Berengaria of Navarre
Encyclopedia
Berengaria of Navarre was Queen of the English as the wife of King Richard I of England
. She was the eldest daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre
and Sancha of Castile
. As is the case with many of the medieval queens consort of the Kingdom of England
, relatively little is known of her life. The early 20th Century Cunard
passenger liner RMS Berengaria was named in her honor, the first Cunard ship to be named for a British queen.
by her father. Eleanor of Aquitaine
promoted the engagement of Berengaria to her son King Richard. An alliance with Navarre meant protection for the southern borders of Aquitaine. Also, Navarre had assimilated the troubadour culture of Aquitaine and Berengaria's reputation was unbesmirched. It seems that Berengaria and Richard did in fact meet once, years before their marriage, and writers have claimed that there was an attraction between them at that time.
In 1190, Eleanor met Sancho in Pamplona
and he hosted a banquet in the Palacio Real de Olite
in her honour. The betrothal could not be celebrated openly, for Richard had been betrothed for many years to Princess Alys
, sister of King Philip II of France
. Richard terminated his betrothal to Alys in 1190 while at Messina. It has been suggested that Alys had become the mistress of Richard's own father, King Henry II
, and possibly the mother of an illegitimate child; a marriage between Richard and Alys would therefore be technically impossible for religious reasons of affinity.
, having wasted no time in setting off after his coronation, the two women had a long and difficult journey to catch up with him. They arrived at Messina in Sicily
during Lent (when the marriage could not take place) in 1191 and were joined by Richard's sister Joan
, the widowed Queen of Sicily. The two women became good friends and Berengaria was left in Joan's custody. En route to the Holy Land
, the ship carrying Berengaria and Joan went aground off the coast of Cyprus
, and they were threatened by the island's ruler, Isaac Comnenus. Richard came to their rescue, captured the island, and overthrew Comnenus. Berengaria married Richard I of England
on 12 May 1191 in the Chapel of St George at Limassol
and was crowned the same day by the Archbishop of Bordeaux and Bishops of Évreux and Bayonne.
When Richard returned to England, he had to regain all the territory that had either been lost by his brother John or taken by King Philip of France. His focus was on his kingdom, not his queen. Richard was ordered by Pope Celestine III
to reunite with Berengaria and to show fidelity to her in the future. Richard obeyed and took Berengaria to church every week thereafter. When he died in 1199, she was greatly distressed, perhaps more so at being deliberately overlooked as Queen of England and Cyprus. Some historians believe that Berengaria honestly loved her husband, while Richard's feelings for her were merely formal, as the marriage was a political rather than a romantic union.
Berengaria never visited England during King Richard's lifetime; during the entirety of their marriage, Richard spent less than six months in England. There is evidence, however, that she may have done so in the years following his death. The traditional description of her as "the only English queen never to set foot in the country" would still be literally true, as she did not visit England during the time she was Richard's consort. She certainly sent envoys to England several times, mainly to inquire about the pension she was due as dowager queen and Richard's widow, which King John failed to pay. Although Queen Eleanor intervened and Pope Innocent III
threatened him with an interdict if he did not pay Berengaria what was due, King John still owed her more than £4000 when he died. During the reign of his son Henry III of England
, however, her payments were made as they were supposed to be.
Berengaria eventually settled in Le Mans
, one of her dower properties. She was a benefactress of the abbey of L'Épau in Le Mans, entered the conventual life, and was buried in the abbey. A skeleton thought to be hers was rediscovered in 1960 during the restoration of the abbey. These remains are preserved beneath the stone effigy
of the queen, which is now to be found in the chapter house
of the abbey.
The 1935 film The Crusades starring Loretta Young
and Henry Wilcoxon
tells a fictionalized story of Richard and Berengaria's marriage. The 1960s British television series Richard the Lionheart prominently features their marriage. Both versions were highly romanticised and are not reliable sources of information about the queen.
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Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
. She was the eldest daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre
Sancho VI of Navarre
Sancho VI Garcés , called the Wise , was the king of Navarre from 1150 until his death in 1194....
and Sancha of Castile
Sancha of Castile, Queen of Navarre
Sancha of Castile was daughter of Alfonso VII of León and Castile and his first wife Berenguela of Barcelona. She was a member of the Castilian House of Burgundy....
. As is the case with many of the medieval queens consort of the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
, relatively little is known of her life. The early 20th Century Cunard
Cunard
Cunard may refer to:* Grace Cunard , American silent film actress* Nancy Cunard , English writer, editor, and publisher* Samuel Cunard , British shipping magnate-Other:...
passenger liner RMS Berengaria was named in her honor, the first Cunard ship to be named for a British queen.
Early years
In 1185 Berengaria was given the fief of MonrealMonreal, Navarre
Monreal is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. It had a population of 295 in 2002...
by her father. Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
promoted the engagement of Berengaria to her son King Richard. An alliance with Navarre meant protection for the southern borders of Aquitaine. Also, Navarre had assimilated the troubadour culture of Aquitaine and Berengaria's reputation was unbesmirched. It seems that Berengaria and Richard did in fact meet once, years before their marriage, and writers have claimed that there was an attraction between them at that time.
In 1190, Eleanor met Sancho in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
and he hosted a banquet in the Palacio Real de Olite
Palacio Real de Olite
The Palacio de los Reyes de Navarra de Olite or Castillo de Olite was built during the 13th and 14th centuries in the town of Olite...
in her honour. The betrothal could not be celebrated openly, for Richard had been betrothed for many years to Princess Alys
Alys, Countess of the Vexin
Alys, Countess of the Vexin was the daughter of King Louis VII of France and his second wife Constance of Castile.- Life :...
