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Blanche of Navarre, Duchess of Brittany

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Tenure
  
1236–1283

Name
  
Blanche Navarre,

Father
  
Theobald I of Navarre

House
  
House of Champagne


Blanche of Navarre, Duchess of Brittany

Burial
  
Abbey de la Joie, Hennebont

IssueAmong Others
  
John II, Duke of BrittanyPeter, Lord of HadeAlix, Countess of Chatillon

Died
  
August 12, 1283, Naples, Italy

Spouse
  
Children
  
John II, Duke of Brittany, Peter of Brittany, Lord of Hade, Alix of Brittany, Dame de Pontarcy

Parents
  
Agnes of Beaujeu, Theobald I of Navarre

Siblings
  
Margaret of Navarre, Duchess of Lorraine

Grandchildren
  
Joan, Countess of Blois, Blanche of Brittany

Blanche of Navarre (1226 – 12 August 1283), also known as Blanche of Champagne, was the daughter of Theobald the Troubador, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne, and his second wife Agnes of Beaujeu. She was a member of the House of Champagne. By her marriage to John I, Duke of Brittany she became Duchess consort of Brittany.

Contents

Life

Blanche was firstly betrothed to Otto III, Count of Burgundy; the marriage contract was signed on 16 January 1236. However, the engagement was broken.

Blanche was instead married in 1236 to John I, Duke of Brittany: the main reason he married Blanche was so he could get Navarre, and Theobald did make John heir to the throne. However, John renounced the claim after Margaret of Bourbon bore Theobald two sons.

Marriage and children

Blanche and John had:

  • John II, Duke of Brittany
  • Peter of Brittany (2 April 1241–Paris, 19 October 1268), Lord of Hade
  • Alix of Brittany, Dame de Pontarcy
  • Theobald (1245–1256), died young
  • Theobald (died soon after birth)
  • Eleanor (1248), died young
  • Nicholas (1249–1261), died young
  • Robert (1251–1259), died young
  • Of their eight children, only their eldest three lived to adulthood.

    In 1270 Blanche founded the Abbey de la Joie near Hennebont; she was later buried there. She died in 1283; her husband outlived her by three years. Blanche outlived six of her eight children.

    References

    Blanche of Navarre, Duchess of Brittany Wikipedia