C.P. Correction/Addition: Death/burial place of Blanche of Artois, wife of Enrique I, King of Navarre, and Edmund, Earl of Lancaster

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

Complete Peerage 7 (1929): 378-387 (sub Lancaster) has a good account of Edmund of England, Knt., Earl of Lancaster, Leicester, and Derby (died 1296), which Edmund was a younger son of King Henry III of England. In earlier posts, I've pointed out the long standing error of referring to Edmund as "Edmund Crouchback."

Regarding the death of Edmund's wife, Blanche of Artois, dowager Queen of Navarre, the following information is given by Complete Peerage:

"She died 2 May 1302, in Paris."

In footnote c on page 387, the source for Blanche's place of death is given:

"Anselme, vol. i, p. 382, upon the authority of municipal accounts of Paris (Registre de la chambre de comptes de Paris)."

Even so, all the modern French sources I've checked online state that Blanche died at Vincennes Castle (Val-de-Marne), France, not Paris. The Vincennes death place is given, for example, in Arbois de Jubainville, Histoire des Ducs et des Comtes de Champagne 4 (1865): 429–456. Arbois de Jubainville may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=b5S7L59vSE8C&pg=PA455&lpg=PA455

The Vincennes death place also appears in Lalou, Itinéraire de Philippe IV le Bel (1285–1314): Routes et Résidences (2007): 200, which may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=P8ATAQAAMAAJ&dq=editions%3ARDJXPF80CjEC&q=Blanche+m%C3%A8re#search_anchor

Curiously both Arbois de Jubainville and Lalou cite at their source the SAME volume and page in Anselme, Histoire de la Maison Royale de France 1 (1725): 382, as does Complete Peerage.

As such, I checked Anselme to see what he actually said. Here is an exact quote:

""Blanche d'Artois ... fit son testament a Paris le mardy fête de saint Jacques & saint Philippe 1302. sur le minuit, & mourut le lendemain, comme il s'apprend d'un registre de la chambre des comptes de Paris." END OF QUOTE.

Basically Anselme states that Blanche made her testament at Paris on 1 May 1302, and died the next day. Please note that he does not say she died at Paris, only that she made her will in Paris.

Complete Peerage makes no comment regarding Blanche's place of burial. Arbois de Jubainville, Histoire des Ducs et des Comtes de Champagne 4 (1865): 455 cited above states that Blanche was buried in the choir of the church of the Cordeliers of Paris. The source he cites for this information is Chronique abrégée de Guillaume de Nangis, ap. D. Bouquet, XX, 652 A.

On the other hand, Gee, Women, Art & Patronage from Henry III to Edward III: 1216–1377 (2002): 12 states that Blanche was buried at the Abbey of Nogent l’Artaud, which Blanche herself founded in 1299.

See the following weblink for that information:

http://books.google.com/books?id=V7qtzpO-Bc0C&pg=PA12

Unfortunately Gee fails to provide her documentation for this statement.

Frankly I would like to see better particulars regarding both the place of death and burial for Blanche of Artois.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

In my previous post regarding the death and burial place of Blanche of Artois, I noted that Complete Peerage makes no comment regarding Blanche's place of burial. But Arbois de Jubainville, Histoire des Ducs et des Comtes de Champagne 4 (1865): 455 states that Blanche was buried in the choir of the church of the Cordeliers of Paris. The source he cites for this information is "Chronique abrégée de Guillaume de Nangis, ap. D. Bouquet, XX, 652 A."

