Blanche of Castile (
Blanca de Castilla in
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
; 4 March 1188 – 26 November 1252), wife of
Louis VIII of FranceLouis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut...
. She was born in
PalenciaPalencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. The municipality had a population of 82,626 in 2008....
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, the third daughter of
Alfonso VIIIAlfonso VIII , called the Noble or el de las Navas, was the King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. He is most remembered for his part in the Reconquista and the downfall of the Almohad Caliphate...
, king of Castile, and of Eleanor of England. Eleanor was a daughter of
Henry II of EnglandHenry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France...
and his
Queen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles...
Eleanor of AquitaineEleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages...
.
Biography
In consequence of a treaty between
Philip AugustusPhilip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
and
John of EnglandJohn , King of England, reigned from 6 April 1199 until his death. He acceded to the throne as the younger brother of King Richard I, who died without issue...
, Blanche's sister Urraca was betrothed to the former's son, Louis. Their grandmother Eleanor, upon getting acquainted with the two sisters, judged that Blanche's personality was more fit for a queen of France. In the spring of 1200 she brought her to France instead. On 22 May 1200 the treaty was finally signed, John ceding with his niece the fiefs of
IssoudunIssoudun is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.-History:...
and
GracayGraçay is a commune and chief town of a cantonin the Cher département of the Centre region of France.-Geography:It is a farming area comprising the small town and several hamlets, on the right bank of the Fouzon river, situated some southwest of Vierzon at the junction of the D68, D19, D83 and...
, together with those that
André de ChauvignyAndre de Chauvigny or Andrew of Chauvigny was a Poitevin knight in the service of Richard I of England. He was the second son of Pierre-Helie of Chauvigny and Haois of Chatellerault. Haois was the great-aunt of King Richard making Andrew and Richard relatives.-Richard the Lion-Hearted:Pierre-Helie...
, lord of Châteauroux, held in
BerryBerry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on March 4, 1790....
, of the English crown. The marriage was celebrated the next day, at Portmort on the right bank of the
SeineThe Seine is a slow-flowing major river and commercial waterway within the regions of Île-de-France and Haute-Normandie in France and famous as a romantic backdrop in photographs of Paris, France. It is also a tourist attraction, with excursion boats offering sightseeing tours of the Rive Droite...
, in John's domains, as those of Philip lay under an interdict.
Blanche first displayed her great qualities in 1216, when Louis, who on the death of John claimed the English crown in her right, invaded England, only to find a united nation against him. Philip Augustus refused to help his son, and Blanche was his sole support. The queen established herself at
CalaisCalais is a town in northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
and organized two fleets, one of which was commanded by
Eustace the MonkEustace the Monk was a mercenary and pirate, in the tradition of medieval outlaws.-Early life:Eustace was born a younger son of Baudoin Busket, a lord of the county of Boulogne...
, and an army under
Robert of CourtenayRobert of Courtenay , emperor of the Latin Empire, or of Constantinople, was a younger son of the emperor Peter II of Courtenay, and a descendant of the French king, Louis VI, while his mother Yolanda of Flanders was a sister of Baldwin and Henry of Flanders, the first and second emperors of the...
; but all her resolution and energy were in vain. Although it would seem that her masterful temper exercised a sensible influence upon her husband's gentler character, her role during his reign (1223-1226) is not well known.
Upon his death he left Blanche
regentA regent, from the Latin regens "reigning", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Thus, the common use is for an acting deputy governor....
and guardian of his children. Of her twelve or thirteen children, six had died, and Louis, the heir – afterwards the sainted
Louis IXLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was a member of the House of Capet, the son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile...
– was but twelve years old.
The situation was critical, for the hard-won domains of the house of Capet seemed likely to fall to pieces during a minority. Blanche had to bear the whole burden of affairs alone, to break up a league of the barons (1226), and to repel the attack of the king of England (1230). But her energy and firmness overcame all dangers.
