| Ferdinand de la Cerda | |
| Issue: | Alfonso de la Cerda Fernando de la Cerda |
| Noble Family: | House of la Cerda |
| Father: | Alfonso X of Castile |
| Mother: | Violant of Aragon |
| Spouse: | Blanche of France |
| Birth Date: | 23 October 1255 |
| Birth Place: | Valladolid, Castile |
| Death Place: | Ciudad Real, Castile |
Ferdinand de la Cerda (23 October 1255 - 25 June 1275) was the heir apparent to the Crown of Castile as the eldest son of Alfonso X and Violant of Aragon. His nickname, de la Cerda, means "of the bristle" in Spanish. There are various accounts of the origin of this name, including that it was a reference to being born with a full head of hair[1] or that he was born with a hairy mole, resembling a bristle or mane, on his chest or back according to different accounts.[2]
In November 1268 Ferdinand married Blanche, the daughter of King Louis IX of France. They had two sons:
Ferdinand became regent of Castile in November 1274 when his father left for Germany. In May 1275 the Marinids from Morocco landed in Spain upon call from Muhammad II of Granada and attacked Castile. Ferdinand raised troops and moved south from Burgos to defend the kingdom but died unexpectedly in Villa Real on 25 June 1275 leaving Castile open to invasion. His sons did not inherit the throne of their grandfather, since their uncle Sancho, who had repulsed the Moorish invasion, usurped the throne.