The citation, "D. Bouquet, XX, 652A" is readily recognizable as Recueil des Historiens des Gaules et de la France, volume 20 (1840): 652. This source may be viewed at the following weblink courtesy of the Gallica website:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k50138z/f727.image.r=Recueil+des+Historiens+des+Gaules+et+de+la+France.langEN

Chronique abrégée de Guillaume de Nangis states the following regarding the burial of Queen Jeanne of Navarre (wife of King Philippe IV of France) and her mother, Blanche of Artois:

"Il [i.e., King Philippe IV] out a fame le royne Johenne la fille le roy de Navarre. Icelle dame aporta a mariage le royaume de Navarre qui ores est ajoint au royaume de France, e la contey de Campaigne. E fu enterree ceste dame après son decès ès Cordeliers de Paris dedens leur yglise en cuer, de lez sa mere." END OF QUOTE.

For interest's sake, the following is a list of the numerous 17th Century New World immigrants that descend from Blanche of Artois:

Robert Abell, Dannett Abney, Elizabeth Alsop, William Asfordby, Barbara Aubrey, John Barclay, Charles Barnes, Anne Baynton, Dorothy Beresford, John Bevan, Essex Beville, William Bladen, George & Nehemiah Blakiston, Joseph Bolles, Thomas Booth, Elizabeth Bosvile, Mary Bourchier, George, Giles, & Robert Brent, Edward Bromfield, Stephen Bull, Charles Calvert, Edward Carleton, Grace Chetwode, James & Norton Claypoole, St. Leger Codd, Elizabeth & Thomas Coytemore, William Crymes, James Cudworth, Francis Dade, Humphrey Davie, Frances, Jane & Katherine Deighton, Edward Digges, Robert Drake, Rowland Ellis, William Farrer, John Fenwick, John Fisher, Henry Fleete, Edward Foliot, Thomas Gerard, William Goddard, Muriel Gurdon, Elizabeth & John Harleston, Warham Horsmanden, Patrick Houston, Anne Humphrey, Daniel & John Humphrey, Mary Launce, Hannah, Samuel & Sarah Levis, Thomas Ligon, Nathaniel Littleton, Thomas Lloyd, Gabriel, Roger & Sarah Ludlow, Thomas Lunsford, Agnes Mackworth, Anne, Elizabeth & John Mansfield, Oliver Manwaring, Elizabeth Marshall, Anne Mauleverer, Richard More, Joseph & Mary Need, John and Margaret Nelson, Philip & Thomas Nelson, Joshua & Rebecca Owen, Thomas Owsley, John Oxenbridge, Richard Palgrave, Herbert Pelham, Robert Peyton, William & Elizabeth Pole, Henry & William Randolph, Edward Raynsford, George Reade, William Rodney, Thomas Rudyard, Katherine Saint Leger, Richard Saltonstall, William Skepper, Anne Skipwith, Diana & Grey Skipwith, Mary Johanna Somerset, Alexander Spotswood, John Stockman, Rose Stoughton, Samuel & William Torrey, Margaret Touteville, John & Lawrence Washington, Olive Welby, John West, Mary Wolseley, Hawte Wyatt, Amy Wyllys, George Yate.

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

There is an older account of the Counts of Champagne and Blois which is published in L’Art de vérifier les Dates 2 (1784): 610–629. This source may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=1YJEAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA627

On page 627, the author states that Blanche of Artois died at Vincennes Castle on 2 May 1302. The statement is made under the author's discussion of Blanche's daughter, Jeanne I, Comtesse de Champagne, Reine de Navarre:

"L'an 1302, Jeanne perd sa mere, décédée, le 2 Mai, au château de Vincennes." END OF QUOTE.

Basically it says that in the year 1302, Jeanne lost her mother [Blanche], who died 2 May at Vincennes Castle.

No source is given for this statement, but presumably it is based on some contemporary record.

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

So far we've seen several secondary sources state that Blanche of Artois, Queen of Navarre, died either at Vincennes Castle or Paris, but no original contemporary source has been advanced to confirm either place.

Van Kerebrouck, Les Capétiens, 987-1328 (2000): 226 states the following: "Elle mourut à Paris le 2 Mai 1302." Translation: She died at Paris 2 May 1302. No source citation is provided.

