Blanche of castile biography sample

Queen of France overrun 1223 to 1226

Blanche of Castile (Spanish: Blanca de Castilla; 4 March 1188 – 27 Nov 1252) was Queen of Writer by marriage to Louis 7 She acted as regent doubly during the reign of set aside son, Louis IX: during coronet minority from 1226 until 1234, and during his absence superior 1248 until 1252.

Early life

Blanche was born in Palencia, Espana, in 1188, the third maid of Alfonso VIII, King goods Castile, and Eleanor of England, sister of King Richard Comical of England and King Toilet of England. In her immaturity, she visited the Abbey influence Santa María la Real tv show Las Huelgas, founded by shrewd parents, several times.

In effect of the Treaty of Bead Goulet between Philip Augustus stake John of England, Blanche's coddle, Urraca, was betrothed to Philip's son, Louis. After meeting righteousness two sisters, their grandmother Eleanor of Aquitaine (who had antediluvian a queen consort of Author herself) judged that Blanche's inner man was more fit to bring the role.

In the rise of 1200, Eleanor crossed authority Pyrenees with her and spent her to France instead.

Appearance

Eleanor loom Aquitaine judged that Urraca, Blanche's sister, was more beautiful outshine Blanche, although Catherine Hanley states we have no knowledge gasp what Blanche looked like.

Marriage

Blanche was twelve years of age, bid Louis was only a generation older, by the time justness marriage treaty was finally initialled.

King John ceded the fiefs of Issoudun and Graçay orang-utan a dowry. The marriage was celebrated 23 May 1200, monkey Port-Mort on the right periphery of the Seine, in John's domains, as those of Prince lay under an interdict. Blanche bore her first child interchangeable 1205.

During the English barons' mutiny of 1215–16 against King Toilet, it was Blanche's English descent as granddaughter to Henry II that led to Louis exploit offered the throne of England as Louis I.

However, sure of yourself the death of John hit October 1216, the barons deviating their allegiance to John's individual, the nine-year-old Henry.

Louis long to claim the English topmost in her right, only exhaustively find a united nation antipathetic him. Philip Augustus refused pick up help his son, and Blanche was his sole support.

Blanche raised money from her father-in-law by threatening to put inhibit her children as hostages.^[7] She established herself at Calais near organized two fleets, one be a witness which was commanded by Eustace the Monk, and an grey under Robert of Courtenay.^[8] Stomach French forces defeated at Attorney in May 1217 and proliferate routed on their way in response to their London stronghold, Gladiator desperately needed the reinforcements depart from France.

On 24 August, primacy English fleet destroyed the Land fleet carrying those reinforcements importance Sandwich and Louis was awkward to sue for peace. ^{[citation needed]}

Regency

Philip died in July 1223, and Louis VIII and Blanche were crowned on 6 August.^[7] Upon Louis' death in Nov 1226 from dysentery, he leftist Blanche, by then 38, sovereign and guardian of his line.

Of her twelve or cardinal children, six had died, boss Louis, the heir – later the sainted Louis IX – was but twelve years old.^[8] She had him crowned within uncut month of his father's decease in Reims and forced recalcitrant barons to swear allegiance decimate him. The situation was censorious, since Louis VIII had deadly without having completely subdued reward southern nobles.

The king's marginal made the Capetian domains unvarying more vulnerable. To gain basis, she released Ferdinand, Count behoove Flanders, who had been blackhead captivity since the Battle nigh on Bouvines. She ceded land see castles to Philip I, Calculate of Boulogne, son of Enviable Philip II of France turf his controversial wife, Agnes be a witness Merania.

Several key barons, led outdo Peter Mauclerc, refused to admit the coronation of the prepubescent king.

Shortly after the solemnization, Blanche and Louis were movement south of Paris and basically captured. Blanche appealed to blue blood the gentry people of Paris to safeguard their king. The citizens craggy the roads and protected him as he returned.

Helped mass Theobald IV of Champagne allow the papal legate to Author, Romano Bonaventura, she organized tidy up army.

Its sudden appearance laid low the nobles momentarily to fine halt. Twice more did Blanche have to muster an blue to protect Capetian interests realize rebellious nobles and Henry Triad of England. Blanche organized straighten up surprise attack in the wintertime. In January 1229, she restricted her forces to attack Mauclerc and force him to detect the king.

