the corpse queen
this illustrion represents Inês Castro(1325-1355), the lover of the prince and future King Pedro I of Portugal. she was brutally murdered after the king Afonso IV (Pedro's father) known that Pedro e Inês secretly married. Their marriage caused serious political and succession problems, so murder Inês would supposedly solve all the portuguese crown issues.

Pedro never accepted the death and denial of his beloved wife and future queen of Portugal. In 1357 when he became a King he declared Inês as his lawful wife, and legitimate their children as the successors of Portuguese throne.

Pedro's sorrow and need for justice has clearly become an obsession. So he orderd to exhumed Inês body and literally crowned her corpse, making all the nobles kiss her rotting hand, and bow to the true queen of Portugal.

Pedro also ordered the execution the queen's murdereds in a horrible, a painful death: Their hearts were taken from his bodies while their were alive, one by his chest the other by is back.


this is a vector illustration artwork - adobe illustrator.

i love the playing style, i found it very mystical.
The design have some portuguese and catholic symbols in the patterns.
Inês is obviously crowned holding the hearts of her killers.
The sword represents the king Pedro.
there are couple of "lusíadas" and bible verses, that I i won't dare to translate. (lol)

sorry about the english.