Van Kerebrouck may be viewed in snippet view at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?ei=-_gnUMjGMoLQiwLouIGoCg&id=scAiAQAAIAAJ&dq=Blanche+Vincennes+morte+1302&q=%22mai+1302%22#search_anchor

La Plagne Barris, Sceaux Gascons du Moyen Âge 1 (Archives Hist. de la Gascogne 15) (1888): 78 displays a seal of Blanche of Artois. The author states Blanche died in Paris in 1302, but gives no documentation for this statement.

Sceaux Gascons du Moyen Âge may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=T3gBAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA78

Nouvelle Revue Historique de Droit Français et Étranger 31 (1907): 341 includes a short biography of Blanche's 2nd husband, Edmund, Earl of Lancaster. The author states that Blanche d'Artois died at Vincennes in 1302. A few sources are provided in a footnote which include Arbois de Jubainville. Arbois de Jubainville gave Vincennes as the place of death for Blanche alright. But we earlier saw that Jubainville cited Anselme as his source and Anselme doesn't say where Blanche died.

Dictionnaire portatif des Femmes célèbres Volume 1 (1788): 368 includes a short biography of Blanche of Artois. It states that Blanche died at Paris the 2nd day of May 1302. But no source is cited.

This source may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=WPFaAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA368&lpg=PA368

Finally there is a biography of Blanche of Artois' 2nd husband, Edmund, Earl of Lancaster in Dictionary of National Biography, 32 (1892): 33–35. Regarding Blanche's death, the author merely says she "survived" until 1302. No place of death is given.

The D.N.B. material may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=5XL_txBVBokC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33

So we now have a few more secondary sources and they are divided as to whether Blanche died at Vincennes or Paris or no place at all. So far no one has cited a contemporary source which documents Blanche's place of death.

So did Blanche die at Vincennes Castle or Paris? The mystery continues.

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

In an earlier post, I noted that Complete Peerage makes no comment regarding the place of burial of Blanche of Artois (died 1302), wife of Enrique I, King of Navarre, and Edmund, Earl of Lancaster.

Regarding Blanche's place of burial, Arbois de Jubainville, Histoire des Ducs et des Comtes de Champagne 4 (1865): 455 states that Blanche was buried in the choir of the church of the Cordeliers of Paris. The source he cites for this information is Chronique abrégée de Guillaume de Nangis, ap. D. Bouquet, XX, 652 A.

The citation, "D. Bouquet, XX, 652A" is readily recognizable as Recueil des Historiens des Gaules et de la France, volume 20 (1840): 652. This source may be viewed at the following weblink courtesy of the Gallica website:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k50138z/f727.image.r=Recueil+des+Historiens+des+Gaules+et+de+la+France.langEN

Chronique abrégée de Guillaume de Nangis states the following regarding the burial of Queen Jeanne of Navarre (wife of King Philippe IV of France) and her mother, Blanche of Artois:

"Il [i.e., King Philippe IV] out a fame le royne Johenne la fille le roy de Navarre. Icelle dame aporta a mariage le royaume de Navarre qui ores est ajoint au royaume de France, e la contey de Campaigne. E fu enterree ceste dame après son decès ès Cordeliers de Paris dedens leur yglise en cuer, de lez sa mere." END OF QUOTE.

Regardless, Gee, Women, Art & Patronage from Henry III to Edward III: 1216–1377 (2002): 12 states that Blanche was buried at the Abbey of Nogent l’Artaud, which Blanche herself founded in 1299. But Gee gives no documentation for that statement.

So who is correct?

The answer is that both statements are correct. It appears that Blanche of Artois, Queen of Navarre, and her daughter, Jeanne of Naverre, Queen of France, were in fact buried in the choir of the church of the Cordeliers of Paris, as stated by Nangis and Arbois de Jubainville.

