What does the genetic study of the mummy of Infanta Leonor de Castilla reveal?

2023-05-09 16:18:37

Little was known about the Infanta Leonor of Castile, except that she died at approximately the age of 19 in Montpellier. for unknown causes . We have some conflicting information about their possible marriage agreements. And regarding his physical appearance, no recorded graphic document has survived to this day.

Everything changed when on June 10, 2014 the sarcophagus opening containing the mummified remains of Doña Leonor. Soon after, genetic research began, which is now has allowed to bring to light how one of the daughters of King Alfonso X the Wise was physically.

What is known about the infant

The Infanta Doña Leonor de Castilla was the fourth of the eleven legitimate sons and daughters of Alfonso X the Wise (1221-1284) and the Queen Violante of Aragon (1236-1300).

For both monarchs, 1275 was a difficult year. Among other problems, Alfonso X became seriously ill and lost two of his children: the heir to the throne, the infante don Fernando de la Cerda, and his daughter, the infanta doña Leonor.

The death of the Infanta Leonor occurred suddenly during a return trip to Spain from France, where she had accompanied her father to meet with Pope Gregory X.

King Alfonso X decided that Leonor should be buried in the convent of Dominican nuns of Caleruega (Burgos), which he himself had founded, and so it was done. In this way, the remains of the Infanta have been preserved in the sepulcher of the monastery to this day.

Sepulcher of the Infanta Doña Leonor after the intervention. Monastery of Santo Domingo de Caleruega (Burgos)
National Heritage, CC BY

A polychrome wooden tomb

The tomb is of special importance, not only for its historical significance but also for its technical and material value, since it is one of the few tombs from the 13th century made of polychrome wood. That is why a few years ago he was subjected to computed tomography and x-ray analysis to identify the elemental composition of materials.

Mummified head of Doña Leonor de Castilla.
Pastor et al. 2021. Natural mummifications in Castile & Leon (Spain). European Journal of Anatomy 25: 221–32., CC BY

When the coffin was opened in 2014, Leonor’s remains were found wrapped in a piece of white cloth. During the first stage of the investigation, clothing and other objects were removed to be analyzed and reconstructed.

Genetic analysis has been carried out by the Group of Forensic Genetics and Population Genetics of the Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology of the Faculty of Medicine of the Complutense Universityin collaboration with the University of Valladolid and the University of Santiago de Compostela, from two well-preserved teeth. And it revolves around two objectives. On the one hand, to establish the biogeographical origin of the remains to verify if it is consistent with the genealogical ancestry of the supposed European princess. And, on the other hand, determine the most probable physical aspect, specifically with regard to the pigmentation of the skin, hair and eyes.

Dental pieces of the Infanta Leonor selected for genetic analysis.
Palomo-Díez et al. 2023., CC BY

European or Middle Eastern descent

According to the known historical and genealogical data of Doña Leonor’s family, his ancestry was primarily European and in a certain part of the eastern Mediterranean.

Well, genetics has confirmed it. Analyzing the genetic markers of mixed origin, which provide information about the biogeographic ancestry through the paternal and maternal pathways, it has been possible to verify that the remains buried in the tomb of the Monastery of Caleruega have a fundamentally European ancestry. As for the markers of exclusively maternal origin (mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited only through our mothers), they indicate a European or Middle Eastern origin.

These results have been contrasted with historical data, and are completely compatible with what is expected according to the infanta’s family tree.

Black hair, fair skin and hazel green eyes

Thanks to the study of genetic markers related to the physical appearance of Mrs. Leonor, it was possible to determine that she was most likely a young woman with black hair, fair skin, and hazel-green eyes.

Although it has not been possible to compare this information with any pictorial source, the genetic study provides information about the physical appearance of this previously unknown historical figure.