82.132.232.233: /* Murder of Charles de la Cerda and relations with John II (1351–1356) */Same

2025-10-25T00:08:25Z

Murder of Charles de la Cerda and relations with John II (1351–1356): Same

2A02:8012:227B:0:1C01:C8C3:13B:C430: Removed Category:Navarrese monarchs as already in Category:14th-century Navarrese monarchs

2025-06-10T09:59:38Z

Removed Category:Navarrese monarchs as already in Category:14th-century Navarrese monarchs

← Previous revision		Revision as of 09:59, 10 June 2025
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	[[Category:1332 births]]		[[Category:1332 births]]
	[[Category:1387 deaths]]		[[Category:1387 deaths]]
	~~[[Category:14th-century Navarrese monarchs]]~~
	[[Category:People from Évreux]]		[[Category:People from Évreux]]
			[[Category:Sons of kings]]
			[[Category:Sons of queens regnant]]
	[[Category:Navarrese infantes]]		[[Category:Navarrese infantes]]
	[[Category:House of Évreux]]		[[Category:House of Évreux]]
	~~[[Category:Navarrese monarchs]]~~
	[[Category:Counts of Évreux]]		[[Category:Counts of Évreux]]
			[[Category:14th-century peers of France]]
			[[Category:14th-century Navarrese monarchs]]
	[[Category:Accidental deaths in France]]		[[Category:Accidental deaths in France]]
	[[Category:Deaths from fire]]		[[Category:Deaths from fire]]
	~~[[Category:14th-century peers of France]]~~
	~~[[Category:Sons of kings]]~~
	~~[[Category:Sons of queens regnant]]~~

imported>StefThrax: Added French, Spanish, and Basque name forms.

2025-04-15T21:35:53Z

Added French, Spanish, and Basque name forms.

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← Previous revision		Revision as of 00:08, 25 October 2025
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	{{Short description\|King of Navarre from 1349 to 1387}}		{{Short description\|King of Navarre from 1349 to 1387}}
			{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2025}}
	{{Infobox royalty		{{Infobox royalty
	\| image = Charles II of Navarre.png		\| image = Charles II of Navarre.png
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	Charles was born in [[Évreux]], the son of [[Philip III of Navarre\|Philip III]] and [[Joan II of Navarre]].{{sfn\|Henneman\|1971\|p=xvii}} His father was first cousin to King [[Philip VI of France]], while his mother, Joan, was the only daughter of [[Louis X of France]]. Charles was 'born of the ''[[Fleur-de-lys#Royal symbol\|fleur-de-lys]]'' on both sides', as he liked to point out, but he succeeded to a shrunken inheritance as far as his French lands were concerned. He was raised in France during childhood and up to the moment he was declared king at 17, so he probably had no command of the Romance language of Navarre at the moment of his coronation.{{sfn\|González Olle\|1987\|p=706}}		Charles was born in [[Évreux]], the son of [[Philip III of Navarre\|Philip III]] and [[Joan II of Navarre]].{{sfn\|Henneman\|1971\|p=xvii}} His father was first cousin to King [[Philip VI of France]], while his mother, Joan, was the only daughter of [[Louis X of France]]. Charles was 'born of the ''[[Fleur-de-lys#Royal symbol\|fleur-de-lys]]'' on both sides', as he liked to point out, but he succeeded to a shrunken inheritance as far as his French lands were concerned. He was raised in France during childhood and up to the moment he was declared king at 17, so he probably had no command of the Romance language of Navarre at the moment of his coronation.{{sfn\|González Olle\|1987\|p=706}}

	In October 1349, Charles's mother died.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=107}} In order to take his coronation oath and be anointed, he visited his kingdom in summer 1350.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=107}} For the first time, the oath was taken in a language other than the customary Latin or [[Occitan language\|Occitan]], i.e. [[Navarro-Aragonese]]. Apart from short visits paid the first 12 years of his reign, Charles spent his time almost entirely in France; he regarded Navarre principally as a source of manpower with which to advance his designs on the throne of France.<ref name="historycollection">{{cite web\|first1=Natasha\|last1=sheldon\|accessdate=2023~~-08-06~~\|title=King Charles II Died a Horrible, Unfortunate Death\|url=https://historycollection.com/king-charles-ii-died-horrible-unfortunate-death/\|date=8 June 2017}}</ref> He hoped for a long time for recognition of his claim to the crown of France (as the heir-general of Philip IV through his mother, and a Capetian through his father). However, he was unable to wrest the throne from his Valois cousins, who were senior to him by [[agnatic primogeniture]].<ref name="historycollection" />		In October 1349, Charles' mother died.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=107}} In order to take his coronation oath and be anointed, he visited his kingdom in summer 1350.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=107}} For the first time, the oath was taken in a language other than the customary Latin or [[Occitan language\|Occitan]], i.e. [[Navarro-Aragonese]]. Apart from short visits paid the first 12 years of his reign, Charles spent his time almost entirely in France; he regarded Navarre principally as a source of manpower with which to advance his designs on the throne of France.<ref name="historycollection">{{cite web\|first1=Natasha\|last1=sheldon\|accessdate=6 August 2023\|title=King Charles II Died a Horrible, Unfortunate Death\|url=https://historycollection.com/king-charles-ii-died-horrible-unfortunate-death/\|date=8 June 2017}}</ref> He hoped for a long time for recognition of his claim to the crown of France (as the heir-general of Philip IV through his mother, and a Capetian through his father). However, he was unable to wrest the throne from his Valois cousins, who were senior to him by [[agnatic primogeniture]].<ref name="historycollection" />

