Blanche of Valois

Blanca Margaret of Valois ( Czech Markéta Blanka z Valois, French Blanche de Valois ) (* 1316 or 1317; † August 1, 1348 in Prague) was the first wife of the Czech king and later emperor Charles IV

Life

The French princess Blanca Margaret was the youngest daughter of Count Charles I of Valois and his third wife Mahaut of Châtillon. She grew up in the French court. A decisive influence on their future life had Queen Mary, second wife of Charles IV and younger sister of John of Bohemia. This was his first-born son from 1323 also raise at the French court. As the heir to the Bohemian crown, he was a welcome party. Even in 1323 it came to the marriage of two seven year old children in Paris. After the ceremony, they were separated again and remained under the care of their educators.

1328 ascended Blancas older brother as Philip VI. the French throne. Philipp and Karl did not get along, and as the youthful couple soon left the court in Paris and settled in Luxembourg. However, Karl had to immediately follow his father to Italy, where he was to take over the function of the governor in Lombardy. From 1333 he held himself as Margrave of Moravia on in the lands of the Bohemian crown. It was not until 1334 he left Blanca meet in Luxembourg. On June 12, she moved with her ​​entourage solemnly in Prague.

Although the Bohemian nobility and the population had first received the French thrilled Karl sent the knight to his wife after a month away again. His father had pawned the royal estates to a considerable extent, and for the maintenance of Blancas entourage was missing the young Marquis the money. Also came under the needle on the fear that the stranger would exert too much influence on the throne. Blanca soon learned German and Czech, which was evaluated positively and contributed to its popularity. Through her influence elements reached the French fashion into Bohemia; so the pointy -toed shoes should have come with the princess to Prague. A golden, jewel-encrusted belt, which she received as a wedding gift, Charles had reworked later. For him, the Temple of the Wenceslas crown emerged. To her luggage and comprised French illuminated manuscripts, which should have served as a model of Velislaus Bible.

Karl stayed still much in Italy, so that Blanca in Bohemia often left alone. At times, she lived in the castle Křivoklát where they niederkam 1335 with her first daughter Margaret. Quite the contrary, reached her mother and reigning Queen Beatrice de Bourbon, who lived from 1336 in Prague, never recognizing that state their rank. The rivalry between the two women finally led to Blanca in 1337 left the capital and moved to the Moravian Špilberk where she belonged as Moravian Margrave 's view of her in-laws.

Charles had taken over in 1341 the regency for his now completely blind father. After his death, the new King and Queen was crowned on September 2, 1347 in Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral. Blanca died the following year. The cause of death may come tuberculosis into consideration, but this is so far unproven. Death was for the young king a blow because of a political marriage had been over the years a harmonious, loving community developed. Nevertheless, the king was forced to quickly look for a new wife because the marriage had been without a male heir. From this marriage two daughters were born: Margaret (* May 24, 1335, † 1349 ) and Catherine ( * August 1342, † April 26, 1395 ). Blanca Margaret of Valois is buried in St. Vitus Cathedral.

In the years 1985 to 1988, the so-called Neumarkt treasure was discovered in Środa Śląska; it contains in addition to coins and jewels their putative crown.