BLANCHE I OF NABARRE

Blanche I. Born 6 July 1387 in Pamplona and died on 1 April 1441, at 53 years old in Santa Maria la Real de Nieva, Castile. Was Queen of Nabarre from 1425 to 1441. She became queen regnant upon the death of her father King Charles III of Nabarre. She was married twice, but only had surviving issue from her second husband, King John II of Aragon, as her only son by Martin I of Sicily died in early infancy.





COAT OF ARMS OF BLANCHE I




QUEEN REGNANT OF NABARRE


Reign: 8 September 1425 to 1 April 1441. (15 years, 205 days).

Coronation: 15 to 18 May 1429 in Pamplona.

Predecessor: Charles III.

Successor: Charles IV.



QUEEN CONSORT OF SICILY


Reign: 26 December 1402 to 25 July 1409. (6 years and 211 days).

She was the second eldest daughter and heir of King Charles III of Nabarre and infanta Eleanor of Castile. She became heiress on the death of her elder sister Joan.

Blanche married firstly Martin the Younger, King of Sicily and Prince of Aragon. They were married by proxy on 21 May 1402 in Catania. Blanche travelled to meet her new husband and they were married in person on 26 December 1402. The bride was about eleven years old and the groom twenty-eight.

Martin had been in need of legitimate heirs, as he had survived his previous wife and former co-ruler, Queen Maria of Sicily, and their only son. When Martin died on 25 July 1409, he was succeeded by his own father, Martin I of Aragon.

Blanche remained a widow for a decade. On 6 November 1419, Blance married her second husband John, duke of Peñafiel by proxy in Olite, and the second son of Ferdinand I of Aragon and Eleanor of Alburquerque. Ferdinand had succeeded his maternal uncle Martin I in 1412.

John travelled to meet her. On 10 June 1420, they were married in person in Pamplona. Charles III died on 8 September 1425 and Blanche succeeded him as Queen regnant of Nabarre. John became King of Nabarre in her right as John II.

Blanche died in Santa María la Real de Nieva in 1441. After her death, John kept the government of Nabarre in his own hands, from the hands of their own son Charles of Viana, the rightful heir of the line of Navarrese kings. He would become King of Aragon and King of Sicily upon the death of his elder brother Alfonso V of Aragon in 1458.

Martin and Blanche only had one son:

• Infante Martin of Aragon and Sicily (1406–1407).

Blanche and John II of Aragon had four children:

• Charles (IV) of Nabarre (1421–1461)
• Joan of Aragon (1423–1425)
  
• Blanche (II) of Nabarre, married Henry IV of Castile. The marriage was never consummated. After 13 years of marriage, Henry sought and obtained a divorce. Blanca was sent home, where her family imprisoned her, and she was later killed by poison.
• Eleanor (1426–1479) Queen of Nabarre (1479)