Blanche of Burgundy

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Not to be confused with Blanche of Burgundy, Countess of Savoy.
Blanche of Burgundy
Navarre
Tenure3 January 1322 – 19 May 1322
Bornc. 1296
Diedc. 1326
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1308; ann. 1322)​
Ivrea
FatherOtto IV, Count of Burgundy
MotherMahaut, Countess of Artois

Blanche of Burgundy (c. 1296 – c. 1326) was

Navarre for a few months in 1322 through her marriage to King Charles IV the Fair. The daughter of Count Otto IV of Burgundy and Countess Mahaut of Artois, she was led to a disastrous marriage by her mother's ambition. Eight years before her husband's accession to the thrones, Blanche was arrested and found guilty of adultery with a Norman knight. Her sister-in-law, Margaret of Burgundy, suffered the same fate, while her sister Joan
was acquitted. Blanche was imprisoned and not released even after becoming queen, until her marriage was annulled when she was moved to the coast of Normandy. The date and place of her death are unknown; the mere fact that she died was simply mentioned on the occasion of her husband's third marriage in April 1326.

Early life

Blanche was the younger daughter of

heir of Philip IV of France, but Philip changed his mind and arranged for her to marry his second son, Philip, in 1307. The Countess of Artois was proud of this achievement and quickly started negotiating her younger daughter's marriage to Charles, King Philip's third son, offering a huge dowry. The negotiations were successful and on 23 September 1307, the eleven-year-old Blanche and thirteen-year-old Charles concluded a marriage contract.[2] The marriage ceremony was hastily performed at Countess Mahaut's castle in Hesdin in January 1308.[3]

Adultery accusations

Main article: Tour de Nesle affair

In 1313, Blanche's sister-in-law and brother-in-law,

Philippe d'Aunay.[4] From that she concluded that the brothers were having relationships with her sisters-in-law. When she visited Paris again in 1314, she informed King Philip about her suspicions.[5] Blanche's sister Joan was accused of hiding the affair and later of participating in it.[6]

Trial and imprisonment

The ruins of Château Gaillard.

Acting quickly, King Philip ordered the arrest of all his daughters-in-law and the knights. Following torture, the d'Aunays confessed to adultery and admitted that it had lasted three years.

Paris Parlement and were found guilty of adultery. Their heads were shaven and both were sentenced to life imprisonment underground in Château Gaillard, while the d'Aunays were condemned to death and duly executed.[9] Blanche's first child, a son named Philip, was born around 5 January 1314,[3] so presumably his paternity was not challenged; her second child, a daughter named Joan, was born in 1315 after the trial.[citation needed
] Despite her disgrace, Blanche remained in contact with her ambitious mother and often received gifts from her.

Queenship and death

Pope John XXII annulling the marriage of Charles the Fair and Blanche of Burgundy

On Philip V's death on 3 January 1322, Blanche's husband, Charles, inherited the crown.[10] Blanche thus became queen of France and Navarre, but she remained imprisoned and not crowned; at Charles' request, Pope John XXII declared their marriage null and void on 19 May 1322.[9] Both Charles and Blanche received permission to remarry.[9] Both of her children died in infancy, Philip by the end of March 1322[3] and Joan on 17 May 1321.[citation needed]

Though she was replaced immediately by

Jeanne d'Évreux.[9]

In fiction

Blanche is a character in

historical novels by Maurice Druon. She was portrayed by Catherine Hubeau [fr] in the 1972 French miniseries adaptation of the series, and by Anne Malraux in the 2005 adaptation.[12][13]

Family tree

Philip IV of FranceOttoMahaut
Edward IIIsabellaMargaretLouis X of FrancePhilip V of FranceJoanCharles IV of FranceBlanche

References

  1. ^ a b Brown 2009, p. 223.
  2. ^ Brown 2000, p. 133.
  3. ^ a b c Brown 2007, p. 165.
  4. ^ a b Warner 2016, p. 85.
  5. ^ Warner 2016, p. 84-85.
  6. ^ Warner 2016, p. 84.
  7. ^ Gaude-Ferragu 2016, p. 37.
  8. ^ Bradbury 2007, p. 277.
  9. ^ a b c d e Brown 2009, p. 224.
  10. ^ Georgiou 2018, p. 40.
  11. ^ Brown 2009, p. 225.
  12. ^ "Official website: Les Rois maudits (2005 miniseries)" (in French). 2005. Archived from the original on 15 August 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  13. ^ "Les Rois maudits: Casting de la saison 1" (in French). AlloCiné. 2005. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

Sources

External links

Blanche of Burgundy
House of Ivrea
Born: c. 1296 Died: c. 1326
Royal titles
Preceded by
Navarre

1322 		Vacant
Title next held by
Marie of Luxembourg
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