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Birth:          ABT 1177 Navarre
Death:          12 Mar 1229 

Notes
heiress of Navarre
d 12/14 Mar 1229
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanche_of_Navarre,_Countess_of_Champagne
Blanche of Navarre (?–1229) was Countess of Champagne, then Regent of 
Champagne, and finally also regent of her native kingdom of Navarre.[1]

She was the youngest daughter of Sancho VI of Navarre[2] and Sancha of Castile,[3] 
who died in 1179, about two years after Blanche's birth. Her eldest brother, Sancho 
VII of Navarre, succeeded their father as King of Navarre and was the last male 
descendant of the first dynasty of Kings of Navarre, the Pamplona dynasty, dying 
childless. Her elder sister Berengaria of Navarre married Richard I of England.
Life[edit]

Regency[edit]

Blanche married Theobald III, Count of Champagne[4] on July 1, 1199 at Chartres, 
when she was 22 years old and he was 20 years old. However, Theobald III died 
young on May 24, 1201, leaving her pregnant. When she gave birth to a son (on May 
30, 1201), he immediately became Count Theobald IV of Champagne (Theobald I of 
Navarre). Blanche ruled the county as regent until Theobald turned 21 years old in 
1222. The regency was plagued by a number of difficulties. Blanche's brother-in-law, 
count Henry II had left behind a great deal of debt.

Furthermore, their son Theobald IV's right to the succession of Champagne was 
challenged by Henry's daughter Philippa and her husband, Erard I of Brienne, Count of 
Ramerupt and one of the more powerful Champagne nobles. The conflict with the 
Briennes broke into open warfare in 1215, in what became known as the Champagne 
War of Succession, and was not resolved until after Theobald came of age in 1222. At 
that time Theobald and Blanche bought out their rights for a substantial monetary 
payment. Blanche had also arranged the dowry of Henry II's elder daughter Alice of 
Champagne, when she married the young Hugh I of Cyprus. In the 1230s, in order to 
settle with Alice, Theobald IV had to sell his overlordship over the counties of Blois, 
Sancerre, and Châteaudun to Louis IX of France.

With her regency completed, in 1222 Blanche withdrew to the Cistercian convent of 
Argensolles, whose foundation she had funded herself, for her retirement.

Later years[edit]

Since some barons suspected Theobald for having a hand in the death of Louis VIII 
(in November 1226), Blanche of Castile withdrew his invitation to the coronation of 
Louis IX and proffered it to Blanche instead.[5]

Blanche also took over administration of the kingdom of Navarre when her brother 
Sancho VII went into retirement ("El Encerrado").[citation needed]

Blanche died on March 13, 1229, seven years after the end of her regency, at the age 
of 52. In her will she left 5 marks of gold to the Cathedral of Reims, which was used to 
build a statue to contain the Holy Milk of the Virgin.[6]

After Blanche's death, her brother in retirement remained as King of Navarre and her 
son Theobald continued as Count of Champagne. Their eldest sister, Berengaria of 
Navarre, Queen of England (widow of Richard the Lionheart), died without issue in 
1232, leaving Sancho as the sole surviving child of Sancho VI. When he died in 1234, 
Blanca's son Theobald IV of Champagne was recognized as the next King of Navarre. 
Theobald had married twice during Blanche's lifetime and had one daughter by the 
time of her death, who was also named Blanche.

Children[edit]

Blanche had two children with Theobald III of Champagne:
1.Marie – Blanche is noted as having borne an older daughter named Marie to 
Theobald III before his death in May 1201. References to this Marie in documentation 
are scant, but as Blanche was married in July 1199, Marie would have been under two 
years old at the time of her father's death. One of the conditions of Blanche's treaty 
with Philip II confirming her son's inheritance was that Marie had to be sent away to 
be raised in the royal court at Paris.
2.Theobald I of Navarre.[4]


Parents
GARCIA Sancho V (VI) "el Sebio" ("the Wise") (Apr 1132 - 27 Jun 1194)
____ Sancha (ABT 1138 - 5 Aug 1177)

Siblings
OF NAVARRRE Blanche (ABT 1177 - 12 Mar 1229)

Marriage To ____ Theobald III (Thibault V) (13 May 1179 - 24 May 1201)
    m. 1 Jul 1199 Chartres

Notes

Parents
____ Henry (Henri) I "the Generous" (1127 - 16 Mar 1181)
OF FRANCE Marie (1145 - 11 Mar 1198)

Children by ____ Theobald III (Thibault V) 13 May 1179 - 24 May 1201
____ Theobald (Teobaldo) IV "the Great" (3 May 1201 - 8 Jul 1253)

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