But what about Gee's statement? To answer that question, we must turn to Archaeological Journal 3 (1847): 239 which includes the following information regarding Blanche of Artois's burial place. It states that Blanche's heart (not her body) was deposited in the choir of the conventual church of the Minoresses at Nogent-l'Artaud in Champagne. Here is a copy of those comments:

"An interesting little effigy in white marble, now preserved in the abbey church of St. Denis, near Paris, represents Blanche d'Artois, grand-daughter of Louis VIII., who espoused, in 1269, Henry, king of Navarre, and, after his death, Edmond, earl of Lancaster, brother of Edward I. She died A.D. 1302, and was buried in Paris: her heart being deposited in the choir of the conventual church of the Minoresses at Nogent l'Artault, in Champagne, founded by her. On the destruction of that establishment, the effigy, which measures about 2 ft. in length, was preserved, and subsquently placed amongst the royal memorials at St. Denis." END OF QUOTE.

The Archaeological Journal comments may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=iYVbAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA239&lpg=PA239

The conflicting statements of Arbois de Jubainville and Gee are thus resolved. Blanche's body was buried in Paris, and her heart was buried at Nogent-l'Artaud. Blanche's heart was subsequently removed to Saint Denis Abbey, near Paris, where it lay in 1847.

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

We are informed by Anselme, Histoire de la Maison Royale de France 1 (1725): 382 that Blanche of Artois, Queen of Naverre, made her will in Paris 1 May 1302, and that she died 2 May 1302. The death date 2 May 13023 is given by all the French sources I've checked so far which concern Queen Blanche. But they seem to all depend on Anselme.

So is Anselme correct that Blanche died on that date?

Checking through various secondary sources, I've managed to locate two other contemporary records which give us an indication as to the death month and day of Queen Blanche:

1. Haines, Calendar of the Register of Wolstan de Bransford (Worcestershire Hist. Soc. n.s. 4) (1966): 172 (records the anniversary of Blanche as 4 May).

2. Molinier, Obituaires de la Province de Sens 1(2) (Recueil des Historiens de la France — Obituaires) (1902): 651 (Sainte-Catherine de la Couture — “[15 May] id. Item illustris regine Blanche Navarre [1302], quondam matris Joanne, Dei gratia regine Francie, que dedit nobis XL lib.”).

So did Blanche of Navarre died 2 May, or 4 May, or 15 May 1302?

We can be certain that 1302 is the correct year of death. Anselme states that Queen Blanche made her will 1 May 1302, and I believe that date is correct. Elsewhere there are contemporary records published in Prynne, Antiquæ constitutiones regni Angliæ (1672): 1006–1007 which indicate that on 19 Jan. 1302/3 King Edward I, in order to satisfy a debt occasioned by his war in Scotland, directed the Mayor and Sheriffs of London to seise so much of the monies of Blanche, late Queen of Navarre, deposited in the house of the Friars Minors in London.

Prynne may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Ks1FAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1006

So Queen Blanche died sometime between 1 May 1302 and 19 Jan. 1302/3. But is Anselme correct that Blanche of Artois died 2 May 1302. If so, why was the anniversary of her death kept on 4 May in England and 15 May in France?

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

Recueil des Historiens des Gaules et de la France 21 (1855): 521 includes a contemporary record of an accounting of the lands of Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, in Champagne and the dower lands of his wife, Blanche of Artois, Queen of Navarre. This item reads as follows:

"Anno Circiter M.CCC.XXV. Confecta.

Compoti Ordinarii.

Compoti terrae domini Edmundi, filii regis Angliae, in Campania, pro annis CC.XCIIII. et CC.XCV.
Compoti dotalicii reginae Navarrae Blanchae, uxoris dicti domini Edmundi, in dicta terra sua, ab anno M.CC.XCV. usque ad Magdalenam CCC.III." END OF QUOTE.

The above record may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k28914g/f611.image.r=Recueil+des+Historiens+des+Gaules+et+de+la+France.langEN

Edmund, Earl of Lancaster died 5 June 1296. We see that there was an accounting of his lands for the years, 1294 and 1295, but no further.