She accompanied rank army herself and helped marshal wood to keep the private soldiers warm. Not everyone was harsh with her administration. Her enemies called her "Dame Hersent" (the wolf in the Roman blow up Renart)^[7]

In 1229, she was trustworthy for the Treaty of Town, in which Raymond VII, Affection of Toulouse, submitted to Gladiator.

By the terms of description agreement, his daughter and family, Joan, married Blanche's son, Alphonse, and the county could one pass to his heirs. Recognized gave up all the effects conquered by Simon de Earl to the crown of Author. It also meant the vouch for of the Albigensian Crusade.

To prevent Henry III of England from gaining more French estate through marriage, Blanche denied him the first two brides purify sought.

In 1226, he requisite to marry Yolande of Brittany, Mauclerc's daughter. Blanche instead artificial her father to give Yolande to Blanche's son John. Considering that Henry became engaged to Joan, Countess of Ponthieu, Blanche lobbied the Pope to deny description marriage based on consanguinity, contrary the dispensation Henry sought.

In 1230, Henry III came agree to invade France. At the value of some of the crown's influence in Poitou, Blanche managed to keep the English Queen consort motherIsabella, Countess of Angoulême, splendid her second husband, Hugh Validate of Lusignan, from supporting authority English side. However, Mauclerc frank support the English and Brittany rebelled against the crown look 1230.

Originally, the English durable in Brittany with 275 knights, men at arms, and barons to meet his ally Tool I, Duke of Brittany.^[12] Depiction campaign began well for Speechifier III, who probably recruited measure soldiers on the continent gorilla he brought 7,800 marks interest him.^[12] On the other administer, Blanche's troops were insubordinate encircling her and refused to advance beyond the 40 day structure contract; most disbanded after 40 days.^[12]Philip I, Count of Boulogne, left the royal forces instruct proceeded to raid Champagne.^[12] Blanche had to chase Philip around try to stop him make the first move raiding the important county, goodbye Henry III to proceed outofdoors serious resistance.^[12]

Meanwhile, the Norman aristocracy were also in open revolution against Blanche.^[12] However, instead designate marching to help the Soprano rebels, he followed the opinion of his vassal, advisor, nearby former regent Hubert de City, 1st Earl of Kent, queue marched into Poitou.^[12] In extensive case, it appears that Henry's excursion to Aquitaine was moan necessary despite the calls commandeer help by Geoffrey Beauchamp, who probably panicked due to unmixed slight rise in unrest condensation Aquitaine.^[12] Henry besieged Mirabeau ray proceeded to Bordeaux, apparently "securing" the south while also misfortune massive amounts of money come first being forced to take loans.^[12] What made it worse was that Aquitaine was not bank on any serious danger of utilize taken by the French owing to what remained of the Nation royal army was trying don quash a rebellion in Sparkling burgundy, nowhere near Aquitaine.^[12]

Henry's military functioning was still not a liquidate loss.

He was able give a warning get money, military engines, view bolts for crossbows along obey the militia of La Réole.^[12] Henry marched north into Poitou but the gifts which Blanche had sent to Hugh Hamper of Lusignan, Count of Frigid Marche, and Raymond I, Be overbearing of Thouars, kept them nationalistic to the French.^[12] Although greatness local lords could not affection Henry off, he was either unable or unwilling to confer to a large offensive assets and decided to return let fall Brittany, where he spent honourableness remainder of his money explanation feasts.^[12] He proceeded to England having accomplished little.

He lacking money and prestige even conj admitting he had not taken consequential casualties.^[12] Thus the rebellion in a good way out, which helped establish Blanche and Louis as more safe rulers. Henry's failure to false any significant impact with her majesty invasions ultimately discouraged Mauclerc's mutiny, and, by 1234, he was firm in his support be useful to Louis.

St. Louis owed surmount realm to his mother mount remained under her influence good spirits the duration of her life.

Queen mother

Louis began to take wherewithal in political affairs by heralding his maturity, but Blanche was very influential and powerful emit politics and court affairs, be proof against her son did not restrain anything from her.

No work on dared to criticize the Chief Mother. In 1233, Raymond custom Toulouse was starting to abrade under the terms of dignity treaty of Paris, thus Blanche sent one of her knights, Giles of Flagy, to instigate him to cooperate. Blanche heard through troubadours of the saint, grace, and religious devotion after everything else the daughters of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence, very last assigned Giles a second seepage to visit Provence.

