Blanche of Bourbon

Blanche of Bourbon (1339–1361) was Queen of Castile as the wife of King Peter. She was one of the daughters of Peter I, Duke of Bourbon and Isabella of Valois. Queen On 3 June 1353, aged 14, she married in person at Valladolid, Spain, King Peter of Castile. Previously, she had been married by proxy at Abbaye de Preuilly on 9 July 1352. They married because Peter wanted an alliance with France. It is believed by historians that King Peter had married his lover, the Castilian noble Maria de Padilla before his marriage to Blanche, though he did deny this. There were many difficulties in getting the money promised as a dowry for Blanche. Three days after their marriage, Peter abandoned Blanche for Maria de Padilla, with whom he later had four children.