Blanche of Artois allegedly died 2 May 1302. We see that there was an accounting of her dower lands from 1295 until Saint Magdalene 1303.

I assume Saint Magdalene day is for Mary Magdalene which was honored on July 22. But there is another saint day, Saint Mary Magdelene de Pazzi, which was honored on May 25.

Whatever the situation, I believe this record proves that Blanche of Artois died in or before 1303, when the accounting of her dower lands ceased.

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

Regarding the death date of Blanche of Artois, I've finally located a French source which appears to quote a contemporary document which specifically states that Blanche of Artois, Queen of Navarre, Countess of Champagne and Lancaster, died 2 May 1302. The source in question is Borrelli de Serres, Recherches sur divers services publics du XIIIe au XVIIe Siècle 2 (1904): 411-412

The author Borrelli de Serres discusses the administration of the dower lands of Blanche of Artois, which evidently included the bailliage de Sezanne. These lands were administered in Blanche's name until her death on 2 May 1302, after which they were assigned as dower lands of her daughter, Jeanne of Navarre, Queen of France. The words below "usque ad 2 maii 1302, qua [comitissa] obiit, et a dicta die devenit dicta terra regi" are set in italics in the original text by Borrelli de Serres. As is customary, words set in italics are usually quotations from original documents. Since I'm unable to show italics here on the newsgroup, I've capitalized these words below.

This material may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=rtUsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA412&lpg=PA411


Borrelli de Serres Recherches sur divers services publics du XIIIe au XVIIe Siècle 2 (1904): 411-412 (“Le bailliage de Sezanne, que nous avons va créé en 1277-8, a été en 1284 laissé à Blanche d’Artois, quand la tutelle de sa fille lui a été retirée. A ce moment il a été replacé sous l’administration de son ancien Bailli de 1278, Guillaume du Chatelet, qui dans l’intervalle, en 1282, avait fonctionné a Chaumont, mais a quitté ce poste pour rester au service de la comtesse mère; il y était encore en 1286, en 1292. En 1301, le troisième cinquantième a été levé à Troyes-Meaux, Vitry, Chaumont ‘et en la terre du douayre.’ La comptabilité de cette administration princière, plus tard versée a la Chambre des comptes et inventoriée par Mignon, allait USQUE AD 2 MAII 1302, QUA [COMITISSA] OBIIT, ET A DICTA DIE DEVENIT DICTA TERRA REGI; un compte pour liquidation finale a été présenté en 1303, et les Debita ont été reportés sur la liste de ceux de la Champagne. Voici donc en 1302 le bailliage de Sezanne reuni au domaine par suite de la mort de la comtesse Blanche; suivant M. Lefèvre au contraire, il aurait été douaire de sa fille, la comtesse Jeanne Ier, reine de France, depuis son mariage et le serait resté jusqu'à sa mort in 1304.”).

In footnote 5 on page 412, Borrelli de Serres adds the following information: "Dans les archives de la Chambre étaient aussi pour 1294, 1295 les comptes des biens laissés en 1284 à Edmond de Lancastre (Lat 9069 39, 40; H.F. doc. fin. I 20); ils avaient été confisqués, parce qu'alors il servait pour son frère, le roi d'Angleterre, dans la guerre de Guyenne; après sa mort, l'année suivante, ils sont passés à son fils Jean, qui a recu de sa sœur, la reine Jeanne, les archives concernant Nogent-l'Artaud, Beaufort, Séanz, Larzicourt (J 194 s)."

For further information regarding Blanche of Artois' younger son, John of Lancaster, seigneur of Beaufort (died 1317), see Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, 2nd edition, 2011.

So now we solved the death date and burial place of Blanche of Artois. All that remains a mystery is her place of death. Is it Paris or nearby Vincennes Castle? Enquiring minds want to know.

