Birth of Queen Blanche I of Navarre
On July 6, 1387, Blanche of Navarre was born into the royal House of Évreux as the daughter of King Charles III “the Noble” of Navarre and Queen Eleanor of Castile. Raised in a court shaped by diplomacy between France, Castile, and Aragon, Blanche grew up in a politically sensitive environment where dynastic alliances were crucial to maintaining the small but strategically important kingdom of Navarre.
Blanche would later become Queen of Navarre in her own right in 1425 after the death of her father and brother. Her marriage to John II of Aragon linked her to wider Iberian and Mediterranean power struggles, though it also led to internal conflict over Navarre’s independence. Her reign is often remembered as a period of political tension, where her authority was frequently challenged despite her legitimate claim to the throne.
Blanche I’s legacy lies in her role as a ruling queen during a turbulent era for Navarre, navigating the pressures of larger neighboring kingdoms while preserving her realm’s identity. Her life reflects the fragile balance of medieval queenship, where birthright, marriage, and politics were tightly intertwined.