Joan II of Navarre

Joan II of Navarre, born on January twenty-eighth, thirteen eleven, was a significant political figure who reigned as Queen of Navarre from thirteen twenty-eight until her death in thirteen forty-nine. The only surviving child of Louis I of Navarre and Margaret of Burgundy, her lineage was marred by controversy. Despite doubts surrounding her paternity due to her mother's involvement in a scandal, Louis I publicly acknowledged Joan as his legitimate daughter before his untimely death in thirteen sixteen.

Following her father's ascension to the French throne as Louis X in thirteen fourteen, the French lords opposed the notion of a female monarch, leading to the election of Louis's brother, Philip V, as king. Joan's claim to the throne faced further challenges as the Navarrese noblemen pledged their allegiance to Philip. Attempts by her maternal family to secure her rights to the counties of Champagne and Brie were thwarted by French royal troops, culminating in a compromise where her cousin, Odo, renounced her claims in exchange for compensation in March thirteen eighteen.

In a twist of fate, after the death of Philip V in thirteen twenty-two, Joan's fortunes changed. The Navarrese, dissatisfied with the French governance, expelled the French governor and declared Joan their rightful monarch in thirteen twenty-eight. This pivotal moment coincided with the crowning of Philip of Valois as Philip VI in France, who later reached an agreement with Joan and her husband, Philip III of Navarre, solidifying their rights to Navarre while they renounced claims to Champagne and Brie.

Joan II and Philip III were crowned in Pamplona Cathedral in March thirteen twenty-nine, marking the beginning of their cooperative reign. Although they worked closely together, Philip III took a more active role in governance, while the couple primarily resided in their French domains, leaving Navarre under the administration of governors during their absences. Tragically, Philip III passed away in thirteen forty-three, and Joan succumbed to the Black Death in thirteen forty-nine, leaving behind a legacy that would be carried on by her son, Charles II.