Blanche of Navarre, Duchess of Brittany

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The basics

Quick Facts

IntroNavaresse infanta
PlacesItaly
wasHeiress
Work fieldRoyals
Gender
Female
Birth1226
Death12 August 1283Naples, Metropolitan city of Naples, Campania, Italy (aged 57 years)
Family
Mother:Agnes of Beaujeu
Father:Theobald I of Navarre
Spouse:John I Duke of Brittany
Children:Alix von Bretagne John II Duke of Brittany
The details

Biography

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.

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. John and Blanche had eight children:

  • 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.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Blanche of Navarre, Duchess of Brittany
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Theobald II, Count of Champagne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Henry I, Count of Champagne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Matilda of Carinthia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Theobald III, Count of Champagne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Louis VII of France
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Marie of France
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Eleanor of Aquitaine
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Theobald I of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. García Ramírez of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Sancho VI of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Marguerite de l'Aigle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Blanche of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Alfonso VII of León and Castile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Sancha of Castile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Berenguela of Barcelona
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Blanche of Navarre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Humbert III, Sire of Beaujeu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Humbert IV, Sire of Beaujeu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Elisa of Savoy
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Guichard IV, sire of Beaujeu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. Guy de Thiers, Sire of Montpensier
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Agnes of Thiers
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Agnes of Beaujeu
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Alice of Namur
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Sybille of Flanders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. Thierry, Count of Flanders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Margaret I, Countess of Flanders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Sibylla of Anjou
 
 
 
 
 
 
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