Blanche of Navarre, Duchess of Brittany

Blanche of Navarre
Duchess of Brittany
Tenure	1236–1283
Spouse	John I, Duke of Brittany
Among Others Issue
John II, Duke of Brittany Peter, Lord of Hade Alix, Countess of Châtillon
House	House of Champagne
Father	Theobald I of Navarre
Mother	Agnes of Beaujeu
Born	1226
Died	12 August 1283 Naples
Burial	Abbey de la Joie, Hennebont

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 she became Duchess of Brittany.

Life

Blanche's father became King of Navarre in 1234, this made her Infanta doña Blanche de Navarre.

Blanche was firstly betrothed to Otto III, Count Palatine 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 (3 or 4 January 1239-Lyon 16 November 1305), married Beatrice of England and had issue
• Peter of Brittany (2 April 1241–Paris, 19 October 1268), Lord of Hade
• Alix of Brittany (6 June 1243–2 August 1288), married John of Châtillon and had issue
• 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

Preceded by Margaret of Huntingdon

Duchess consort of Brittany 1236–1283

Succeeded by Yolande of Dreux