, sister of King Philip II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
. Richard terminated his betrothal to Alys in 1190 while at Messina. It has been suggested that Alys had become the mistress of Richard's own father, King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
, and possibly the mother of an illegitimate child; a marriage between Richard and Alys would therefore be technically impossible for religious reasons of affinity.
Marriage
Richard had Berengaria brought to him by his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine. Since Richard was already on the Third CrusadeThird Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
, having wasted no time in setting off after his coronation, the two women had a long and difficult journey to catch up with him. They arrived at Messina in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
during Lent (when the marriage could not take place) in 1191 and were joined by Richard's sister Joan
Joan of England, Queen of Sicily
Joan of England was the seventh child of Henry II of England and his queen consort, Eleanor of Aquitaine.Joan was a younger maternal half-sister of Marie de Champagne and Alix of France...
, the widowed Queen of Sicily. The two women became good friends and Berengaria was left in Joan's custody. En route to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, the ship carrying Berengaria and Joan went aground off the coast of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, and they were threatened by the island's ruler, Isaac Comnenus. Richard came to their rescue, captured the island, and overthrew Comnenus. Berengaria married Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
on 12 May 1191 in the Chapel of St George at Limassol
Limassol
Limassol is the second-largest city in Cyprus, with a population of 228,000 . It is the largest city in geographical size, and the biggest municipality on the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast and it is the capital of Limassol District.Limassol is the...
and was crowned the same day by the Archbishop of Bordeaux and Bishops of Évreux and Bayonne.
Queen consort
Whether the marriage was ever even consummated is a matter for conjecture. In any case, Richard certainly took his new wife with him for the first part of the crusade. They returned separately, but Richard was captured and imprisoned. Berengaria remained in Europe, attempting to raise money for his ransom. After his release, Richard returned to England and was not joined by his wife.When Richard returned to England, he had to regain all the territory that had either been lost by his brother John or taken by King Philip of France. His focus was on his kingdom, not his queen. Richard was ordered by Pope Celestine III
Pope Celestine III
Pope Celestine III , born Giacinto Bobone, was elected Pope on March 21, 1191, and reigned until his death. He was born into the noble Orsini family in Rome, though he was only a cardinal deacon before becoming Pope...
to reunite with Berengaria and to show fidelity to her in the future. Richard obeyed and took Berengaria to church every week thereafter. When he died in 1199, she was greatly distressed, perhaps more so at being deliberately overlooked as Queen of England and Cyprus. Some historians believe that Berengaria honestly loved her husband, while Richard's feelings for her were merely formal, as the marriage was a political rather than a romantic union.
Queen dowager
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
threatened him with an interdict if he did not pay Berengaria what was due, King John still owed her more than £4000 when he died. During the reign of his son Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, however, her payments were made as they were supposed to be.
Berengaria eventually settled in Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
, one of her dower properties. She was a benefactress of the abbey of L'Épau in Le Mans, entered the conventual life, and was buried in the abbey. A skeleton thought to be hers was rediscovered in 1960 during the restoration of the abbey. These remains are preserved beneath the stone effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of the queen, which is now to be found in the chapter house
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
of the abbey.
Ancestry
In fiction
Novels featuring Berengaria include:- The Passionate Brood by Margaret Campbell Barnes
- The Heart Of The Lion by Jean Plaidy
- Queen Without a Country by Rachel Bard
- My Lord Brother the Lionheart by Molly Costain HaycraftMolly Costain HaycraftMolly Costain Haycraft is a Canadian author. She was born in Toronto, Canada, and spent her childhood in Philadelphia, where her father, the well-known novelist Thomas B. Costain, was an editor for The Saturday Evening Post. She is the author of several novels about women in English royal history...
- Shield of Three Lions and Banners of Gold, by Pamela Kaufman
- The Lute Player by Norah LoftsNorah LoftsNorah Lofts, née Norah Robinson, was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote more than fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories...
- Standard of Honor by Jack WhyteJack WhyteJack Whyte is a Scottish-Canadian novelist of historical fiction. Born and raised in Scotland, Whyte has been living in Canada since 1967. He resides in Kelowna, British Columbia....
- Wyrd by Sue Gough
- The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
- Winning His Spurs by G. A. HentyG. A. HentyGeorge Alfred Henty , was a prolific English novelist and a special correspondent. He is best known for his historical adventure stories that were popular in the late 19th century. His works include Out on the Pampas , The Young Buglers , With Clive in India and Wulf the Saxon .-Biography:G.A...
- Valentina by Fern MichaelsFern MichaelsFern Michaels is an American author of romance and thriller novels, including nearly 50 best selling books with more than 70 million copies in print...
- The Queen's Witch by Cecelia HollandCecelia Holland-Biography:She was born December 31, 1943 in Henderson, Nevada, and began writing at the age of twelve, recording the stories she made up for her own entertainment. From the beginning, her focus was on history because "being twelve, I had precious few stories of my own...
- Lionheart by Sharon Kay PenmanSharon Kay PenmanSharon Kay Penman is an American historical novelist, published in the UK as Sharon Penman. She is best known for the Welsh Princes trilogy and the Plantagenet series. In addition, she has written four medieval mysteries, the first of which, The Queen's Man, was a finalist in 1996 for the Best...
The 1935 film The Crusades starring Loretta Young
Loretta Young
Loretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953...
and Henry Wilcoxon
Henry Wilcoxon
Henry Wilcoxon was an actor born in Roseau, Dominica, British West Indies, and best known as a leading man in many of Cecil B. DeMille's films, also serving as DeMille's associate producer on his later films....
tells a fictionalized story of Richard and Berengaria's marriage. The 1960s British television series Richard the Lionheart prominently features their marriage. Both versions were highly romanticised and are not reliable sources of information about the queen.
External links
- Women's Biography: Berengaria of Navarre, queen of England, contains several letters to and from Berengaria.
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