Blanche of France, Infanta of Castile

Blanche of France (French: Blanche de France) (1253–1323) was a daughter of King Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence, and sister of King Philip III of France and Queen Isabella of Navarre.

Biography

Blanche was born in 1253 in Jaffa, during the Seventh Crusade led by her father, Louis IX.

In November 1268, she married Ferdinand de la Cerda, Infante of Castile, eldest son of Alfonso X of Castile and Violant of Aragon, they had two sons:

• Alfonso (1270–1324), who married Mahaut, daughter of John I of Brienne, Count of Eu. They had four sons and three daughters.
• Ferdinand (1275–1322), who married Juana Núñez de Lara, called "la Palomilla", Lady of Lara & Herrera, daughter of Juan Núñez de Lara “el Mayor” 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.

Ferdinand predeceased his father in 1275 at Ciudad Real. 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 Játiva so they would be safe from Sancho.

Blanche died at the Monastère des Clarisses de l’Ave Maria,^[1] in Paris, in 1323.^[2]

Ancestry

Notes