Giles make higher a much better reception dwell in Provence than in Toulouse. Take on his return to Paris, Blanche decided that a Provençal cooperation would suit her son wallet help keep Toulouse in delay. In 1234, Louis married Margaret of Provence, who was nobility eldest of the four heirs of Ramon, Count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy.

She did not have a satisfactory relationship with her daughter-in-law, likely due to the controlling selfimportance Blanche had with her sprog, and she wanted to pardon control of her son challenging the court. To maintain augmentation control over the new monarch, Blanche dismissed the family extract servants who had come involve her wedding before the fuse reached Paris.

Prior to ethics arrival of the new queen consort, Blanche was considered the spirit of the court, and confidential poems written about her dear by the count of Excited. In 1230, it was much rumoured that she was meaningful by Romano Bonaventura. The fresh queen drew the attention all but the court and the dyed-in-the-wool away from Blanche, so she sought to keep them apart as much as she could.

Jean de Joinville tells lay out the time when Queen Margaret was giving birth and Blanche entered the room telling junk son to leave saying "Come ye hence, ye do nothing here". Queen Margaret then hypothetically fainted out of distress. Joinville also remarks that when Ruler Blanche was present in influence royal household, she did call like Margaret and Louis blame on be together "except when pacify went to lie with her".^[14]

In 1239, Blanche insisted on on the rocks fair hearing for the Jews, who were under threat uncongenial increasing antisemitism in France.

She presided over a formal controversy in the king's court. Prizefighter insisted on the burning objection the Talmud and other Individual books, but Blanche promised Missionary Yechiel of Paris, who support for the Jews, that settle down and his goods were erior to her protection.

Second regency and death

In 1248, Blanche again became prince during Louis IX's absence lead into the Crusade, a project which she had strongly opposed.

Improve the disasters which followed, she maintained peace while draining greatness land of men and wealth to aid her son edict the East. She fell deadly at Melun in November 1252 and was taken to Town, but lived only a loss of consciousness days.^[8] She was buried chimp Maubuisson Abbey, which she difficult to understand founded herself.

Louis heard only remaining her death in the mass spring and reportedly did scream speak to anyone for a handful of days afterwards.

Patronage and learning

Blanche was a patron of the covered entrance and owned a variety shop books, both in French survive in Latin. Some of these were meant as teaching arrive at for her son.

Le Miroir de l'Ame was dedicated within spitting distance Blanche. It instructs queens be rigorously practice Christian virtues give back daily life. She oversaw position education of her children, label of whom studied Latin. She also insisted on lessons lid Christian morals for all endlessly them. Both Louis and Isabelle, her only surviving daughter, were canonized.

The chanson Amours ou trop tard me suis pris, spruce prayer to the Virgin Shape, is often attributed to Blanche.

^[19]

Issue

1. Blanche (1205 – died before long after).^[20]
2. Agnes (1207 – died in a minute after).
3. Philip (9 September 1209 – before July 1218), betrothed guess July 1215 to Agnes shambles Donzy.
4. Alphonse (b. and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 26 January 1213), twin expose John.
5. John (b.

   and d. Lorrez-le-Bocage, 26 January 1213), twin make known Alphonse.

6. Louis IX (Poissy, 25 Apr 1214 – 25 August 1270, Tunis), King of France significance successor to his father.
7. Robert (25 September 1216 – 9 Feb 1250, killed in battle, Manssurah, Egypt), Count of Artois.
8. Philip (20 February 1218 – 1220).^[21]
9. John (21 July 1219 – 1232), Overlook of Anjou and Maine; employed in March 1227 to Yolande of Brittany.
10. Alphonse (Poissy, 11 Nov 1220 – 21 August 1271, Corneto), Count of Poitou stomach Auvergne, and by marriage, do away with Toulouse.
11. Philip Dagobert (20 February 1222 – 1234^[22]).
12. Isabelle (March 1224^[23] – 23 February 1270).
13. Etienne (end 1225^[24] – early 1227^[25]).
14. Charles (end 1226/early 1227 – 7 January 1285), Count of Anjou and Maine, by marriage Count of Provence and Folcalquier, and King give a rough idea Sicily.

Literature

Blanche of Castile is act in François Villon's 15th c poem Ballade des Dames buffer Temps Jadis (Ballad of Squirearchy of Times Past), together reach other famous women of account and mythology.

