| Blanche I | |
|---|---|
 Sculpture of Blanche I in the church ofSanta María la Real, Olite | |
| Queen of Navarre | |
| Reign | 8 September 1425 – 1 April 1441 |
| Coronation | 15/18 May 1429 (Pamplona) |
| Predecessor | Charles III |
| Successor | Charles IV |
| Co-ruler | John II |
| Queen consort of Sicily | |
| Tenure | 26 December 1402 – 25 July 1409 |
| Regent of Sicily | |
| Regency | 1404–1405 and 1408–1415 |
| Monarchs | See
|
| Born | 6 July 1387 Pamplona,Kingdom of Navarre |
| Died | 1 April 1441(1441-04-01) (aged 53) Santa María la Real de Nieva, Kingdom of Castile |
| Burial | |
| Spouses | |
| Issue among others... | |
| House | Évreux |
| Father | Charles III of Navarre |
| Mother | Eleanor of Castile |
| Signature |  |
Blanche I (Spanish:Blanca de Navarra,Basque:Blanka; 6 July 1387[1] – 1 April 1441) wasQueen of Navarre from the death of her father,King Charles III, in 1425 until her own death. She had beenQueen of Sicily from 1402 to 1409 by marriage toKing Martin I, serving asregent ofSicily from 1404 to 1405 and from 1408 to 1415.
Blanche was the second eldest daughter of King Charles III of Navarre[2] andinfanta Eleanor of Castile.[3] She became the heiress to the throne of Navarre on the death of her elder sister,Joan, in 1413.
Blanche married firstlyMartin the Younger,King of Sicily and Prince ofAragon.[2] They were married by proxy on 21 May 1402 inCatania. Blanche traveled to meet Martin, and they were married in person on 26 December 1402. The bride was about 15 years old and the groom 28.
Martin had been in need of legitimate heirs, as he had survived his previous wife and former co-ruler, QueenMaria of Sicily, and their only son. From October 1404 to August 1405, she served as regent of Sicily during the absence of her spouse in Aragon.
From August 1408 to July 1409, she served as regent of Sicily during the absence of her spouse in Sardinia. When Martin died on 25 July 1409, he was succeeded by his own father,Martin I of Aragon.[4] Her former father-in-law allowed her to continue as regent of Sicily, which she did also after his death,[5] during the years of succession struggle in Aragon. She was a popular regent in Sicily, where she was seen as a symbol of Sicilian independence against Aragon. There were plans to marry her to Nicolás Peralta, a descendant of the Sicilian royal house, and thereby restore the Sicilian royal house with her and Nicolás as king and queen.
With the victory ofFerdinand I in Aragon, Blanche lost her regency power in Sicily, which was annexed to Aragon in November 1415, and left for Navarre.
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Upon her return to Navarre, Blanche was sworn in as heir to the throne inOlite the 28 October 1415 and was given allegiance by the lords. On 6 November 1419, Blanche married her second husband,John,[2] duke of Peñafiel, the second son ofFerdinand I of Aragon andEleanor of Alburquerque, by proxy in Olite. Ferdinand had succeeded his maternal uncleMartin I in 1412.
John travelled to meet her. On 10 July 1420, they were married in person inPamplona. The couple first lived in Peñafiel, but were called to live in Navarre by her father in 1422.
Charles III died on 8 September 1425 and Blanche succeeded him asQueen regnant of Navarre.[2] John became King of Navarre in her right as John II,[2] and the couple were crowned together in Pamplona 15 May 1429.
Juan Vélaz de Medrano, Lord of Igúzquiza, royalchamberlain of the KingJohn II of Aragon, accompanied Queen Blanche I on apilgrimage toSanta María del Pilar in 1433. During this pilgrimage, they all wore mantles displaying the Pillar'slivery. She used this occasion to establish a brotherhood inspired bychivalric traditions, admitting the prince, fifteen men, and nine women. Members wore blue sashes adorned with a gold pillar enameled in white, encircled by the motto "A ti me arrimo" (I lean on you). They committed to regularfasting,vigil observances,prayer, and givingalms.[6]
Blanche died inSanta María la Real de Nieva in 1441. After her death, John kept the government ofNavarre in his own hands, from the hands of their own sonCharles of Viana, the rightful heir of the line of Navarrese kings. He would becomeKing of Aragon andKing of Sicily upon the death of his elder brotherAlfonso V of Aragon in 1458.
Blanche andMartin had one child together:
Blanche andJohn II of Aragon had four children together:
TheSpanish Navyscrew frigateReina Blanca, often called simplyBlanca,commissioned in 1859 and scrapped in 1893, was named for Blanche I of Navarre.
Blanche I of Navarre Cadet branch of theCapetian dynasty Born: 6 July 1387 Died: 1 April 1441 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Queen regnant of Navarre 8 September 1425 – 1 April 1441 With:John II | Succeeded by |
| Royal titles | ||
| Preceded by | Queen consort of Sicily 26 December 1402 – 25 July 1409 | Succeeded by |
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