Blanca of Navarre Blanca Of ARAGON

Female 1420 - 1464  (44 years)


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  • Name Blanca Of ARAGON  [1, 2
    Title Blanca of Navarre 
    Birth 1420  [1, 2
    Gender Female 
    Death 1464  [1, 2
    Notes 
    • Blanca 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.

      Blanca of Navarre (1420-1464) was the daughter of John II of Aragon and Blanche I of Navarre. Blanche was Queen of Navarre and John was King of Aragon.

      She married Henry IV of Castile. Blanca remained a virgin, not only on her wedding night, but for the rest of her marriage. After thirteen years, Henry sought a divorce. An official examination confirmed the virginity of Blanca. A divorce was granted by the Pope on the grounds that some "witchcraft" had prevented Henry from consummating the marriage. Blanca was sent home, where her family imprisoned her, and she was later killed by poison in 1464. She remained childless throughout her life.

      Her half-brother, Fernando II of Aragon much later married Henry's half-sister, Isabella of Castile. Isabella then inherited the throne from Henry after Henry's second wife, Joana of Portugal only gave birth to a daughter and there were rumors that her daughter was illegitimate. Fernando was chosen over his half-brother, Charles, Prince of Viana to rule Aragon. Isabella and Fernando ruled what became Spain.

      After the death of her brother in 1461, some Navarrese dissatisfied elements and some of the anti-Aragonese party regarded Blanca as the rightful monarch, as they had regarded Charles. They proclaimed her queen. She would have thus become Blanche II of Navarre, had not her father (who wanted to keep the government of Navarre) already had her incarcerated and thus not capable to act. Upon her death, her rights to Navarre were inherited by her next sister, Eleanor of Aragon, Countess of Foix, who however was their father's ally and supporter, and did not press her own claims until his death in 1479.
    Person ID I02440  Main Tree

    Father Juan II King Of Navarre And ARAGON,   b. 29 Jun 1397   d. 20 Jan 1479 (Age 81 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Mother Blanca II Of NAVARRE,   b. 1391   d. 03 Apr 1441 (Age 50 years) 
    Relationship Natural 
    Family ID F17419  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Henry IV King Of Castile And LEON,   b. 05 Jan 1425, Valladolid Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Dec 1474, Madrid, Spain Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 49 years) 
    Married Abt 1440  [2
    Marriage 15 Sep 1440  [1
    Annulled 1453  [1
    Family ID F17421  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S01910] Blood Royal, Issue of the Kings and Queens of Medieval England 1066-1399 by. T. Anna Leese.

    2. [S03581] Wikipedia Encyclopedia.