Early life Blanche was born c. 1177, the youngest daughter of King
Sancho VI of Navarre and
Sancha of Castile. Queen Sancha died in 1179. Blanche's eldest brother,
Sancho VII, succeeded their father and was the last
agnatic descendant of the first dynasty of the
kings of Navarre, the Pamplona dynasty, dying childless. Her elder sister
Berengaria of Navarre married
Richard I of England. Blanche of Navarre was also first cousin once removed to
Blanche of Castile, who later became the queen of France as the wife of
Louis VIII of France, and the two kept in contact. Blanche married
Theobald III, Count of Champagne, on 1 July 1199 at
Chartres, when she was 22-years-old and he was 20-years-old.
Regent of Champagne Theobald III died young on 24 May 1201, while preparing to lead the
Fourth Crusade, leaving her nine months pregnant. She did this to maintain
wardship and the right over her lands and in exchange she promised to not marry without the king's permission. Prince Louis (the future King
Louis VIII of France) then proclaimed in a letter to
John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem, that neither he nor King Philip would hear a challenge against Theobald IV's claim until he was twenty-one. In this letter, Prince Louis also confirmed that Henry II did indeed transfer the land to his brother. At that time Theobald and Blanche bought out their rights for a substantial monetary payment. Erard renounced any claim on Champagne on 2 November 1221 and Philippa in April 1222. 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. convent of
Argentolles, then moved to
Châlons-en-Champagne Later years With her regency completed, in 1222 Blanche withdrew to the
Cistercian convent of
Argensolles, whose foundation she had funded herself, for her retirement. 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. Blanche died on 13 March 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. She was buried at the Cistercian convent of Argensolles. 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 1230, 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, to
Gertrude of Dagsburg, then
Agnes of Beaujeu, and had one daughter by the time of her death, who was also named
Blanche of Navarre. ==Children==