Blanche of Castile, Queen of France

by Lindy Grant

This is the first modern scholarly biography of Blanche of Castile, whose identity has until now been subsumed in that of her son, the saintly Louis IX. A central figure in the politics of medieval Europe, Blanche was a sophisticated patron of religion and culture. Through Lindy Grant’s engaging account, based on a close analysis of Blanche’s household accounts and of the social and religious networks on which her power and agency depended, Blanche is revealed as a vibrant and intellectually questioning personality.

Genres: France, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Medieval

456 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

A specialist in Capetian France, Lindy M. Grant is professor of medieval history at the University of Reading.

Reviews

[Jacob Stelling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been reading this for a long-form university essay on Blanche as a ruler, and it was an invaluable and up to date study; aspects I particularly enjoyed included discussions of legitimate authority and the gendered nature of her power.

[Nate]

A balanced portrait of a very influential woman in the Middle Ages. Grant's thoroughly researched, analytical biography provides a chronological view of Blanche's life along with some thematic essays to highlight her rule and personality.