There was an end to the calumnies circulated against her, based on the poetical homage rendered her by Count Theobald IV of Champagne, a.k.a. King
Theobald I of NavarreTheobald I , called the Troubadour, the Chansonnier, and the Posthumous, was Count of Champagne from birth and King of Navarre from 1234...
since 1234, and the prolonged stay in Paris of the papal legate,
Romano BonaventuraRomano Bonaventura , also listed as Romano Papareschi, which strongly suggests that he came from the Roman family, probably of the rione Trastevere, that produced Gregorio Papareschi , Pope Innocent II, was a Catholic Christian prelate, Cardinal deacon of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria , bishop of...
, cardinal of Sant' Angelo.
The nobles were awed by her warlike preparations or won over by adroit diplomacy, and their league was broken up. St Louis owed his realm to his mother, but he himself always remained somewhat under the spell of her imperious personality.
After he came of age, in 1234, aged 20, her influence upon him may still be traced. The same year, he was married, and Blanche became
Queen motherQueen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in England since at least 1577...
. Louis IX married Marguerite of Provence, who was the eldest of four daughters of Ramon, count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy. In 1248 Blanche again became Queen regent, during Louis IX's absence on the crusade, a project which she had strongly opposed. In the disasters which followed she maintained peace, while draining the land of men and money to aid her son in the East. At last her strength failed her. She fell ill into a bale of hay at
MelunMelun is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris from the center...
in November 1252, and was taken to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, but lived only a few days. She was buried at Maubuisson.
Issue
- Blanche (1205–1206).
- Agnes (b. and d. 1207).
- Philippe (9 September 1209 – July 1218), married (or only betrothed) in 1217 to Agnes of Donzy.
- Alphonse (b. and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 23 January 1213).
- John (b. and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 23 January 1213), twin of Alphonse.
- Louis IX
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was a member of the House of Capet, the son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile...
(Poissy, 25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270, Tunis), King of France as successor to his father.
- Robert
Robert I , called the Good, was the first Count of Artois, the fifth son of Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile. He received Artois as an appanage, in accordance with the will of his father on attaining his majority in 1237...
(25 September 1216 – 9 February 1250, killed in battle, Manssurah, Egypt)
- Philippe (2 January 1218–1220).
- John Tristan (21 July 1219–1232), Count of Anjou and Maine.
- Alphonse
Alfonso or Alphonse was the Count of Poitou from 1225 and Count of Toulouse from 1247.Alphonse was a son of Louis VIII, King of France and Blanche of Castile...
(Poissy, 11 November 1220 – 21 August 1271, Corneto), Count of Poitou and Auvergne, and by marriage, of Toulouse.
- Philippe Dagobert (20 February 1222–1232).
- Isabel (14 April 1225 – 23 February 1269).
- Charles
Charles I , commonly called Charles of Anjou, was the King of Sicily by conquest from 1266, though he had received it as a papal grant in 1262 and was expelled from the island in the aftermath of the Sicilian Vespers of 1282...
Etienne (21 March 1226 – 7 January 1285), Count of Anjou and Maine, by marriage Count of Provence and Folcalquier, and King of Sicily.
Literature
Besides the works of Joinville and William of Nangis, see Élie Berger, "Histoire de Blanche de Castille, reine de France," in
Bibliothèque des écoles francaises d’Athènes et de Rome, vol. lxx. (Paris, 1895);
Le Nain de TillemontLouis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont was a French ecclesiastical historian.He was born in Paris into a wealthy Jansenist family, and was educated at the Petites écoles of Port-Royal, where his historical interests were formed and encouraged...
, "Vie de Saint Louis," ed. by J. de Gaulle for the
Société de l'histoire de FranceThe Société de l'histoire de France was established in 1833 at the instigation of the French minister of Public Instruction, François Guizot, in order to contribute to the renewal of scholarship fuelled by a widespread interest in national history, typical of the Romantic period...
(6 vols., 1847-1851); and Paulin Paris, "Nouvelles recherches sur les mœurs de la reine Blanche et de Thibaud," in
Cabinet historique (1858).
In Popular Culture
An image of Blanche of Castille has been used on the home kit of French
Rugby UnionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
team Stade Francais since the 2008 Season.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/3152689/Stade-Francais-kit-for-Heineken-Cup-inspired-by-Andy-Warhol.html
Ancestry
Blanche of Castile (
Blanca de Castilla in
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
; 4 March 1188 – 26 November 1252), wife of
Louis VIII of FranceLouis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut...
