List of Navarrese monarchs facts for kids

This is a list of the kings and queens who ruled the Kingdom of Pamplona, which later became known as Navarre. The name Pamplona was used for a long time, but by the late 900s, people started calling it Navarre. This list will help you learn about the different families who ruled this important kingdom.

Coat of arms of the monarchs of Navarre since 1212

Early Rulers: House of Íñiguez (824–905)

The Íñiguez family is believed to have started the Kingdom of Pamplona around 824. They stood up against the Frankish (Carolingian) empire, which was trying to take control of their land. Other historical records sometimes called them rebellious subjects. This family was replaced in 905 by a new group, the Jiménez dynasty.

Name	Portrait	Born	Marriages	Died
Íñigo Arista 824?–851/52			4 children	851/52
García Íñiguez 851/52–882		son of Íñigo Arista	Urraca 5 children	882
Fortún Garcés 882–905		son of García Íñiguez	Auria 5 children	922 (deposed 905)

Jiménez Family Takes Over (905–1234)

In 905, a group of neighboring leaders forced King Fortún Garcés to leave his throne and become a monk. They put a new ruler from the Jiménez family in his place. During their time, the name Navarre slowly started to be used more often than Pamplona.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Sancho I Garcés 905–925		son of García Jiménez and Dadildis de Pallars	Toda of Navarre 6 children	11 December 925 Resa
Jimeno Garcés 925–931		son of García Jiménez and Dadildis de Pallars	Sancha of Navarre 3 children	29 May 931
García Sánchez I 931–970		919 son of Sancho I Garcés and Toda of Navarre	Andregota Galíndez of Aragón 2 children Teresa Ramírez of León 3 children	22 February 970 aged 51
Sancho II Garcés Abarca 970–994		after 935 son of García Sánchez I and Andregota	Urraca Fernández 4 children	December 994
García Sánchez II 994–1000/04		son of Sancho II Garcés Abarca and Urraca Fernández	Jimena Fernández of Cea 981 4 children	1000/04
Sancho III the Great 1004–1035		985 son of García Sánchez II and Jimena Fernández of Cea	Muniadona of Castile 1010 4 children	18 October 1035
García Sánchez III 1035–1054		1016 son of Sancho III the Great and Muniadona of Castile	Estefanía of Barcelona 1038 9 children	15 September 1054 Atapuerca
Sancho IV Garcés 1054–1076		1039 son of García Sánchez III and Estefanía of Barcelona	Placencia 1068 3 children	4 June 1076 Peñalén

Navarre Under Aragonese Rule (1076–1134)

After King Sancho IV was killed, Navarre was divided between his cousins, Alfonso VI of León and Sancho Ramírez of Aragón. Sancho Ramírez became king, and Navarre was controlled by Aragón for over 50 years.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Sancho V Ramírez 1076–1094		1042 son of Ramiro I of Aragón and Ermesinde of Bigorre	Isabel of Urgel 1065 1 child Felicia of Roucy 1076 3 children	4 June 1094 Huesca aged approximately 52
Peter 1094–1104		1068 son of Sancho Ramírez, King of Aragón and Navarre and Isabella of Urgel	Agnes of Aquitaine 1086 2 children Bertha of Aragón 1097 No children	28 September 1104 Aran Valley aged approximately 36
Alfonso I the Battler 1104–1134		1073 son of Sancho Ramírez, King of Aragón and Navarre and Felicia of Roucy	Urraca of León 1109 No children	8 September 1134 Huesca aged approximately 61

Navarre Regains Independence (1134–1234)

When King Alfonso died, there was a problem with who would rule Aragón next. The nobles of Navarre used this chance to make their kingdom independent again. They crowned García Ramírez, a grandnephew of the earlier King Sancho IV.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
García Ramírez the Restorer 1134–1150		son of Ramiro Sánchez of Monzón and Cristina Rodríguez	Marguerite de l'Aigle 1130 4 children Urraca of León 24 June 1144 2 children	21 November 1150 Lorca
Sancho VI the Wise 1150–1194		1133 son of García Ramírez and Marguerite de l'Aigle	Sancha of Castile 1157 6 children	27 June 1194 Pamplona
Sancho VII the Strong 1194–1234		1157 Tudela son of Sancho VI of Navarre and Sancha of Castile	Constance of Toulouse< 1195 No children Clemence (of Hohenstaufen?) aft. 1201 1 son	7 April 1234 Tudela

