Blanche de Castille


(1188-1252)
Queen of France
When they met near Issoudun in 1195, Phillip and Richard are willing to unite both their families, as a way to seal peace.
And it is after the death of Richard, under the Jean Sans Terre reigns, that the match is about to happen. Blanche de Castille is Richard and Jean's niece. Her mother was married to Alphonse VIII de Castille, she is also a Spanish princess.
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Her Destiny is sold with the Goulet's treaty : she is to be married to the trone heir of France. this union, pas one of Aliénor's whishes, maybe she hoped to réunîtes in peace both kingdoms. In this case, it's her last great feat, because it is her, aged more than 80 years old, that comes to pick up her granddaughter in Spain to make her a important future Queen.
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On the 23rd of May, 1200, we celebrate her wedding with the Young Louis, son of Phillipe-Auguste in Port-Mort (Eure). Blanche is 12 and Louis 13 years old. He likes games and horse riding. At first, alone, far from her Family, the Little Princess cries a lot. But her Young prince shows real tenderness and tries to console her. Growing up, both spouses looked like a model couple. Considered rare at the time, especially in this environment. « Jamais reine n’aima son seigneur et ses enfants aussi fort, et le roi les aima aussi, car ils s’entraimaient si fort, que tous allaient d’un seul accord » (Translation : "Never a Queen loved her lord and her children that much, and the King loved them too, because they loved each other this much, that everything went one way") has written a poet.
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In 1216, it is the English expedition. Taking advantage of King Jean's disgrace, that the English search to destitute, Louis claims the English legacy for his wife. After all, she is the niece of Richard The Lionheart ! The young couple is this close to make true the unthinkable : reunite both France and England Kingdoms. At first, the barons congratulate the French. But when death takes away King Jean, they prefer to crown his son, a nine year old boy, and turns on Louis.
Louis finds difficulties in Outre-Manche. Blanche begs Phillipe-Auguste to send her his troupe. But the King of France never really believed in this hasardous expedition, which turns out to be short.
Louis comes back in France. Phillipe dies in 1223. Both spouses are crowned 15 days later. The King Louis is celebrate for his bravery, he was called Louis le Lion (Louis the Lion). This was not original, and for him, not a good sign.
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For his bravery during the fights, we called him Louis le Lion (not that original). Moreover, for him, this is not a good sign : after only three years of reign, he is taken away by a disease following the fights in the Midi.
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Blanche has for now on the responsability of the kingdom. She faces the maneuvers of the large French vessels, who doesn't like being governed by a women of the Plantagenet dynasty. She devote her time to the education of her son, Louis IX, and initiate him to political life, with talent because he became an important King, under the great name of Saint-Louis.
Plantagenet by her origins, Blanche has spent her life briefing support to the Capétiens. Blanche's life is under certain angles a miror of Aliénor's. A miror less flamboyant, more dull, but which reflects such an exceptional fate.