Blanche of France, Duchess of Orléans

Blanche of France was the posthumous daughter of Charles IV of France

Charles IV of France

Charles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....

 by his third wife Jeanne d'Évreux

Jeanne d'Evreux

Jeanne d'Évreux was the third wife of King Charles IV of France, daughter of his uncle Louis d'Évreux and Margaret of Artois. She bore no male heir, thus "causing" the end of the direct line of the Capetian dynasty. Because she was his first cousin, the couple required papal permission to marry...

.

Marriage

Blanche married on 8 January 1345 to her cousin Philip of Valois, Duke of Orléans

Philip of Valois, Duke of Orléans

Philip of Valois , Duke of Orléans, of Touraine and Count of Valois, the fifth son of Philip VI of France of Valois, King of France, and Joan the Lame....

 (1336–1375), son of Philip VI of France

Philip VI of France

Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...

 and Joan the Lame

Joan the Lame

Joan of Burgundy , also known as Joan the Lame , was Queen consort of France as the first wife of Philip VI...

. They had no children but Philip had illegitimate children.

Philip died in 1376, his title and lands returning to the royal domain.

Blanche died in 1382 and is buried in the chapel of Notre-Dame in the Basilica of St Denis.

Succession

As with his brother before him, Charles IV died without a male heir, thus ending the direct line of the Capetian dynasty

Capetian dynasty

The Capetian dynasty , also known as the House of France, is the largest and oldest European royal house, consisting of the descendants of King Hugh Capet of France in the male line. Hugh Capet himself was a cognatic descendant of the Carolingians and the Merovingians, earlier rulers of France...

. Twelve years earlier, a rule against succession by females, arguably derived from the Salic Law, had been recognized as controlling succession to the French throne. Application of this rule barred Charles' 1-year-old daughter Mary by his third wife, Jeanne d'Évreux

Jeanne d'Evreux

Jeanne d'Évreux was the third wife of King Charles IV of France, daughter of his uncle Louis d'Évreux and Margaret of Artois. She bore no male heir, thus "causing" the end of the direct line of the Capetian dynasty. Because she was his first cousin, the couple required papal permission to marry...

, from succeeding as the monarch. Jeanne was also pregnant at the time of his death. Since it could have been possible that she would give birth to a son, a regency was set up with the heir presumptive Philip of Valois, a member of the House of Valois (the next-most-senior branch of the Capetian dynasty), being the regent. After two months, Jeanne gave birth to Blanche. The regent thus became the King and in May was consecrated and crowned Philip VI. At this time, a further rule of succession, again arguably based on the Salic Law, was recognized as forbidding not only inheritance by a woman, but also inheritance through a female line.

Ancestors

Blanche's ancestors in three generations

Blanche of France	Father: Charles IV of France Charles IV of France Charles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....	Paternal Grandfather: Philip IV of France Philip IV of France Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...	Paternal Great-Grandfather: Philip III of France Philip III of France Philip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Isabella of Aragon Isabella of Aragon Isabella of Aragon , infanta of Aragon, was, by marriage, Queen consort of France in the Middle Ages from 1270 to 1271.-Life:...
		Paternal Grandmother: Joan I of Navarre Joan I of Navarre Joan I , the daughter of king Henry I of Navarre and Blanche of Artois, reigned as queen regnant of Navarre and also served as queen consort of France.-Life:...	Paternal Great-Grandfather: Henry I of Navarre Henry I of Navarre Henry I the Fat was the Count of Champagne and Brie and King of Navarre from 1270...
			Paternal Great-Grandmother: Blanche of Artois Blanche of Artois Blanche of Artois was the queen consort of Navarre; after her husband Henry I of Navarre's death, she served as regent from 1274 to 1284 on behalf of her daughter, Joan I...
	Mother: Jeanne d'Évreux Jeanne d'Evreux Jeanne d'Évreux was the third wife of King Charles IV of France, daughter of his uncle Louis d'Évreux and Margaret of Artois. She bore no male heir, thus "causing" the end of the direct line of the Capetian dynasty. Because she was his first cousin, the couple required papal permission to marry...	Maternal Grandfather: Louis d'Évreux Louis d'Évreux Louis of France, Count of Évreux was the third son of King Philip III the Bold and his second wife Maria of Brabant, and half-brother of King Philip IV the Fair....	Maternal Great-Grandfather: Philip III of France
			Maternal Great-Grandmother: Maria of Brabant
		Maternal Grandmother: Margaret of Artois Margaret of Artois Margaret of Artois was the eldest child of Philip of Artois and his wife, Blanche of Brittany. She was a member of the House of Artois. She was married to Louis d'Évreux, her daughters all made good political marriages...	Maternal Great-grandfather: Philip of Artois Philip of Artois Philip of Artois was the son of Robert II of Artois, Count of Artois and Amicie de Courtenay. He was the Lord of Conches, Nonancourt, and Domfront....
			Maternal Great-Grandmother: Blanche of Brittany Blanche of Brittany Blanche of Brittany was a daughter of John II, Duke of Brittany and his wife Beatrice of England. She is also known as Blanche de Dreux...