Blanche of Bourbon (c. 1338–1361)

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Blanche of Bourbon (c. 1338–1361)

Queen of Castile and León. Name variations: Bianca; Blanche of Castile. Born in France around 1338 or 1339; died at Medina Sidonia, Spain, in 1361; daughter of Pierre also known as Peter I, duke of Bourbon, andIsabelle of Savoy (d. 1383); married Pedro el Cruel also known as Peter I the Cruel (1334–1369), king of Castile and Leon (r. 1350–1369), on June 3, 1353.

During her marriage to Peter the Cruel of Castile, Blanche of Bourbon was unjustly accused of infidelity and imprisoned; her death in 1361 has been ascribed to poisoning. Blanche's tragic fate, similar to that of Margaret of Burgundy (1290–1315), has frequently been documented in verse. Peter the Cruel also secretly married Marie de Padilla (1335–1365) in 1353.

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Blanche of Bourbon (c. 1338–1361)

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Blanche of Bourbon (c. 1338–1361)