This stamp is of Pedro I, also known as Peter I, who was king of Portugal. He ruled from 1320 to 1367.

Before he became king, however, Prince Pedro was married, through an arranged marriage, to his first wife who died in 1345. Shortly after he fell in love with a beautiful, young woman named Ines de Castro.

Ines was a commoner. Traditionally, in those times, marriages stayed between royal families in order to form strategic and political allies and maintain family reputations. Ines could bring none of that to the table and Prince Pedro’s father, King Afonso IV would have none of it.

King Afonso hired three men to kidnap Ines and kill her. They captured her and beheaded her.

When Prince Pedro found out his love was dead he vowed revenge on the men and on his father but knew he did not wield the power to go against his father, so he bided his time. When King Afonso died a few years later, in 1357, and Pedro became King of Portugal he put his plan into action.

King Pedro found the three men who killed his bride to be and had their hearts removed while they were still alive. Then he had Ines body exhumed, dressed in the Queens royal robes and sat her on her throne next to his.

A bit unhinged, he then decreed that all residents of the kingdom would come and pay respects to his Queen. Each resident came and bowed and lifted her skeletal hand to their lips and kissed it.

I was not able to find out what happened to Ines but King Pedro went on to be a cruel king. He ruled his kingdom with brutality and violence.