House of Champagne (1234–1284)

When Sancho VII died, he was the last king from the Jiménez family. The crown of Navarre then went to his nephew, the son of his sister Blanche. Blanche had been in charge of Navarre for much of her brother's rule.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Theobald I the Posthumous 1234–1253		30 May 1201 Troyes son of Theobald III of Champagne and Blanche of Navarre	Gertrude of Dagsburg 1220 No children Agnes of Beaujeu 1222 1 child Margaret of Bourbon 1232 6 children	8 July 1253 Pamplona aged 52
Theobald II the Young 1253–1270		1238 son of Theobald I of Navarre and Margaret of Bourbon	Isabelle of France 6 April 1255 No children	4 December 1270 Trapani aged 32
Henry I the Fat 1270–1274		1244 son of Theobald I of Navarre and Margaret of Bourbon	Blanche of Artois 1269 2 children	22 July 1274 aged 30
Joan I 1274–1305		14 January 1271 Bar-sur-Seine daughter of Henry I of Navarre and Blanche of Artois	Philip IV of France 16 August 1284 7 children	4 April 1305 Château de Vincennes aged 34

Capetian Dynasty (1284–1441)

French Kings Rule Navarre (1284–1349)

When King Henry died unexpectedly, his baby daughter Joan was the only one left to inherit the throne. Joan's mother, Blanche of Artois, ruled Navarre for the next ten years. In 1284, Joan married Philip IV of France, who would become King of France a year later. He was then known as "King of France and Navarre."

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death	Claim
Philip I the Fair Philip IV of France 1284–1305		1268 Fontainebleau son of Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon	Joan I of Navarre 16 August 1284 7 children	29 November 1314 Fontainebleau aged 46	By the right of his wife, Joan I
Louis I the Quarreller Louis X of France 1305–1316		4 October 1289 Paris son of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre	Margaret of Burgundy 21 September 1305 1 child Clementia of Hungary 19 August 1315 1 child	5 June 1316 Vincennes aged 26	By the right of his mother, Joan I
John I the Posthumous of France 1316		15 November 1316 Paris son of Louis X of France and Clementia of Hungary	never married	20 November 1316 Paris 5 days	By the right of his father, Louis X
Philip II the Tall Philip V of France 1316–1322		1292 Lyon son of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre	Joan II, Countess of Burgundy 1307 7 children	3 January 1322 Longchamp aged 29	By the right of his mother, Joan I
Charles I the Fair Charles IV of France 1322–1328		19 June 1294 Clermont son of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre	Blanche of Burgundy 1307 2 children Marie of Luxembourg 1322 2 children Jeanne d'Évreux 1325 3 children	1 February 1328 Vincennes aged 34	By the right of his mother, Joan I
Joan II 1328–1349		28 January 1312 Charenton-le-Pont daughter of Louis X of France and Margaret of Burgundy	Philip III of Navarre 8 children	6 October 1349 Charenton-le-Pont aged 37	By the right of her father, Louis X By the right of the invitation of the general assembly

House of Évreux (1328–1441)

After the French kings Louis X and his infant son John died, Louis's brothers Philip and Charles ruled France and Navarre. When they died, the French crown went to a distant cousin. However, the crown of Navarre was given to Louis's daughter, Joan II. Joan ruled with her husband, Philip III, until his death. Then she ruled alone.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Philip III the Wise (jure uxoris) 1328–1343		27 March 1306 son of Louis count of Evreux and Margaret of Artois	Joan II of Navarre 8 children	16 September 1343 Jerez de la Frontera aged 37
Charles II the Bad 1349–1387		10 October 1332 Évreux son of Philip III of Navarre and Joan II of Navarre	Joan of France 7 children	1 January 1387 Pamplona aged 54
Charles III the Noble 1387–1425		22 July 1361 Nantes son of Charles II of Navarre and Joan of France	Eleanor of Castile 1375 8 children	8 September 1425 Olite aged 64
Blanche Ι 1425–1441		1387 Castile daughter of Charles III of Navarre and Eleanor of Castile	Martin I of Sicily 26 December 1402 1 child John II of Aragon 10 June 1420 4 children	3 April 1441 Santa María la Real de Nieva aged 56

House of Trastámara (1425–1479)

