If the ancients, who praised women of just renown, had lived at the time of Queen Leonor, they would have made a grave mistake in what they wrote, if they had not included her among the ranks of the most distinguished. That is because, if the gift of beauty, so highly prized by everyone, has given certain women never-ending fame, that gift had been bestowed on her abundantly, accompanied by a winsome graciousness, so much so that, however much beauty a woman might wish for, she would be immensely contented with what nature bequeathed to Queen Leonor. Along with this, she displayed skill and tact in her manners, not to mention great wisdom. Nor was she lacking in any aspect of what is appropriate in a prudent woman.

She was a resolute woman of great courage, and one who searched for ingenious ways to strengthen her position. From the very beginning of her reign women learned from her how to adopt new ways of dealing with their husbands, and how to disguise one thing as another, more perfectly than in bygone times it is found that any other Queen of Portugal had achieved.

She had certain ways of handling people towards whom she was not well disposed and in such a manner that they were never conscious of the fact. Indeed, whenever she planned to inflict great harm on someone, she caused deadly disasters to befall that person while outwardly displaying quite the opposite intent. Accordingly, though she entertained such a mortal hatred for the Master, owing to the death of Count Juan Fernández, that any ill that might befall him would be for her an insufficient revenge, nevertheless, her strength of character enabled her to achieve what few people would be capable of, namely that she displayed no outward sign of her dislike for the Master, as though he had never caused her any offence. Rather, on those few days on which she later spoke with him, when she was [still] in the city, her remarks and answers in addressing him were always courteous and never betrayed any ill will.