. She was born in
PalenciaPalencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. The municipality had a population of 82,626 in 2008....
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, the third daughter of
Alfonso VIIIAlfonso VIII , called the Noble or el de las Navas, was the King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. He is most remembered for his part in the Reconquista and the downfall of the Almohad Caliphate...
, king of Castile, and of Eleanor of England. Eleanor was a daughter of
Henry II of EnglandHenry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France...
and his
Queen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles...
Eleanor of AquitaineEleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages...
.
Biography
In consequence of a treaty between
Philip AugustusPhilip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
and
John of EnglandJohn , King of England, reigned from 6 April 1199 until his death. He acceded to the throne as the younger brother of King Richard I, who died without issue...
, Blanche's sister Urraca was betrothed to the former's son, Louis. Their grandmother Eleanor, upon getting acquainted with the two sisters, judged that Blanche's personality was more fit for a queen of France. In the spring of 1200 she brought her to France instead. On 22 May 1200 the treaty was finally signed, John ceding with his niece the fiefs of
IssoudunIssoudun is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.-History:...
and
GracayGraçay is a commune and chief town of a cantonin the Cher département of the Centre region of France.-Geography:It is a farming area comprising the small town and several hamlets, on the right bank of the Fouzon river, situated some southwest of Vierzon at the junction of the D68, D19, D83 and...
, together with those that
André de ChauvignyAndre de Chauvigny or Andrew of Chauvigny was a Poitevin knight in the service of Richard I of England. He was the second son of Pierre-Helie of Chauvigny and Haois of Chatellerault. Haois was the great-aunt of King Richard making Andrew and Richard relatives.-Richard the Lion-Hearted:Pierre-Helie...
, lord of Châteauroux, held in
BerryBerry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on March 4, 1790....
, of the English crown. The marriage was celebrated the next day, at Portmort on the right bank of the
SeineThe Seine is a slow-flowing major river and commercial waterway within the regions of Île-de-France and Haute-Normandie in France and famous as a romantic backdrop in photographs of Paris, France. It is also a tourist attraction, with excursion boats offering sightseeing tours of the Rive Droite...
, in John's domains, as those of Philip lay under an interdict.
Blanche first displayed her great qualities in 1216, when Louis, who on the death of John claimed the English crown in her right, invaded England, only to find a united nation against him. Philip Augustus refused to help his son, and Blanche was his sole support. The queen established herself at
CalaisCalais is a town in northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
and organized two fleets, one of which was commanded by
Eustace the MonkEustace the Monk was a mercenary and pirate, in the tradition of medieval outlaws.-Early life:Eustace was born a younger son of Baudoin Busket, a lord of the county of Boulogne...
, and an army under
Robert of CourtenayRobert of Courtenay , emperor of the Latin Empire, or of Constantinople, was a younger son of the emperor Peter II of Courtenay, and a descendant of the French king, Louis VI, while his mother Yolanda of Flanders was a sister of Baldwin and Henry of Flanders, the first and second emperors of the...
; but all her resolution and energy were in vain. Although it would seem that her masterful temper exercised a sensible influence upon her husband's gentler character, her role during his reign (1223-1226) is not well known.
Upon his death he left Blanche
regentA regent, from the Latin regens "reigning", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Thus, the common use is for an acting deputy governor....
and guardian of his children. Of her twelve or thirteen children, six had died, and Louis, the heir – afterwards the sainted
Louis IXLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was a member of the House of Capet, the son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile...
– was but twelve years old.
The situation was critical, for the hard-won domains of the house of Capet seemed likely to fall to pieces during a minority. Blanche had to bear the whole burden of affairs alone, to break up a league of the barons (1226), and to repel the attack of the king of England (1230). But her energy and firmness overcame all dangers.