Queen Blanche I ruled Navarre with her husband, John II. Later, in 1458, John also inherited the crown of Aragón from his older brother. After John's death, the Navarrese crown went to Eleanor, his only living child with Blanche. However, his Aragonese crown went to Ferdinand II of Aragon, who was John's son with his second wife.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
John II the Great 1425–1441 (jure uxoris) 1425–1479 (de facto)		29 June 1397 Medina del Campo son of Ferdinand I and Eleanor of Alburquerque	Blanche 6 November 1419 4 children Juana Enríquez 2 children	20 January 1479 Barcelona aged 81
Eleanor 1479		2 February 1425 Olite daughter of John II of Aragon and Blanche	Gaston IV, Count of Foix 11 children	12 February 1479 Tudela aged 54

Claimants to the Throne

After Blanche's death in 1441, John kept the crown of Navarre for himself for 38 years. He did not give it to his son, Charles IV, or his older daughter, Blanche II. This led to the Navarrese Civil War. Even though some people thought Charles and Blanche were the rightful rulers, John II was the king in power. Eleanor did not claim to be queen until her father died.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Charles IV 1441–1461 (de jure, titular)		29 May 1421 Peñafiel son of John II of Aragon and Blanche I of Navarre	Agnes of Cleves No children	23 September 1461 Barcelona aged 40
Blanche II 1461–1464 (de jure, titular)		1424 Olite daughter of John II of Aragon and Blanche I of Navarre	Henry IV of Castile No children	2 December 1464 Orthez aged 40

House of Foix (1479–1517)

Eleanor had sided with her father against her brother and sister. She died just three weeks after her father. By then, her husband, Gaston IV, Count of Foix, had passed away, and their oldest son had also died. So, her grandson Francis became the next ruler.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Francis Phoebus 1479–1483		4 December 1467 son of Gaston of Foix, Prince of Viana, and Magdalena of Valois	never married	7 January 1483 Pau aged 15
Catherine 1483–1517		1468 daughter of Gaston of Foix, Prince of Viana, and Magdalena of Valois	John III of Navarre 13 children	12 February 1517 Mont-de-Marsan aged 49

House of Albret (1484–1516)

Catherine ruled Navarre with her husband, John III. After he died, she ruled alone for eight months until her own death. During their rule, Navarre was defeated by Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1512. This meant Navarre lost all its land south of the Pyrenees mountains, including its capital city, Pamplona. Ferdinand, who was Catherine's grandmother Eleanor's half-brother, was then crowned King of Navarre. This title then passed down through the Aragonese and Spanish monarchs. Catherine and John III were left with Lower Navarre, a small part of the kingdom north of the Pyrenees. This part was joined with other lands they controlled in France.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
John III (jure uxoris) 1484–1516		1469 son of Alain I of Albret and Francoise of Châtillon-Limoges	Catherine of Navarre 13 children	14 June 1516 Pau aged 47

House of Trastámara (1512–1516)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Ferdinand I 1512–1516		1452 son of John II of Navarre and Juana Enríquez	Isabella I of Castile 5 children	23 January 1516 Madrigalejo aged 63

Division of the Kingdom

Lower Navarre

In 1530, Charles V decided to give up his claim to Lower Navarre. He couldn't control it, and Henry II was already ruling it effectively. However, Charles V and his mother Joanna III continued to be kings in Upper Navarre.

Catherine and John III kept the small part of the kingdom north of the Pyrenees. This area was then joined with other lands they controlled in France.

House of Albret (1517–1572)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Henry II 1517–1555		18 April 1503 Sangüesa son of John III of Navarre and Catherine of Navarre	Margaret of Angoulême 1526 2 children	25 May 1555 Hagetmau aged 52
Jeanne III 1555–1572		16 November 1528 Saint-Germain-en-Laye daughter of Henry II of Navarre and Margaret of Angoulême	Antoine of Navarre 20 October 1548 5 children	9 June 1572 Paris aged 43

House of Bourbon (1572–1620)

