Blanche of France, Infanta of Castile explained

Blanche of France
Infanta of Castile
Spouse:Ferdinand de la Cerda, Infante of Castile
Issue:Alfonso de la Cerda of Castile
Ferdinand de la Cerda of Castile
House:Capet
Father:Louis IX of France
Mother:Margaret of Provence
Birth Date:1253
Birth Place:Jaffa, County of Jaffa and Ascalon
Death Date:1323 (aged 69–70)
Death Place:Paris, Kingdom of France
Place Of Burial:Cordeliers Convent, Paris

Blanche of France (French: Blanche de France) (1253–1323) was a daughter of King Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence.

Biography

Blanche was born in 1253 in Jaffa, County of Jaffa and Ascalon during the Seventh Crusade led by her father, Louis IX of France.

In November 1269, she married Ferdinand de la Cerda, Infante of Castile, eldest son of Alfonso X of Castile and Violant of Aragon. They had:

Ferdinand predeceased his father in 1275 at Ciudad Real. Blanche and Ferdinand's sons did not inherit the throne of their grandfather, since their uncle, the second son, Sancho, enforced his claim, even by rebelling. Blanche's brother Philip warned Sancho that he would invade Castile on behalf of his two nephews.

Blanche left Castile never to return. Her sons were sent to live with their grandmother Violant of Aragon who had them sent to the fortress of Xàtiva so they would be safe from Sancho.

Blanche died at the Monastère des Clarisses de l’Ave Maria, in Paris, in 1323.

Sources