There was an end to the calumnies circulated against her, based on the poetical homage rendered her by Count Theobald IV of Champagne, a.k.a. King
Theobald I of NavarreTheobald I , called the Troubadour, the Chansonnier, and the Posthumous, was Count of Champagne from birth and King of Navarre from 1234...
since 1234, and the prolonged stay in Paris of the papal legate,
Romano BonaventuraRomano Bonaventura , also listed as Romano Papareschi, which strongly suggests that he came from the Roman family, probably of the rione Trastevere, that produced Gregorio Papareschi , Pope Innocent II, was a Catholic Christian prelate, Cardinal deacon of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria , bishop of...
, cardinal of Sant' Angelo.
The nobles were awed by her warlike preparations or won over by adroit diplomacy, and their league was broken up. St Louis owed his realm to his mother, but he himself always remained somewhat under the spell of her imperious personality.
After he came of age, in 1234, aged 20, her influence upon him may still be traced. The same year, he was married, and Blanche became
Queen motherQueen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in England since at least 1577...
. Louis IX married Marguerite of Provence, who was the eldest of four daughters of Ramon, count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy. In 1248 Blanche again became Queen regent, during Louis IX's absence on the crusade, a project which she had strongly opposed. In the disasters which followed she maintained peace, while draining the land of men and money to aid her son in the East. At last her strength failed her. She fell ill into a bale of hay at
MelunMelun is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris from the center...
in November 1252, and was taken to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, but lived only a few days. She was buried at Maubuisson.
Issue
- Blanche (1205–1206).
- Agnes (b. and d. 1207).
- Philippe (9 September 1209 – July 1218), married (or only betrothed) in 1217 to Agnes of Donzy.
- Alphonse (b. and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 23 January 1213).
- John (b. and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 23 January 1213), twin of Alphonse.
- Louis IX
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was a member of the House of Capet, the son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile...
(Poissy, 25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270, Tunis), King of France as successor to his father.
- Robert
Robert I , called the Good, was the first Count of Artois, the fifth son of Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile. He received Artois as an appanage, in accordance with the will of his father on attaining his majority in 1237...
(25 September 1216 – 9 February 1250, killed in battle, Manssurah, Egypt)
- Philippe (2 January 1218–1220).
- John Tristan (21 July 1219–1232), Count of Anjou and Maine.
- Alphonse
Alfonso or Alphonse was the Count of Poitou from 1225 and Count of Toulouse from 1247.Alphonse was a son of Louis VIII, King of France and Blanche of Castile...
(Poissy, 11 November 1220 – 21 August 1271, Corneto), Count of Poitou and Auvergne, and by marriage, of Toulouse.
- Philippe Dagobert (20 February 1222–1232).
- Isabel (14 April 1225 – 23 February 1269).
- Charles
Charles I , commonly called Charles of Anjou, was the King of Sicily by conquest from 1266, though he had received it as a papal grant in 1262 and was expelled from the island in the aftermath of the Sicilian Vespers of 1282...
Etienne (21 March 1226 – 7 January 1285), Count of Anjou and Maine, by marriage Count of Provence and Folcalquier, and King of Sicily.
Literature
Besides the works of Joinville and William of Nangis, see Élie Berger, "Histoire de Blanche de Castille, reine de France," in
Bibliothèque des écoles francaises d’Athènes et de Rome, vol. lxx. (Paris, 1895);
Le Nain de TillemontLouis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont was a French ecclesiastical historian.He was born in Paris into a wealthy Jansenist family, and was educated at the Petites écoles of Port-Royal, where his historical interests were formed and encouraged...
, "Vie de Saint Louis," ed. by J. de Gaulle for the
Société de l'histoire de FranceThe Société de l'histoire de France was established in 1833 at the instigation of the French minister of Public Instruction, François Guizot, in order to contribute to the renewal of scholarship fuelled by a widespread interest in national history, typical of the Romantic period...
(6 vols., 1847-1851); and Paulin Paris, "Nouvelles recherches sur les mœurs de la reine Blanche et de Thibaud," in
Cabinet historique (1858).
In Popular Culture
An image of Blanche of Castille has been used on the home kit of French
Rugby UnionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
team Stade Francais since the 2008 Season.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/3152689/Stade-Francais-kit-for-Heineken-Cup-inspired-by-Andy-Warhol.html
Ancestry
Blanche of Castile (
Blanca de Castilla in
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
; 4 March 1188 – 26 November 1252), wife of
Louis VIII of FranceLouis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut...