Jeanne III ruled with her husband Antoine until he died. Then she ruled alone. Their son Henry became King of France in 1589. He took control of France in 1593 after the French Wars of Religion ended. After this, the crown of Navarre passed to the kings of France. In 1620, the Kingdom of Navarre became part of France. However, French kings still used the title "King of Navarre" until 1791. The title was used again from 1814 to 1830 during the Bourbon Restoration.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Antoine (jure uxoris) 1555–1562		22 April 1518 La Fère, Picardy son of Charles, Duke of Vendôme, and Françoise of Alençon	Joan III of Navarre< 20 October 1548 5 children	17 November 1562 Les Andelys, Eure aged 44
Henry III the Great Henry IV of France 1572–1610		13 December 1553 Pau son of Antoine of Navarre and Joan III of Navarre	(1) Margaret of France 18 August 1572 no issues (2) Marie de' Medici 17 December 1600 6 children	14 May 1610 Paris aged 56
Louis II the Just Louis XIII of France 1610–1620		27 September 1601 Château de Fontainebleau son of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici	Anne of Spain 24 November 1615 6 children	14 May 1643 Paris aged 41

Titular Rulers of Navarre (1620–1830)

Even after Navarre was merged into France, the French kings continued to use the title "King of Navarre." This means they held the title in name, even if Navarre was no longer a separate kingdom.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Louis II the Just Louis XIII of France 1620–1643		27 September 1601 Château de Fontainebleau son of Henry IV of France and Marie de' Medici	Anne of Spain 24 November 1615 6 children	14 May 1643 Paris aged 41
Louis III the Sun King (Louis XIV of France) 1643–1715		5 September 1638 Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Kingdom of France son of Louis XIII of France, and Anne of Spain	(1) Maria Theresa of Spain 9 June 1660 3 children (2) Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon (private)	9 September 1715 Palace of Versailles, France< aged 76
Louis IV the Beloved Louis XV of France 1715–1774		15 February 1710 Palace of Versailles son of Louis, Duke of Burgundy and Marie Adelaide of Savoy	Maria Leszczynska of Poland-Lithuania 15 August 1725 10 children	10 May 1774 Palace of Versailles aged 64
Louis V Louis XVI of France 1774–1793		23 August 1754 Palace of Versailles son of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Josepha of Saxony, Dauphine of France	Maria Antonia of Austria 19 April 1770 4 children	21 January 1793 Paris, French First Republic aged 38

Restoration of the Monarchy After a period of change in France, the monarchy was restored. The kings continued to use the title of Navarre.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Louis VII the Desired Louis XVIII of France (1) 1814–1815 (2) 1815–1824		9 October 1757 Palace of Versailles, Kingdom of France son of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Josepha of Saxony	Marie Josephine of Savoy 14 May 1771 No children	16 September 1824 Paris, Kingdom of France aged 68
Charles V Charles X of France 1824–1830 July Revolution		17 November 1755 Palace of Versailles, Kingdom of France son of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Josepha of Saxony	Maria Theresa of Savoy 16 November 1773 4 children	6 November 1836 Gorizia, Austrian Empire aged 79

Upper Navarre

House of Trastámara (1516–1555)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Joanna III 1516–1555		6 November 1479 daughter of Ferdinand I of Navarre and Isabella of Castile	Philip, Duke of Burgundy 6 children	12 April 1555 Tordesillas aged 75

House of Austria (Spanish Habsburgs) (1516–1700)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Charles IV 1516–1556		24 February 1500 son of Philip, Duke of Burgundy and Joanna I of Castile	Isabella of Portugal 3 children	21 September 1558 Yuste aged 58
Philip IV 1556–1598		21 May 1527 son of Charles IV of Navarre and Isabella of Portugal	Maria Manuela of Portugal 1 child Mary I of England No children Elisabeth of Valois 2 children Anna of Austria 3 children	13 September 1598 Escorial aged 71
Philip V 1598–1621		14 April 1578 son of Philip IV of Navarra and Anna of Austria	Margaret of Austria< 5 children	31 March 1621 Madrid aged 42
Philip VI 1621–1665		8 April 1605 son of Philip V of Navarra and Margaret of Austria	Elisabeth of Bourbon 2 children Mariana of Austria 2 children	17 September 1665 Madrid aged 60
Charles V 1665–1700		6 November 1661 son of Philip VI of Navarra and Mariana of Austria	Marie Louise of Orléans No children Maria Anna of Neuburg No children	1 November 1700 Madrid aged 38

House of Bourbon (1700–1833)

