Catalina Ibanez

Catalina Ibanez was a beautiful Spanish woman. She was the mistress of Don Alejandro de Recalde, a highly ranked Spanish nobleman who was part of the Spanish army which occupied England in 1598. She soon lost interest in the stodgy de Recalde and took up with Lope de Vega. de Recalde challenged de Vega in a park in London known as Scotland, and in the ensuing duel de Vega killed de Recalde, much impressing Catalina.

However, the lively Catalina soon grew bored with de Vega, who took her to the English theater too often for her taste and who had neither the wealth nor the prestige to keep Ibanez in the lifestyle she demanded. Ibanez left de Vega, and the next time he saw her, after the overthrow of Queen Isabella and King Albert and the restoration of Queen Elizabeth to the throne, she was on the arm of a wealthy Englishman and de Vega was a prisoner in the Southwark bear-bating arena.