Magdalena of Valois
Encyclopedia
Magdalena of Valois, also called Madeleine de France (1 December 1443, Tours
- 21 January 1495, Pamplona
), was a daughter of Charles VII of France
and Marie of Anjou
, and acted as regent for her children, Francis I
and Catherine I, who were successively monarchs of Navarre.
Magdalena was betrothed to Ladislaus the Posthumous however he died suddenly in Prague
on 23 November 1457 while preparing for his marriage. It was rumored at the time that his political opponents in Bohemia had poisoned him; but in the 20th century it was proved that Ladislaus died of leukemia
, not a recognized disease in that period.
She married Gaston, Prince of Viana, son and heir of Gaston IV, Count of Foix and Eleanor of Navarre
, at Saint-Jean-d'Angély in 1461. They had two children:
Her husband died in 1470, predeceasing his father; accordingly, when Gaston IV died in 1472, his possessions were inherited by Magdalena's son, Francis Phoebus. Francis became the heir of Navarre in 1479 upon the death of his great-grandfather, John II of Aragon and Navarre
, who left Navarre to the rightful heir, Magdalena's mother-in-law, Eleanor. Eleanor only spent a few weeks as Queen before she herself died; Francis Phoebus became King, and his mother acted as regent until his death, at age 17, in 1483; Magdalena then acted as regent for her daughter, Catherine, until 1494. During this regency, she was forced to battle her brother-in-law, John of Foix, who claimed the throne of Navarre as heir male of Francis Phoebus.
Magdalena was taken hostage by Ferdinand II of Aragon
in 1494. She died in the following year; her death provoked fresh conflict.
With the death of Charles VIII of France
(Magdalena's nephew), the descendants of Charles VI of France
ceased to occupy the French throne. By the death of Anne of France
, Magdalena's descent, along with that of her elder sister Yolande, Duchess of Savoy became the last surviving legitimate descents from Charles VII of France
. Her descendant and heir, Henry III of Navarre
, would become King of France in 1589, returning the descent and heirs of Charles VI and Charles VII to the French throne.
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
- 21 January 1495, 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...
), was a daughter of Charles VII of France
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
and Marie of Anjou
Marie of Anjou
Marie of Anjou was the Queen consort of King Charles VII of France from 1422 to 1461. Her mother, Yolande of Aragon, played a leading role in the last phase of the Hundred Years' War.-Family:...
, and acted as regent for her children, Francis I
Francis I of Navarre
Francis Phoebus of Foix was king of Navarre and count of Foix . He was the son of Gaston de Foix, Prince of Viana, and grandson of Eleanor of Navarre, whom he succeeded.During his brief reign, he was the charge of his mother, the regent, Magdalena of Valois...
and Catherine I, who were successively monarchs of Navarre.
Magdalena was betrothed to Ladislaus the Posthumous however he died suddenly in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
on 23 November 1457 while preparing for his marriage. It was rumored at the time that his political opponents in Bohemia had poisoned him; but in the 20th century it was proved that Ladislaus died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, not a recognized disease in that period.
She married Gaston, Prince of Viana, son and heir of Gaston IV, Count of Foix and Eleanor of Navarre
Eleanor of Navarre
Eleanor of Aragon , Regent and the queen regnant of Navarre in 1479...
, at Saint-Jean-d'Angély in 1461. They had two children:
- Francis Phoebus (1466–1483), King of Navarre
- CatherineCatherine of NavarreCatherine was Queen of Navarre , duchess of Gandia, Montblanc, and Peñafiel, countess of Foix, Bigorre, and Ribagorza, and viscountess of Béarn.- Biography :...
(1470–1518), queen regnantQueen regnantA queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of Navarre, married in 1484 John of AlbretJohn III of NavarreJohn III , also known as Jean d'Albret, was jure uxoris, King consort of the Queen regnant Catherine of Navarre.He was a son of Alain I of Albret, Lord of Albret, and his wife, Frances of Châtillon-Limoges.-King of Navarre:...
(1469–1516).
Her husband died in 1470, predeceasing his father; accordingly, when Gaston IV died in 1472, his possessions were inherited by Magdalena's son, Francis Phoebus. Francis became the heir of Navarre in 1479 upon the death of his great-grandfather, John II of Aragon and Navarre
John II of Aragon
John II the Faithless, also known as the Great was the King of Aragon from 1458 until 1479, and jure uxoris King of Navarre from 1425 until his death. He was the son of Ferdinand I and his wife Eleanor of Alburquerque...
, who left Navarre to the rightful heir, Magdalena's mother-in-law, Eleanor. Eleanor only spent a few weeks as Queen before she herself died; Francis Phoebus became King, and his mother acted as regent until his death, at age 17, in 1483; Magdalena then acted as regent for her daughter, Catherine, until 1494. During this regency, she was forced to battle her brother-in-law, John of Foix, who claimed the throne of Navarre as heir male of Francis Phoebus.
Magdalena was taken hostage by Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
in 1494. She died in the following year; her death provoked fresh conflict.
With the death of Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
(Magdalena's nephew), the descendants of Charles VI of France
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
ceased to occupy the French throne. By the death of Anne of France
Anne of France
Anne of France was the eldest daughter of Louis XI of France and his second wife, Charlotte of Savoy. Anne was the sister of King Charles VIII of France, for whom she acted as regent during his minority; and of Joan of France, who was briefly queen consort to Louis XII...
, Magdalena's descent, along with that of her elder sister Yolande, Duchess of Savoy became the last surviving legitimate descents from Charles VII of France
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
. Her descendant and heir, Henry III of Navarre
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, would become King of France in 1589, returning the descent and heirs of Charles VI and Charles VII to the French throne.