Berengaria of Castile was a Spanish princess born in 1180, the daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England. She became Queen of Castile through her marriage to Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart, in 1191. Their union was part of a political alliance during the Crusades, aimed at strengthening ties between England and Castile. Despite her royal status, Berengaria spent much of her life in England and was often overshadowed by her husband's military campaigns. After Richard's death in 1199, she returned to Castile, where she lived until her death in 1246, playing a role in the politics of her homeland.