Blanche of France (French: ''Blanche de France'') (1253–1323) was a daughter of King

Louis IX of France Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), also known as Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death in 1270. He is widely recognized as the most distinguished of the Direct Capetians. Following the death of his father, Louis VI ...

and Margaret of Provence.

Biography

Blanche was born in 1253 in

Jaffa Jaffa (, ; , ), also called Japho, Joppa or Joppe in English, is an ancient Levantine Sea, Levantine port city which is part of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, located in its southern part. The city sits atop a naturally elevated outcrop on ...

, County of Jaffa and Ascalon during the

Seventh Crusade The Seventh Crusade (1248–1254) was the first of the two Crusades led by Louis IX of France. Also known as the Crusade of Louis IX to the Holy Land, it aimed to reclaim the Holy Land by attacking Egypt, the main seat of Muslim power in the Nea ...

led by her father, Louis IX of France. In November 1269, she married Ferdinand de la Cerda, Infante of Castile, eldest son of

Alfonso X of Castile Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, ; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, Kingdom of León, León and Kingdom of Galicia, Galicia from 1 June 1252 until his death in 1284. During the April 1257 Imperial election, election of 1 ...

and Violant of Aragon. They had: *

Alfonso Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic Kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula. I ...

(1270–1333), who married Mahaut, daughter of

John I of Brienne, Count of Eu John I of Brienne (born 1246 died 12 June 1294) was the son of Alphonso of Brienne and Marie de Lusigan. His mother was the heiress of Eu, Seine-Maritime, and he succeeded his father as Count of Eu in 1260. (both The Chronique des comtes d’E ...

. They had four sons and three daughters. *

Ferdinand Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...

(1275–1322), who married Juana Núñez de Lara, called "la Palomilla", Lady of Lara and Herrera, daughter of Juan Núñez I de Lara and Teresa Álvarez de Azagra. They had one son and three daughters. One daughter, Blanca de La Cerda y Lara, was the mother-in-law of King

Henry II of Castile Henry II (13 January 1334 – 29 May 1379), called Henry of Trastámara or the Fratricidal (''el Fratricida''), was the first List of Castilian monarchs, King of Castile and List of Leonese monarchs, León from the House of Trastámara. He became ...

. Ferdinand predeceased his father in 1275 at

Ciudad Real Ciudad Real (, ) is a municipality of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha, capital of the province of Ciudad Real. It is the 5th most populated municipality in the region. It was founded as Villa Real in 1255 as a ro ...

. Blanche and Ferdinand's sons did not inherit the throne of their grandfather, since their uncle, the second son, Sancho, enforced his claim, even by rebelling. Blanche's brother Philip warned Sancho that he would invade Castile on behalf of his two nephews. Blanche left Castile never to return. Her sons were sent to live with their grandmother Violant of Aragon who had them sent to the fortress of

Xàtiva Xàtiva (; ) is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right (western) bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the Valencia, Spain, Valencia–Murcia and Valencia Albacete railways. It is located 25 km ...

so they would be safe from Sancho. Blanche died at the ''Monastère des Clarisses de l’Ave Maria'', in Paris, in 1323.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:France, Blanche of, Infanta of Castile 1253 births 1323 deaths 13th-century Spanish women 13th-century French women 14th-century French women Blanche French princesses Castilian infantas 13th-century Castilians Daughters of kings Children of Louis IX of France