	===Murder of Charles de la Cerda and relations with John II (1351–1356)===		===Murder of Charles de la Cerda and relations with John II (1351–1356)===
	Charles II served as Royal Lieutenant in Languedoc in 1351 and commanded the army which captured [[Port-Sainte-Marie]] on the [[Garonne]] in 1352. The same year he married [[Joan of Valois, Queen of Navarre\|Joan of Valois]], the daughter of King [[John II of France]].{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|pp=107–108}} He soon became jealous of the Constable of France, [[Charles de La Cerda]], who was to be a beneficiary of the fiefdom of Angoulême. Charles of Navarre felt he was entitled to these territories as they had belonged to his mother, the Queen of Navarre, but they had been taken from her by the French kings for a paltry sum in compensation.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=103}}		Charles II served as Royal Lieutenant in Languedoc in 1351 and commanded the army which captured [[Port-Sainte-Marie]] on the [[Garonne]] in 1352. The same year he married [[Joan of Valois, Queen of Navarre\|Joan of Valois]], the daughter of King [[John II of France]].{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|pp=107–108}} He soon became jealous of the Constable of France, [[Charles de La Cerda]], who was to be a beneficiary of the fiefdom of Angoulême. Charles of Navarre felt he was entitled to these territories as they had belonged to his mother, the Queen of Navarre, but they had been taken from her by the French kings for a paltry sum in compensation.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=103}}

	After publicly quarrelling with Charles de la Cerda in Paris at Christmas 1353, Charles arranged the assassination of the Constable, which took place at the village of [[l'Aigle]] on 8 January 1354, with his brother [[Philip, Count of Longueville]] leading the murderers. Charles made no secret of his role in the murder, and within a few days was intriguing with the English for military support against his father-in-law King John II, whose favourite the Constable had been.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=124–125}} John was preparing to attack his son-in-law's territories, but Charles's overtures of alliance to King [[Edward III of England]] led John to instead make peace with Charles with the [[Treaty of Mantes]], enacted on 22 February 1354, by which Charles enlarged his possessions and was outwardly reconciled with John. The English, who had been preparing to invade France for a joint campaign with Charles against the French, felt they had been double-crossed: not for the last time, Charles had used the threat of an English alliance to wrest concessions out of the French king.		After publicly quarrelling with Charles de la Cerda in Paris at Christmas 1353, Charles arranged the assassination of the Constable, which took place at the village of [[l'Aigle]] on 8 January 1354, with his brother [[Philip, Count of Longueville]] leading the murderers. Charles made no secret of his role in the murder, and within a few days was intriguing with the English for military support against his father-in-law King John II, whose favourite the Constable had been.{{sfn\|Sumption\|1999\|p=124–125}} John was preparing to attack his son-in-law's territories, but Charles' overtures of alliance to King [[Edward III of England]] led John to instead make peace with Charles with the [[Treaty of Mantes]], enacted on 22 February 1354, by which Charles enlarged his possessions and was outwardly reconciled with John. The English, who had been preparing to invade France for a joint campaign with Charles against the French, felt they had been double-crossed: not for the last time, Charles had used the threat of an English alliance to wrest concessions out of the French king.
	[[Image:John the Good king of Fra ordering the arrest of Charles the Bad king of Navarre.jpg\|right\|thumb\|John the Good ordering the arrest of Charles the Bad, from the {{lang\|fr\|Chroniques}} of [[Jean Froissart]]]]		[[Image:John the Good king of Fra ordering the arrest of Charles the Bad king of Navarre.jpg\|right\|thumb\|John the Good ordering the arrest of Charles the Bad, from the {{lang\|fr\|Chroniques}} of [[Jean Froissart]]]]