[Derek Howard]

On Saturday, August 18, 2012 9:45:49 PM UTC+2, Douglas Richardson wrote:
> Dear Newsgroup ~
>
>
>
> Regarding the death date of Blanche of Artois, I've finally located a French source which appears to quote a contemporary document which specifically states that Blanche of Artois, Queen of Navarre, Countess of Champagne and Lancaster, died 2 May 1302. The source in question is Borrelli de Serres, Recherches sur divers services publics du XIIIe au XVIIe Siècle 2 (1904): 411-412
>
>
>
> The author Borrelli de Serres discusses the administration of the dower lands of Blanche of Artois, which evidently included the bailliage de Sezanne. These lands were administered in Blanche's name until her death on 2 May 1302, after which they were assigned as dower lands of her daughter, Jeanne of Navarre, Queen of France. The words below "usque ad 2 maii 1302, qua [comitissa] obiit, et a dicta die devenit dicta terra regi" are set in italics in the original text by Borrelli de Serres. As is customary, words set in italics are usually quotations from original documents. Since I'm unable to show italics here on the newsgroup, I've capitalized these words below.
>
>
>
> This material may be viewed at the following weblink:
>
>
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=rtUsAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA412&lpg=PA411
>
>
>
>
>
> Borrelli de Serres Recherches sur divers services publics du XIIIe au XVIIe Siècle 2 (1904): 411-412 (“Le bailliage de Sezanne, que nous avons va créé en 1277-8, a été en 1284 laissé à Blanche d’Artois, quand la tutelle de sa fille lui a été retirée. A ce moment il a été replacé sous l’administration de son ancien Bailli de 1278, Guillaume du Chatelet, qui dans l’intervalle, en 1282, avait fonctionné a Chaumont, mais a quitté ce poste pour rester au service de la comtesse mère; il y était encore en 1286, en 1292. En 1301, le troisième cinquantième a été levé à Troyes-Meaux, Vitry, Chaumont ‘et en la terre du douayre.’ La comptabilité de cette administration princière, plus tard versée a la Chambre des comptes et inventoriée par Mignon, allait USQUE AD 2 MAII 1302, QUA [COMITISSA] OBIIT, ET A DICTA DIE DEVENIT DICTA TERRA REGI; un compte pour liquidation finale a été présenté en 1303, et les Debita ont été reportés sur la liste de ceux de la Champagne. Voici donc en 1302 le bailliage de Sezanne reuni au domaine par suite de la mort de la comtesse Blanche; suivant M. Lefèvre au contraire, il aurait été douaire de sa fille, la comtesse Jeanne Ier, reine de France, depuis son mariage et le serait resté jusqu'à sa mort in 1304.”).

<snip>

Well found. The quotation above is second hand as can be seen from the date format which has been modernised. It in fact comes from "Inventaire d'anciens comptes royaux / dressé par Robert Mignon sous le règne de Philippe de Valois", publ. M. Ch.-V. Langlois, Paris 1899, p 30, no 93, see:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5978k/f77

Derek Howard

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Derek ~

Thank you for posting the link to the Mignon book. Much appreciated.

Finding a contemporary record which confirmed Blanche of Artois' death date has been quite a challenge. Most secondary sources which I have consulted give the correct date of Blanche's death [2 May 1302], but they don't link the date to an actual contemporary source.

Also there appears to have been no IPM taken for Blanche of Artois in England, although she obviously held extensive dower lands in England.

I'm unable to explain the deviance between Blanche's actual death date and the two obit anniversaries I found of her death. On that score, about all I can say is the obits can and do deviate from an actual death date, but usually it's only by a day or two at the most. In this case, the obit in England was 4 May which falls into the usual pattern being off by one or two days. But the French obit was 15 May, which is almost two weeks off Blanche's actual death date. What can I say? C'est la vie!

Sincerely, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah