Blanche I of Navarre
She was the second eldest daughter and heir of King Charles III of Navarre 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 survived his previous wife and former co-ruler, Queen Mary of Sicily, and their only son. He was in need of legitimate heirs. They both survived their only son. Martin died on 25 July 1409 and 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 Navarre. John became King of Navarre in her right as John II.
She lives up to 1460 and her husband survives her death until 1479.
Blanche and John II of Aragon had four children:
Charles (IV) of Navarre (1421-1461)
Joan of Aragon (1423-1425)[citation needed]
Blanche (II) of Navarre, 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 Navarre (1479)
Edward
Edward was born at the Palace of Westminster, London, the only son of King Henry VI of England and his consort, Margaret of Anjou. At the time, there was strife between Henry's supporters, and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, who had a claim to the throne and challenged the authority of Henry's officers of state. Henry was suffering from mental illness, and there were widespread rumours that the prince was the result of an affair between his mother and one of her loyal supporters. Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire were both suspected of fathering Prince Edward, however, there is no firm evidence to support the rumours, and Henry himself never doubted the boy's legitimacy and publicly acknowledged paternity. Edward was invested as Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle in 1454.
In 1460, King Henry was captured by the supporters of the Duke of York at the Battle of Northampton, and carried to London. The Duke of York was dissuaded from claiming the throne immediately, but he induced Parliament to pass the Act of Accord, by which Henry was allowed to reign, but Edward was disinherited, as York or his heirs would become King on Henry's death.
Queen Margaret and Edward had meanwhile fled through Cheshire. By Margaret's later account, she induced outlaws and pillagers to aid her by pledging them to recognise the seven-year-old Edward as rightful heir to the crown. They subsequently reached safety in Wales, and journeyed to Scotland where Margaret raised support, while the Duke of York's enemies gathered in the north of England.
After York was killed at the Battle of Wakefield, the large army which Margaret had gathered advanced south. They defeated the army of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, one of York's most prominent supporters, at the Second Battle of St Albans. Warwick had brought the captive King Henry in the train of his army, and he was found abandoned on the battlefield. Two of Warwick's knights, William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville and Sir Thomas Kyriell, who had agreed to remain with Henry and see that he came to no harm, were captured. The day after the battle, Margaret asked Edward what death the two knights should suffer. Edward readily replied that their heads should be cut off.
Margaret hesitated to advance on London with her unruly army, and subsequently retreated. They were routed at the Battle of Towton a few weeks later. Margaret and Edward fled once again, to Scotland. For the next three years, Margaret inspired several revolts in the northernmost counties of England, but was eventually forced to sail to France, where she and Edward maintained a court in exile. (Henry had once again been captured, and was a prisoner in the Tower of London.)
Isabella.
Isabella was born in Madrigal de las Altas Torres, Ávila to John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal on April 22, 1451. She was named "Isabella" after her mother which was a name that was uncommon then in Castille. She was the granddaughter of Henry III of Castile and Catherine of Lancaster. At the time of her birth, her older half brother Enrique was in line for the throne before her. Enrique, referred to as the English version of his name Henry, was twenty-six years old at that time and he was married but he was childless. Her younger brother Alfonso was born two years later in 1453 and displaced her in the line of succession. When her father, John II, died in 1454, Henry became King Henry IV. Her brother, mother, and she then moved to Arévalo. It was here that her mother began to gradually lose her sanity, a trait that would haunt the Spanish monarchy and the royal houses of Europe that descended from her.
These were times of turmoil for Isabella. Isabella lived with her brother and her mother in a castle in poor conditions. She also suffered from shortage of money, a fact she would later weave into the mythos and propaganda surrounding her rise to the throne. Even though her father arranged in his will for his children to be financially well taken care of, her half-brother Henry did not comply with their father's wishes, either from a desire to keep his half-siblings restricted or ineptitude. However her mother was able to give her a good education and Isabella often chased after rabbits in the fields, went horseback riding, hunted in the forest, and waded in streams with her brother Alfonso.
When King Henry's wife, Queen Joan of Portugal, was about to give birth, Isabella and her brother were summoned to court (Segovia) and taken away from their mother to be under more control and direct supervision by the king and finish their educations. Queen Joan was said[by whom?] to have had many lovers, and one of them, was rumored to be the father of the new-born infant.[citation needed] The truth of the matter has never been established, and it is possible that the child was actually the king's daughter. If so, it raises interesting questions about the legitimacy of Isabella's tremendously influential reign, as she and Ferdinand would then technically be usurpers.
Conditions of Isabella's life improved in Segovia. She always had food and clothing and lived in a castle that was adorned with gold and silver. Isabella's basic education consisted of reading, spelling, writing, grammar, mathematics, art, chess, dancing, embroidery, music, and religious instruction. She and her ladies-in-waiting entertained themselves with art, embroidery, and music. She lived a relaxed lifestyle, but she rarely left Segovia as Enrique forbade her from doing so. Enrique was keeping her from the political turmoils going on in the kingdom, though Isabella had full knowledge of what was going on and her role in the feuds.
The noblemen who were anxious for power confronted the King, demanding that his younger half-brother Infante Alfonso be named his successor. They even went as far as to ask Alfonso to seize the throne. The nobles, now in control of Alfonso and claiming him to be the true heir, clashed with Henry's forces at the Second Battle of Olmedo in 1467. The battle was a draw. Henry agreed to make Alfonso his heir, provided Alfonso would marry his daughter, Joanna. A few days later, he changed his mind as Henry wanted to protect the interest of his daughter and his name since by this time he was being called Henry the Impotent. Soon after Alfonso was created Prince of Asturias, the title given to the heir of Castile and Leon, he died, likely of the plague after this Isabella was married to Edward of Westminister in 1468.