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	===Last French possessions lost and the humbling of Navarre (1369–79)===		===Last French possessions lost and the humbling of Navarre (1369–79)===
	With the resumption of war between France and England in 1369 Charles saw fresh opportunities to increase his status in France. He left Navarre and met Duke [[John V of Brittany]] in [[Nantes]], where they agreed to come to each other's aid if either was attacked by France. Basing himself in [[Cherbourg]], the principal town in what remained of his territories in Northern Normandy, he then sent ambassadors to Charles V of France and Edward III of England. He offered to aid the French King if he would restore his former territories in Normandy, recognize his claim to Burgundy and bestow the promised lordship of Montpellier. To the English king he offered an alliance against France, whereby Edward III could use his territories in Normandy as a base to attack the French. As on previous occasions, Charles did not really want an English army on his lands; he wanted the threat of one to put pressure on Charles V.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=64–67}} But Charles V refused his demands outright. On the strength of Charles of Navarre's offers, Edward III despatched an expeditionary force to the [[Seine]] estuary under Sir [[Robert Knolles]] in July of 1370. He invited Charles to come to England in person—which he did during that same month. Charles of Navarre entered into secret negotiations with Edward III at [[Clarendon Palace]], but committed himself to very little.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=72–74}} Simultaneously he continued to negotiate with Charles V, who feared the King of Navarre would throw in his lot with Knolles's army now operating in Northern France. Though Edward III sealed a draft treaty with Navarre on 2 December 1370 it was a dead letter after the destruction of Knolles's army at the [[Battle of Pontvallain]] a few days later. During March of 1371, seeing no option left, Charles of Navarre had a series of meetings with Charles V and did homage to him.		With the resumption of war between France and England in 1369 Charles saw fresh opportunities to increase his status in France. He left Navarre and met Duke [[John V of Brittany]] in [[Nantes]], where they agreed to come to each other's aid if either was attacked by France. Basing himself in [[Cherbourg]], the principal town in what remained of his territories in Northern Normandy, he then sent ambassadors to Charles V of France and Edward III of England. He offered to aid the French King if he would restore his former territories in Normandy, recognize his claim to Burgundy and bestow the promised lordship of Montpellier. To the English king he offered an alliance against France, whereby Edward III could use his territories in Normandy as a base to attack the French. As on previous occasions, Charles did not really want an English army on his lands; he wanted the threat of one to put pressure on Charles V.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=64–67}} But Charles V refused his demands outright. On the strength of Charles of Navarre's offers, Edward III despatched an expeditionary force to the [[Seine]] estuary under Sir [[Robert Knolles]] in July 1370. He invited Charles to come to England in person—which he did during that same month. Charles of Navarre entered into secret negotiations with Edward III at [[Clarendon Palace]], but committed himself to very little.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=72–74}} Simultaneously he continued to negotiate with Charles V, who feared the King of Navarre would throw in his lot with Knolles's army now operating in Northern France. Though Edward III sealed a draft treaty with Navarre on 2 December 1370 it was a dead letter after the destruction of Knolles's army at the [[Battle of Pontvallain]] a few days later. During March 1371, seeing no option left, Charles of Navarre had a series of meetings with Charles V and did homage to him.

	Having gained little or nothing from these activities, he returned to Navarre in early 1372. He was subsequently involved in at least two attempts to have Charles V poisoned and encouraged various plots by others against the French King.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|p=312}} He next entered into negotiations with [[John of Gaunt]], who was aiming to make himself King of Castile by virtue of his marriage to Pedro I's daughter [[Infanta Constance of Castile\|Constanza]]. But in 1373 Henry of Trastámara, now firmly installed as King of Castile and victorious in war against England's ally Portugal, forced Charles to agree to a marriage alliance, to surrender the disputed border fortresses he had held on to since the Castilian civil war, and to close his borders to any army of John of Gaunt.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=179–180}} Nevertheless in March 1374 Charles met John of Gaunt in [[Dax, Landes\|Dax]] in Gascony and agreed to let him use Navarre as a base for invading Castile on condition he recapture the towns surrendered to Henry. Gaunt's sudden decision only a few days later to abandon his plans and return to England Charles took as a personal betrayal. In order to placate the Castilian King he now agreed for his eldest son, the future [[Charles III of Navarre]], to marry Henry of Trastámara's daughter [[Eleanor of Castile (d. 1416)\|Leonora]] in May 1375.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=201–202}}		Having gained little or nothing from these activities, he returned to Navarre in early 1372. He was subsequently involved in at least two attempts to have Charles V poisoned and encouraged various plots by others against the French King.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|p=312}} He next entered into negotiations with [[John of Gaunt]], who was aiming to make himself King of Castile by virtue of his marriage to Pedro I's daughter [[Infanta Constance of Castile\|Constanza]]. But in 1373 Henry of Trastámara, now firmly installed as King of Castile and victorious in war against England's ally Portugal, forced Charles to agree to a marriage alliance, to surrender the disputed border fortresses he had held on to since the Castilian civil war, and to close his borders to any army of John of Gaunt.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=179–180}} Nevertheless in March 1374 Charles met John of Gaunt in [[Dax, Landes\|Dax]] in Gascony and agreed to let him use Navarre as a base for invading Castile on condition he recapture the towns surrendered to Henry. Gaunt's sudden decision only a few days later to abandon his plans and return to England Charles took as a personal betrayal. In order to placate the Castilian King he now agreed for his eldest son, the future [[Charles III of Navarre]], to marry Henry of Trastámara's daughter [[Eleanor of Castile (d. 1416)\|Leonora]] in May 1375.{{sfn\|Sumption\|2009\|pp=201–202}}
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	===Death===		===Death===
	Charles died in [[Pamplona]], aged 54. His horrific death became famous all over Europe, and was often cited by moralists, and sometimes illustrated in [[illuminated manuscript]] [[chronicle]]s.<ref>{{cite book \|author=Barbara Tuchman \|title=A Distant Mirror \|url=https://archive.org/details/distantmirror00tuch \|url-access=registration \|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf \|date=1978\|isbn=9780394400266 }}</ref> There are several versions of the story, varying in the details. This is [[Francis William Blagdon\|Francis Blagdon]]'s ~~English~~ account~~, of~~ 1803:		Charles died in [[Pamplona]], aged 54. His horrific death became famous all over Europe, and was often cited by moralists, and sometimes illustrated in [[illuminated manuscript]] [[chronicle]]s.<ref>{{cite book \|author=Barbara Tuchman \|title=A Distant Mirror \|url=https://archive.org/details/distantmirror00tuch \|url-access=registration \|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf \|date=1978\|isbn=9780394400266 }}</ref> There are several versions of the story, varying in the details. This is [[Francis William Blagdon\|Francis Blagdon]]'s account from 1803:
	{{cquote\|Charles the Bad, having fallen into such a state of decay that he could not make use of his limbs, consulted his physician, who ordered him to be wrapped up from head to foot, in a linen cloth impregnated with brandy, so that he might be inclosed {{sic}} in it to the very neck as in a sack. It was night when this remedy was administered. One of the female attendants of the palace, charged to sew up the cloth that contained the patient, having come to the neck, the fixed point where she was to finish her seam, made a knot according to custom; but as there was still remaining an end of thread, instead of cutting it as usual with scissors, she had recourse to the candle, which immediately set fire to the whole cloth. Being terrified, she ran away, and abandoned the king, who was thus burnt alive in his own palace.<ref name="Blagdon1803">{{cite book\|author=Francis William Blagdon\|title=Paris as it was and as it is\|url=https://archive.org/details/parisasitwasasit01blag\|year=1803\|publisher=C. and R. Baldwin\|pages=[https://archive.org/details/parisasitwasasit01blag/page/273 273–274]}}</ref>}}		{{cquote\|Charles the Bad, having fallen into such a state of decay that he could not make use of his limbs, consulted his physician, who ordered him to be wrapped up from head to foot, in a linen cloth impregnated with brandy, so that he might be inclosed {{sic}} in it to the very neck as in a sack. It was night when this remedy was administered. One of the female attendants of the palace, charged to sew up the cloth that contained the patient, having come to the neck, the fixed point where she was to finish her seam, made a knot according to custom; but as there was still remaining an end of thread, instead of cutting it as usual with scissors, she had recourse to the candle, which immediately set fire to the whole cloth. Being terrified, she ran away, and abandoned the king, who was thus burnt alive in his own palace.<ref name="Blagdon1803">{{cite book\|author=Francis William Blagdon\|title=Paris as it was and as it is\|url=https://archive.org/details/parisasitwasasit01blag\|year=1803\|publisher=C. and R. Baldwin\|pages=[https://archive.org/details/parisasitwasasit01blag/page/273 273–274]}}</ref>}}

Charles II of Navarre - Revision history

82.132.232.233: /* Murder of Charles de la Cerda and relations with John II (1351–1356) */Same

2A02:8012:227B:0:1C01:C8C3:13B:C430: Removed Category:Navarrese monarchs as already in Category:14th-century Navarrese monarchs

imported>StefThrax: Added French, Spanish, and Basque name forms.