Eleanor of Navarre

(1426 - 1479) Princess of Aragon and Navarre. Queen of Navarre and Princess of Girona.

Family origins.

Born on February 2, 1426, was the youngest daughter of Prince John "Without Faith" of Aragon and Queen Bianche I of Navarre.

The problem of the Kingdom of Navarre.

John "Without Faith" was King of Navarre by marriage from the year 1425 to year 1441. His daughter was recognized by the Courts of Navarre August 9, 1427, although the heirs were his older brothers, Prince Charles and Princess Bianche.

On the death of Bianche I of Navarre, in the year 1441, John "Without Faith" seized the Kingdom of Navarre and not fulfilled the will of his wife. John "Without Faith" was King of Navarre (robbery) from 1441-1479 (and king of the territories of the Crown of Aragon). In 1445 John "Without Faith" disinherited his son, Charles of Navarre, the legitimate heir of the Kingdom of Aragon and Navarre so, Charles opposed his father and fought during the Civil War of Navarra. Eleanor was complicit in this usurpation her father, especially in times of her sister Bianche II of Navarre (1424-1464). Bianche II fell into disgrace by helping her brother Charles, which led to Eleanor should become the instrument of the Aragonese king against his children, his opponents. So, Eleanor was proclaimed, with her husband Gaston of Foix, heirs of the kingdom by the Treaty of Barcelona in 1455. Eleanor was appointed Governor General of the Kingdom of Navarre. The story goes that after the death of his older brother, Charles, her father John would have given her (as prey) her older sister Bianche II of Navarre, whom he imprisoned and died poisoned by her order.

In 1465, Eleanor managed to sign a truce and named itself "eldest princess, heiress of Navarre, princess of Aragon and Sicily, Countess of Foix and Bigorre and lieutenant general by the most serene king, my lord and father in this kingdom of Navarre ".

At this time, Eleanor and John "Without Faith" staged a battle for the throne of the Kingdom of Navarre. In 1468, John, sent to assassinate the Bishop of Pamplona, ​​the first counselor of his daughter. Later, John, dismissed his daughter by lieutenant general and introduced his grandson, Gaston. The untimely death of his grandson, John and did recap, in 1471, reappointed her daughter Eleanor as governor of the Kingdom of Navarre, although did give up the rights to the Crown of Aragon. Gaston of Foix died in 1472, when he had help from his viscounty to the kingdom of Navarre. She besieged by the expanding interests of France, Aragon and Castile saw her kingdom, which was not titular queen, was threatened and their rights over it.

In her will she claimed all the titles of his brother, Charles, in fulfillment of the will provided for her mother. She appointed heir to her grandson, Francis of Foix, recommending the protection of the king of France.

Marriage and descendants.

The July 30, 1436, she married Count Gaston IV of Foix. The couple were 11 years old and consummated the marriage would later, as the first son born in 1443. From this marriage were born 10 children:

Prince Gaston de Foix, Crown Prince of Navarre. He married Princess Madeleine of Orleans. His children will be kings of Navarre and his descendants will be kings of France.

Francis of Foix and Orleans. King of Navarre.

Catherine of Foix and Orleans. Queen of Navarre.

Prince Peter of Foix. Bishop of Vannes, Cardinal and Archbishop of Arle.

Prince John of Foix. Viscount of Narbonne, Count of Etampes. Father of Germaine de Foix, wife of King Ferdinand "The Catholic". 

Princess Mary of Foix. Marchioness of Montferrat. 

Prince Jaime de Foix. Marquis of Monfort. 

Princess Johanna of Foix. Countess of Armagnac. 

Princess Margaret of Foix. Duchess of Brittany. Mother of Anne of Brittany.

Princess Catherine de Foix, Countess of Candale. Mother Anne of Candale, Queen of Hungary.

Princess Elizabeth of Foix. Died in infancy.

Princess Eleanor of Foix. Died in infancy.