She was the second eldest daughter and heir of King Charles III of Navarre 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 survived his previous wife and former co-ruler, Queen Mary of Sicily, and their only son. He was in need of legitimate heirs. They both survived their only son. Martin died on 25 July 1409 and 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 Navarre. John became King of Navarre in her right as John II.
She lives up to 1460 and her husband survives her death until 1479.
Blanche and John II of Aragon had four children:
Charles (IV) of Navarre (1421-1461)
Joan of Aragon (1423-1425)[citation needed]
Blanche (II) of Navarre, 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 Navarre (1479)
Edward
Edward was born at the Palace of Westminster, London, the only son of King Henry VI of England and his consort, Margaret of Anjou. At the time, there was strife between Henry's supporters, and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, who had a claim to the throne and challenged the authority of Henry's officers of state. Henry was suffering from mental illness, and there were widespread rumours that the prince was the result of an affair between his mother and one of her loyal supporters. Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire were both suspected of fathering Prince Edward, however, there is no firm evidence to support the rumours, and Henry himself never doubted the boy's legitimacy and publicly acknowledged paternity. Edward was invested as Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle in 1454.
In 1460, King Henry was captured by the supporters of the Duke of York at the Battle of Northampton, and carried to London. The Duke of York was dissuaded from claiming the throne immediately, but he induced Parliament to pass the Act of Accord, by which Henry was allowed to reign, but Edward was disinherited, as York or his heirs would become King on Henry's death.
Queen Margaret and Edward had meanwhile fled through Cheshire. By Margaret's later account, she induced outlaws and pillagers to aid her by pledging them to recognise the seven-year-old Edward as rightful heir to the crown. They subsequently reached safety in Wales, and journeyed to Scotland where Margaret raised support, while the Duke of York's enemies gathered in the north of England.
After York was killed at the Battle of Wakefield, the large army which Margaret had gathered advanced south. They defeated the army of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, one of York's most prominent supporters, at the Second Battle of St Albans. Warwick had brought the captive King Henry in the train of his army, and he was found abandoned on the battlefield. Two of Warwick's knights, William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville and Sir Thomas Kyriell, who had agreed to remain with Henry and see that he came to no harm, were captured. The day after the battle, Margaret asked Edward what death the two knights should suffer. Edward readily replied that their heads should be cut off.
Margaret hesitated to advance on London with her unruly army, and subsequently retreated. They were routed at the Battle of Towton a few weeks later. Margaret and Edward fled once again, to Scotland. For the next three years, Margaret inspired several revolts in the northernmost counties of England, but was eventually forced to sail to France, where she and Edward maintained a court in exile. (Henry had once again been captured, and was a prisoner in the Tower of London.)
Isabella.
Isabella was born in Madrigal de las Altas Torres, Ávila to John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal on April 22, 1451. She was named "Isabella" after her mother which was a name that was uncommon then in Castille. She was the granddaughter of Henry III of Castile and Catherine of Lancaster. At the time of her birth, her older half brother Enrique was in line for the throne before her. Enrique, referred to as the English version of his name Henry, was twenty-six years old at that time and he was married but he was childless. Her younger brother Alfonso was born two years later in 1453 and displaced her in the line of succession. When her father, John II, died in 1454, Henry became King Henry IV. Her brother, mother, and she then moved to Arévalo. It was here that her mother began to gradually lose her sanity, a trait that would haunt the Spanish monarchy and the royal houses of Europe that descended from her.
These were times of turmoil for Isabella. Isabella lived with her brother and her mother in a castle in poor conditions. She also suffered from shortage of money, a fact she would later weave into the mythos and propaganda surrounding her rise to the throne. Even though her father arranged in his will for his children to be financially well taken care of, her half-brother Henry did not comply with their father's wishes, either from a desire to keep his half-siblings restricted or ineptitude. However her mother was able to give her a good education and Isabella often chased after rabbits in the fields, went horseback riding, hunted in the forest, and waded in streams with her brother Alfonso.
When King Henry's wife, Queen Joan of Portugal, was about to give birth, Isabella and her brother were summoned to court (Segovia) and taken away from their mother to be under more control and direct supervision by the king and finish their educations. Queen Joan was said[by whom?] to have had many lovers, and one of them, was rumored to be the father of the new-born infant.[citation needed] The truth of the matter has never been established, and it is possible that the child was actually the king's daughter. If so, it raises interesting questions about the legitimacy of Isabella's tremendously influential reign, as she and Ferdinand would then technically be usurpers.
Conditions of Isabella's life improved in Segovia. She always had food and clothing and lived in a castle that was adorned with gold and silver. Isabella's basic education consisted of reading, spelling, writing, grammar, mathematics, art, chess, dancing, embroidery, music, and religious instruction. She and her ladies-in-waiting entertained themselves with art, embroidery, and music. She lived a relaxed lifestyle, but she rarely left Segovia as Enrique forbade her from doing so. Enrique was keeping her from the political turmoils going on in the kingdom, though Isabella had full knowledge of what was going on and her role in the feuds.
The noblemen who were anxious for power confronted the King, demanding that his younger half-brother Infante Alfonso be named his successor. They even went as far as to ask Alfonso to seize the throne. The nobles, now in control of Alfonso and claiming him to be the true heir, clashed with Henry's forces at the Second Battle of Olmedo in 1467. The battle was a draw. Henry agreed to make Alfonso his heir, provided Alfonso would marry his daughter, Joanna. A few days later, he changed his mind as Henry wanted to protect the interest of his daughter and his name since by this time he was being called Henry the Impotent. Soon after Alfonso was created Prince of Asturias, the title given to the heir of Castile and Leon, he died, likely of the plague after this Isabella was married to Edward of Westminister in 1468.



