Joan I (14 January 1273 – 31 March/2 April 1305) (Basque: Joana, Spanish: Juana) was ruling Queen of Navarre and Countess of Champagne from 1274 until 1305. She was also Queen of France by marriage to King Philip IV. She founded the College of Navarre in Paris in 1305.
Joan never ruled Navarre in person; it was overseen by French governors. Having direct control over the County of Champagne, she raised an army to face the invasion of the county by Henry III, Count of Bar, even capturing and imprisoning the count. She died in 1305, most likely from childbirth complications.
Contents
Life
Joan was born in Bar-sur-Seine, Champagne on 14 January 1273 the daughter of King Henry I of Navarre and Blanche of Artois. The following year, upon the death of her father, she became Countess of Champagne and Queen of Navarre. Due to her age, her mother, Blanche, was her guardian and regent in Navarre.
Various powers, both foreign and Navarrese, sought to take advantage of the minority of the heiress and the "weakness" of the female regent, which caused Joan and her mother to seek protection at the court of Philip III of France. Her mother arrived in France in 1274, and by the Treaty of Orléans in 1275, Joan was betrothed to one of Philip's sons (Louis or Philip). Blanche therefore placed her daughter and the government of Navarre under the protection of the King of France. After this, Joan was brought up with Philip. It is, in fact, uncertain whether she ever resided in Navarre during her childhood.