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Philip VII 1700–1724		19 December 1683 son of Louis Dauphin of France and Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria	Maria Luisa of Savoy 2 children Elisabeth Farnese 6 children	9 July 1746 Madrid aged 62
Louis II 1724		25 August 1707 son of Philip VII of Navarre and Maria Luisa of Savoy	Louise Elisabeth of Orléans No children	31 August 1724 Madrid aged 17
Philip VII 1724–1746		19 December 1683 son of Louis Dauphin of France and Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria	Maria Luisa of Savoy 2 children Elisabeth Farnese 6 children	9 July 1746 Madrid aged 62
Ferdinand II 1746–1759		23 September 1713 son of Philip VII of Navarre and Maria Luisa of Savoy	Barbara of Portugal No children	10 August 1759 Madrid aged 45
Charles VI 1759–1788		20 January 1716 son of Philip VII of Navarre and Elisabeth Farnese	Maria Amalia of Saxony 13 children	14 December 1788 Madrid aged 72
Charles VII 1788–1808		11 November 1748 son of Charles VI of Navarre and Maria Amalia of Saxony	Maria Luisa of Parma 14 children	20 January 1819 Madrid aged 70
Ferdinand III 1808–1833		14 October 1784 son of Charles VII of Navarre and Maria Luisa of Parma	Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily No children Maria Isabel of Portugal 2 children Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony No children Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies 2 children	29 September 1833 Madrid aged 48
Isabella I 1833 1833 territorial division of Spain		10 October 1830 daughter of Ferdinand VII of Spain and Maria Christina of Naples and Sicily	Francis of Spain 5 children	9 April 1904 Paris, French Third Republic aged 73

Regents of Navarre

Regents are people who rule a kingdom when the king or queen is too young or unable to rule themselves. Here are some of the regents who helped govern Navarre.

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Juan Martínez de Medrano for Joan II of Navarre on 13 March 1328 after the death of the last Capetian King of France		13th Century son of Don Juan Martinez de Medrano	Aldonza Sánchez, 7 children	May 1337–1338 Kingdom of Navarre

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Garcia de Medrano y Alvarez de los Rios for King Philip IV of Spain on 17 January 1645 Elected Regent of Navarre		Navarre, 1604 son of García de Medrano, Lord of San Gregorio, and María Álvarez de los Ríos y Mendoza	Married to María Ignacia de Mendizábal y Uribe 1 child	3 September 1683 Kingdom of Spain

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Pedro Antonio de Medrano y Albelda for King Philip V of Spain On 9 May 1702 Elected Regent of Navarre		14 Dec 1642 Calahorra, La Rioja, Spain son of Don Pedro de Medrano Echauz and Josepha de Albelda Barron y Tejada	Married to Teresa Josefa Alvarez de Arellano Echauz y Velasco 1 child	December 1721 Kingdom of Spain Age 71

Name	Portrait	Birth	Marriages	Death
Maria Christina of Naples and Sicily for her daughter, Isabella 1833 1833 territorial division of Spain		27 April 1806 daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies and Maria Isabella of Spain	Ferdinand VII of Spain 2 children	22 August 1878 Le Havre, French Third Republic aged 72

Current Claimants to the Throne

Even today, several people claim to be the rightful heir to the Kingdom of Navarre. These claims are based on different historical laws and family lines.

• Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria believes he is the main heir to Navarre. This is based on Navarre's old laws that allowed women to inherit the throne, unlike the French Salic law.
• Prince Louis, Duke of Anjou, claims the thrones of France and Lower Navarre. His claim to Navarre is because it was joined with the French throne under Louis XIII. He follows French succession law, which usually doesn't allow female succession.
• Jean, Count of Paris, is another claimant to the thrones of France and Lower Navarre. His claim is also based on Navarre joining with France under Louis XIII, following French succession law.
• Felipe VI of Spain uses the title King of Navarre (Upper Navarre) as part of his many titles. He inherited this from earlier Spanish monarchs, based on the conquest of most of the old kingdom by Ferdinand II of Aragon.
• Prince Sixtus Henry of Bourbon-Parma (a claimant to the Spanish throne) also claims the title King of Navarre (Upper Navarre). He bases his claim on the conquest of the old kingdom by Ferdinand II of Aragon.

Today, the King of Spain is considered the ruler of Upper Navarre. The French president is the ruler of Lower Navarre.

See also

• List of Navarrese royal consorts
• Kings of Navarre family tree
• King of Viguera
• List of Spanish monarchs
• Alterations of Aragon

Sources