. She was born in
PalenciaPalencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. The municipality had a population of 82,626 in 2008....
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, the third daughter of
Alfonso VIIIAlfonso VIII , called the Noble or el de las Navas, was the King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. He is most remembered for his part in the Reconquista and the downfall of the Almohad Caliphate...
, king of Castile, and of Eleanor of England. Eleanor was a daughter of
Henry II of EnglandHenry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France...
and his
Queen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles...
Eleanor of AquitaineEleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages...
.
Biography
In consequence of a treaty between
Philip AugustusPhilip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
and
John of EnglandJohn , King of England, reigned from 6 April 1199 until his death. He acceded to the throne as the younger brother of King Richard I, who died without issue...
, Blanche's sister Urraca was betrothed to the former's son, Louis. Their grandmother Eleanor, upon getting acquainted with the two sisters, judged that Blanche's personality was more fit for a queen of France. In the spring of 1200 she brought her to France instead. On 22 May 1200 the treaty was finally signed, John ceding with his niece the fiefs of
IssoudunIssoudun is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.-History:...
and
GracayGraçay is a commune and chief town of a cantonin the Cher département of the Centre region of France.-Geography:It is a farming area comprising the small town and several hamlets, on the right bank of the Fouzon river, situated some southwest of Vierzon at the junction of the D68, D19, D83 and...
, together with those that
André de ChauvignyAndre de Chauvigny or Andrew of Chauvigny was a Poitevin knight in the service of Richard I of England. He was the second son of Pierre-Helie of Chauvigny and Haois of Chatellerault. Haois was the great-aunt of King Richard making Andrew and Richard relatives.-Richard the Lion-Hearted:Pierre-Helie...
, lord of Châteauroux, held in
BerryBerry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on March 4, 1790....
, of the English crown. The marriage was celebrated the next day, at Portmort on the right bank of the
SeineThe Seine is a slow-flowing major river and commercial waterway within the regions of Île-de-France and Haute-Normandie in France and famous as a romantic backdrop in photographs of Paris, France. It is also a tourist attraction, with excursion boats offering sightseeing tours of the Rive Droite...
, in John's domains, as those of Philip lay under an interdict.
Blanche first displayed her great qualities in 1216, when Louis, who on the death of John claimed the English crown in her right, invaded England, only to find a united nation against him. Philip Augustus refused to help his son, and Blanche was his sole support. The queen established herself at
CalaisCalais is a town in northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
and organized two fleets, one of which was commanded by
Eustace the MonkEustace the Monk was a mercenary and pirate, in the tradition of medieval outlaws.-Early life:Eustace was born a younger son of Baudoin Busket, a lord of the county of Boulogne...
, and an army under
Robert of CourtenayRobert of Courtenay , emperor of the Latin Empire, or of Constantinople, was a younger son of the emperor Peter II of Courtenay, and a descendant of the French king, Louis VI, while his mother Yolanda of Flanders was a sister of Baldwin and Henry of Flanders, the first and second emperors of the...
; but all her resolution and energy were in vain. Although it would seem that her masterful temper exercised a sensible influence upon her husband's gentler character, her role during his reign (1223-1226) is not well known.
Upon his death he left Blanche
regentA regent, from the Latin regens "reigning", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Thus, the common use is for an acting deputy governor....
and guardian of his children. Of her twelve or thirteen children, six had died, and Louis, the heir – afterwards the sainted
Louis IXLouis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was a member of the House of Capet, the son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile...
– was but twelve years old.
The situation was critical, for the hard-won domains of the house of Capet seemed likely to fall to pieces during a minority. Blanche had to bear the whole burden of affairs alone, to break up a league of the barons (1226), and to repel the attack of the king of England (1230). But her energy and firmness overcame all dangers.
