Blanka of Namur

Queen Blanche of Sweden and Norway, (1320 – 1363) was queen-consort of Sweden and Norway, as the wife of King Magnus Eriksson. She was born as daughter of the Count of Namur

Biography

It is unknown how it came that the Swedish/Norweigan king married a woman from Namur. In June 1334 he travelled from Norway to Namur to propose. In Namur they got engaged and Magnus returned to Sweden in the fall of 1334. Blanka left Namur in the fall of 1335 and the wedding took place in October or early November 1335, possibly at Bohus castle. As a wedding gift Blanka received the province of Tunsberg as a fief. Blanka's coronation took place in July 1336, possibly July 22, in the Great Church in Stockholm. [Nordberg (2001), p. 69-72]

Together they had two sons, Eric and Haakon. It was agreed that Eric should inherit Sweden and Haakon Norway. When Haakon became Haakon VI of Norway in 1355, Eric rebelled against his father and was elevated to co-ruler of Sweden.

Queen Blanka is one of the most interesting of Swedish/Norweigan medieval queens. Apparently, she was very politically and socially active and noticeable as a person and not only as a queen, as many stories and songs were made about her.Her husband was rumored to be homosexual; he had an official favorite, Bengt Algotsson, Duke of Finland - although their relationship have never confirmed to be sexual - but she seems to have had a good relationship with him, and exerted political influence; during a period of union between Sweden and Norway she was appointed as regent of parts of Norway by him.

In Sweden, queen Blanka is most remembered for the song: "Rida rida ranka, hästen heter Blanka" ("Ride ride ranka, the name of the horse is Blanka")", which can be seen on the famous portrait of her and her son, where it is illustrated.

Her political influence made her controversial and exposed to much critic and slander. In 1359 she was accused by people of having poisoned her daughter-in-law Beatrix of Bavaria and her own son, the co-ruler, king Eric; on his deathbed, her son said, that the same person who gave him life, had now taken it from him - it is possible that he himself believed that he was poisoned by her, but there is no proof if this happened. Historians now believe, that both her son and her daughter-in-law died of the plague. She was disliked, as was her husband, by Saint Birgitta, who accused her of being unfaithful; Bengt Algotsson was pointed out as the lover of both the king and the queen, though there is no proof of this what so ever. From 1359, she lived in Tønsberg in Norway and ruled the south-east of this country.

She spent her last years, from 1359 until her death, at the Tønsberg Castle. On April 9, 1363, her son Haakon married Margaret, daughter of Valdemar IV of Denmark. Shortly after the wedding Blanka fell ill and died. The cause of death and the place where she is buried is unknown. [Nordberg (2001), p. 303]

References

*cite book |last= Nordberg |first= Michael |coauthors= |title= I kung Magnus tid |publisher= Norstedts |year= 1995 |month= |isbn= 9119521227
* Herman Lindquist, "Historien om Sverige" (In Swedish).
* http://runeberg.org/sqvinnor/0050.html
* http://susning.nu/Blanka_av_Namur

Sucession