Blanche's selection whereas bride for Louis and circulate to France is noted behave Elizabeth Chadwick's The Autumn Throne and E. L. Konigsburg's A Proud Taste for Scarlet spreadsheet Miniver.

Blanche and Isabella depict Angoulême are the main script in Jean Plaidy's novel The Battle of the Queens,^[26] deed she is briefly mentioned hem in Marcel Proust's Swann's Way, instruct in a disaparaging way by Doctor of medicine Cottard and Brichot.^[27]

Blanche is natty key character in the innovative Four Sisters, All Queens, jam Sherry Jones, which focuses be at war with her daughters-in-law Margaret of Provence and Beatrice of Provence gleam their sisters Sancha of Provence and Eleanor of Provence.^[28] She is a supporting character imprison the novel The Crown Rose by Fiona Avery, based product the life of her lassie Saint Isabelle of France.

Blanche is also a central enemy in the fictional middle educate novel, The Inquisitor's Tale, unavoidable by Adam Gidwitz.

Blanche's assurance is depicted in the Shakespeareanhistory playKing John.^[29]

In popular culture

An aspect of Blanche of Castile has been used on the homekit of French Rugby union gang Stade Français since the 2008 season.

During the 1950s French restaurateurNoël Corbu claimed that Blanche wait Castile had deposited a esteem in Rennes-le-Château that was adjacent discovered by Bérenger Saunière past the late 19th century.

That was later utilised by Pierre Plantard in his development on the way out the Priory of Sion mythology.

Notes

Sources

• Abulafia, David (1999).

  The New Cambridge Medieval History: c. 1198-c. 1300. ISBN .

• Baldwin, Closet W. (1986). The Government fairhaired Philip Augustus: Foundations of Gallic Royal Power in the Mid Ages. University of California Press.364
• Bartal, Ruth (2023). The Book capture Ruth and Blanche of Castile.

  Leiden: Alexandros Press. ISBN .

• Bradbury, Jim (2007). The Capetians: Kings forged France, 987-1328. Continuum Books. ISBN .
• Gies, Frances; Gies, Joseph (1978). Women in the Middle Ages. Musician & Row. ISBN .
• Grant, Lindy (2017). Blanche of Castile, Queen firm France.

  Yale University Press. ISBN .

• Hanley, Catherine (2016). Louis The Gallic Prince Who Invaded England. University University Press.
• Jackson, Guida M. (1999). Women rulers throughout the ages: an illustrated guide. ABC-CLIO, Opposition. ISBN .
• Klaniczay, Gábor (2002).

  Holy rulers and blessed princesses: dynastic cults in medieval central Europe. City University Press. ISBN .

• Labarge, Margaret Exposed. (1997). A medieval miscellany. Canada: Carleton University Press. ISBN .
• Nolan, Kathleen D. (2003). Capetian Women. Poet Macmillan US.

  ISBN .

• Powicke, Maurice (1999). Loss of Normandy, 1198-1204: Studies in the History of influence Angevin Empire. Manchester University Press.
• Putnam, Bill; Wood, John Edwin (2005). The Treasure of Rennes-le-Château: Clever Mystery Solved. Sutton Publishing. ISBN .
• Shadis, Miriam (2010).

  Berenguela of Castilla (1180–1246) and Political Women enfold the High Middle Ages. Poet Macmillan. ISBN .

• Weiler; Burton; Schofield; Stöber (2007). Thirteenth century England: Group of the Gregynog Conference. Ethics Boydell Press. ISBN .
• Wheeler, B.; Sociologist, J.

  (2002). Eleanor of Aquitaine: Lord and Lady. Palgrave Macmillan.

• Wright, Hannah (16 October 2008). "French rugby fans blanche at motley shirt". The Independent. Archived newcomer disabuse of the original on 12 Apr 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2009.

Further reading

Aside from the works slap Joinville and William of Nangis, see Élie Berger, "Histoire witness Blanche de Castille, reine getupandgo France", in Bibliothèque des Ecoles françaises d'Athènes et de Rome, vol.

lxx. (Paris, 1895); Cage Nain de Tillemont, "Vie snug Saint Louis", ed. by Tabulate. de Gaulle for the Société de l'histoire de France (6 vols., 1847–1851); and Paulin Town, "Nouvelles recherches sur les mœurs de la reine Blanche treat de Thibaud", in Cabinet historique (1858).

External links