| Catherine | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Queen of Navarre | |
| Reign | 7 January 1483 – 12 February 1517 |
| Coronation | 1494 |
| Predecessor | Francis Phoebus |
| Successor | Henry II |
| Co-ruler | John III (1484–1516) |
| Contender | Ferdinand II of Aragon (1512–1516) |
| Co-Princess of Andorra | |
| Reign | 1483–1517 |
| Predecessor | Francis Phoebus |
| Successor | Henry II |
| Co-rulers | See
|
| Born | 1468 |
| Died | 12 February 1517(1517-02-12) (aged 48–49) |
| Spouse | |
| Issue among others... | |
| House | Foix |
| Father | Gaston, Prince of Viana |
| Mother | Magdalena of France |
| Signature |  |
Catherine (Spanish:Catalina,Basque:Katalina,Occitan:Catarina; 1468 – 12 February 1517) wasQueen of Navarre from 1483 until 1517. She was also Duchess ofGandia,Montblanc, andPeñafiel, Countess ofFoix,Bigorre, andRibagorza, and Viscountess ofBéarn.[1]
Catherine was the younger daughter ofGaston of Foix, Prince ofViana, andMagdalena of Valois, the sister ofLouis XI of France. She was born and raised during the reign of her paternal great-grandfather,King John II, who was succeeded by her grandmotherEleanor in 1479. Their father having already died, the crown of Navarre devolved upon Catherine's brotherFrancis Phoebus upon their grandmother's death the same year.
In 1483 the death of Francis made Catherine queen under the regency of their mother. Her uncleJohn of Foix, appealing to theSalic Law alien to theKingdom of Navarre, claimed the throne and ignited acivil war (1483–1492) that reignited the old conflict of the Beaumont-Agramont parties. In 1484, hard pressed by ambitions over the throne of Navarre, Magdalena of Valois decided to marry 15-year-old Catherine toJohn of Albret, hailing from a noble family in western Gascony. This marriage was favored by many of Catherine's Iberian subjects and would have given Catherine much needed support in her fight against her uncle's claim.[2]
The wedding took place at the Notre Dâme Cathedral ofLescar in 1486,[3]: 75 but the coronation of the young couple in Pamplona was deferred until 1494, after a fleeting peace treaty withLouis of Beaumont, Count of Lerín, and Catherine's granduncle, King Ferdinand II of Aragon, was signed. However, the marriage did not garner the sympathy of the Navarrese Beaumont party, always preferringIsabella I of Castile's andFerdinand II of Aragon's offer to marry Catherine to their sonJohn, Prince of Asturias, and even the Agramont party split. Catherine's mother Magdalena died in 1495.
The marriage appears not to have been consummated until 1491. It is possible that the consummation, being a political event, was purposely postponed in order to prevent Catherine and her husband being declared of legal majority, which would allow Catherine's mother Magdalena to continue her regency.[4] In any event, Catherine's mother Magdalena continued her regency even after the coronation of Catherine and her spouse in 1494, and continued to sign charters and other documents and be mentioned first.[4]
In 1494, Magdalena's regency was finally ended when Magdalena was taken hostage by Aragon, and Catherine personally took control over the government with her husband at the age of twenty-six. Catherine was described as “very mature, she had great courage, prudence and the magnanimity and always worked with all fidelity at the royal pledges to help the King, her husband, in the government as it ran to both their account.”[4]
In 1504, she made her will, confirming her sonHenry's right to succeed her and expressing her wish to be buried at the Cathedral of Pamplona—ultimately both she and John were interred in Lescar. The political alliance between the houses ofValois andFoix ahead of animpending Spanish invasion led to marriage negotiations between Catherine andLouis XII in 1512. It was suggested that Henry should marry a daughter of the French king.
Ferdinand, who had allied with the Pope against France, presented a set of claims to the legitimate royal family of Navarre. Catherine did not accept the demands, and Ferdinand sentFadrique Álvarez de Toledo, 2nd Duke of Alba, who occupiedPamplona on 25 July 1512. The Castilians went on to conquerSt-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Donibane Garazi inBasque) after setting fire toRoncevaux, and wrought havoc across themerindad of Ultrapuertos (Lower Navarre). The Spanish troops would retain the southern half of that region intermittently for the next years. Catherine and John III, overwhelmed by the Castilian push, fled toBearn, constituent part of their kingdom. They set their base inPau, Orthez and Tarbes, where they alternately resided most of the time until their deaths.[3]: 75
On 23 March 1513, theCortes of Navarre reunited in Pamplona (Iruñea in Basque), greatly reduced to the pro-Spanish Beaumont party, and pledged allegiance to Ferdinand in exchange for his loyalty to theNavarrese laws. In 1515,Upper Navarre was annexed to theCrown of Castile as a different kingdom (aeque principalis), and it would be one constituent part of the Kingdom of the Spains, as Spain came to be known during the following period.
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In 1516, two columns led by King John III andPedro, Marshal of Navarre, crossed the Pyrenees south andattempted to reconquer Navarre but they failed to progress into the heartland of the kingdom. Devastated by the defeats undergone, John retreated toMonein, and died on 17 June 1516. Queen Catherine did not outlive her husband much longer, and died in her domain ofMont-de-Marsan on 12 February 1517, just a few months later. By then, she had given birth to 13 children (other sources point to 14).
From 1512 to her death in 1517, Catherine was actual queen only in some areas ofBasse-Navarre, or Lower Navarre, north of thePyrenees, but her domains extended to the contiguous Principality of Bearn and other lands.
She andJohn III of Navarre were parents to thirteen children:[5]
Catherine of Navarre Born: 1468 Died: 1517 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Queen of Navarre 1483–1517 withJohn III (1484-1516) disputed byFerdinand I (1512-1516) | Succeeded by |
| Countess of Foix 1483–1517 withJohn III (1484-1516) | ||