There was an end to the calumnies circulated against her, based on the poetical homage rendered her by Count Theobald IV of Champagne, a.k.a. King
Theobald I of NavarreTheobald I , called the Troubadour, the Chansonnier, and the Posthumous, was Count of Champagne from birth and King of Navarre from 1234...
since 1234, and the prolonged stay in Paris of the papal legate,
Romano BonaventuraRomano Bonaventura , also listed as Romano Papareschi, which strongly suggests that he came from the Roman family, probably of the rione Trastevere, that produced Gregorio Papareschi , Pope Innocent II, was a Catholic Christian prelate, Cardinal deacon of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria , bishop of...
, cardinal of Sant' Angelo.
The nobles were awed by her warlike preparations or won over by adroit diplomacy, and their league was broken up. St Louis owed his realm to his mother, but he himself always remained somewhat under the spell of her imperious personality.
After he came of age, in 1234, aged 20, her influence upon him may still be traced. The same year, he was married, and Blanche became
Queen motherQueen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in England since at least 1577...
. Louis IX married Marguerite of Provence, who was the eldest of four daughters of Ramon, count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy. In 1248 Blanche again became Queen regent, during Louis IX's absence on the crusade, a project which she had strongly opposed. In the disasters which followed she maintained peace, while draining the land of men and money to aid her son in the East. At last her strength failed her. She fell ill into a bale of hay at
MelunMelun is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris from the center...
in November 1252, and was taken to
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, but lived only a few days. She was buried at Maubuisson.
Issue
- Blanche (1205–1206).
- Agnes (b. and d. 1207).
- Philippe (9 September 1209 – July 1218), married (or only betrothed) in 1217 to Agnes of Donzy.
- Alphonse (b. and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 23 January 1213).
- John (b. and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 23 January 1213), twin of Alphonse.
- Louis IX
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was a member of the House of Capet, the son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile...
(Poissy, 25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270, Tunis), King of France as successor to his father.
- Robert
Robert I , called the Good, was the first Count of Artois, the fifth son of Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile. He received Artois as an appanage, in accordance with the will of his father on attaining his majority in 1237...
(25 September 1216 – 9 February 1250, killed in battle, Manssurah, Egypt)
- Philippe (2 January 1218–1220).
- John Tristan (21 July 1219–1232), Count of Anjou and Maine.
- Alphonse
Alfonso or Alphonse was the Count of Poitou from 1225 and Count of Toulouse from 1247.Alphonse was a son of Louis VIII, King of France and Blanche of Castile...
(Poissy, 11 November 1220 – 21 August 1271, Corneto), Count of Poitou and Auvergne, and by marriage, of Toulouse.
- Philippe Dagobert (20 February 1222–1232).
- Isabel (14 April 1225 – 23 February 1269).
- Charles
Charles I , commonly called Charles of Anjou, was the King of Sicily by conquest from 1266, though he had received it as a papal grant in 1262 and was expelled from the island in the aftermath of the Sicilian Vespers of 1282...
Etienne (21 March 1226 – 7 January 1285), Count of Anjou and Maine, by marriage Count of Provence and Folcalquier, and King of Sicily.
Literature
Besides the works of Joinville and William of Nangis, see Élie Berger, "Histoire de Blanche de Castille, reine de France," in
Bibliothèque des écoles francaises d’Athènes et de Rome, vol. lxx. (Paris, 1895);
Le Nain de TillemontLouis-Sébastien Le Nain de Tillemont was a French ecclesiastical historian.He was born in Paris into a wealthy Jansenist family, and was educated at the Petites écoles of Port-Royal, where his historical interests were formed and encouraged...
, "Vie de Saint Louis," ed. by J. de Gaulle for the
Société de l'histoire de FranceThe Société de l'histoire de France was established in 1833 at the instigation of the French minister of Public Instruction, François Guizot, in order to contribute to the renewal of scholarship fuelled by a widespread interest in national history, typical of the Romantic period...
(6 vols., 1847-1851); and Paulin Paris, "Nouvelles recherches sur les mœurs de la reine Blanche et de Thibaud," in
Cabinet historique (1858).
In Popular Culture
An image of Blanche of Castille has been used on the home kit of French
Rugby UnionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
team Stade Francais since the 2008 Season.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/3152689/Stade-Francais-kit-for-Heineken-Cup-inspired-by-Andy-Warhol.html
Ancestry
Ancestors of Blanche of Castile