Blanche of Castile

Blanche of Castile was Queen of France as the wife of Louis VIII and served as regent for her son, Louis IX, during his minority from 1226 until 1234, and again while he was on the Seventh Crusade from 1248 until her death in 1252. Born in Palencia, Spain, as the daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castile and Eleanor of England, she was initially overshadowed by her sister Urraca, but ultimately selected to marry the French heir due to her grandmother Eleanor of Aquitaine’s preference. Blanche’s marriage to Louis VIII was strategically significant and she played a pivotal role in French politics, particularly during her regencies.

Blanche’s regency was marked by military and political challenges, including defending her son’s claim to the throne against rebellious nobles and foreign threats. She demonstrated political acumen by raising armies, managing strategic marriages, and negotiating treaties such as the Treaty of Paris in 1229, which concluded the Albigensian Crusade and secured the loyalty of the Count of Toulouse. Blanche remained a powerful influence on her son, Louis IX, throughout her life, shaping his reign and the stability of the French monarchy.