Petronilla of Aragon

Petronilla was born a princess in the year 1136. But guess what? When she was just a little over one year old, she became the Queen of Aragon! That's like becoming the boss of a whole kingdom before you even start kindergarten. Her dad, King Ramiro II, decided it was time for her to rule. She was the last queen from her family, the Jiménez family, to wear the crown of Aragon.

When Petronilla grew up, she married Ramon Berenguer IV, who was the Count of Barcelona. This wasn't just a regular wedding; it was a super important one! By marrying him, Petronilla helped join the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona together. Think of it like two big playgrounds merging into one giant, amazing play space! This new, bigger land became known as the Crown of Aragon.

Petronilla ruled as queen for a long, long time, from 1137 until 1164. That's 27 years! After she decided to step down as queen, she didn't stop being important. She became a regent, which means she helped rule and make decisions for her young son, Alfonso II, who became the next king. So, she was a queen, and then a super-mom helper for the kingdom!

Petronilla's life was super special because she was the last of her royal family to rule Aragon. But her biggest achievement was helping to create the Crown of Aragon by marrying Ramon Berenguer IV. This new kingdom lasted for hundreds of years and was very powerful. She was a queen who was born into royalty and then helped build an even bigger future for her land.