Page:The Queens of England.djvu/189

 JOANNA OF NAVARRE, THE WIFE OF KING HENRY THE FOURTH. The name and character of this queen are but little known to the readers of English history, although she took a distin- guished part in the politics of her times. As the wife of the first sovereign of the house of Lancaster, she becomes an object of interest ; while her prudence, talents and virtues recommnd her still more to our consideration. This princess, by both her parents, was descended from the roval family of France. Her grandmother, Donna Joanna, was the daughter of the French king, Lewis Hutin, and upon his death was declared by the States to be the rightful heir to the crown, in opposition to the claims of the English monarch, Edward the Third; but "might overcame right" in this instance, and Philip "de Yalois" obtained possession of the throne, leaving, however, to the Princess Joanna the peaceable inheritance of the kingdom of Navarre. In these dominions she ruled, after the death of her husband, with great dignitv and discretion. By her consort, Philip of Evreux, she had three sons and four daughters. Her eldest son became distinguished in history as Charles "le Mauvais," and was the father of Joanna of Navarre, the subject of this me- moir. All the children of Donna Joanna formed noble alliances, through the consummate prudence and high reputation of this queen, which rendered the house of Navarre infinitely more important than it had previously been, and gave it a greater in- fluence both in France and Spain. The Queen of Navarre con- ducted Donna Blanca, or Blanche, her third daughter, into France, to be united to the eldest son of Philip de Yalois ; but Philip was so struck with the beauty and merit of this princess that he married her himself, in spite of the disparity of their
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