirely rebuilt. His son Joao Affonso took the name of Albuquerque
from this castle; he married Dona Isabel de Menezes and became
Mordomo-Mor to King Pedro _the Cruel_, of Castile and Leon.

{43} The legitimate issue of this great lord, who was one of the most
important figures in the history of the time, founded the famous
Spanish house of Albuquerque, which gave many distinguished generals
and statesmen to the service of the State. He had also certain
illegitimate children, who returned to Portugal. The two daughters of
this illegitimate family, Dona Beatrice and Dona Maria, were ladies
whose beauty was famous, and they married two brothers of Leonor, the
queen of King Ferdinand of Portugal, the Counts of Barcellos and
Neiva. Their brother, Fernao Affonso de Albuquerque, became Grand
Master of the Portuguese Knights of the Order of Santiago. The
illegitimate daughter of the Grand Master, Dona Theresa, married
Vasco Martins da Cunha, who, by his first marriage, was
great-grandfather of the famous navigator, Tristao da Cunha; his
granddaughter married Goncalo Vaz de Mello, and his
great-granddaughter, Dona Leonor, Joao Goncalvez de Gomide. The
husband of the last-mentioned lady took her famous surname of
Albuquerque, and was the father by her of a numerous family, one of
whom, Pedro de Albuquerque, became Lord High Admiral of Portugal. His
eldest son, Goncalo de Albuquerque, succeeded his father as Lord of
Villa Verde, and married Dona Leonor de Menezes, daughter of Dom
Alvaro Goncalvez de Athaide.

Affonso de Albuq