Humanities › History & Culture Berengaria of Navarre: Queen Consort to Richard I Share Flipboard Email Print © 2011 Clipart.com History & Culture Women's History Important Figures History Of Feminism Key Events Women's Suffrage Women & War Laws & Womens Rights Feminist Texts American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture Asian History European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century View More By Jone Johnson Lewis Jone Johnson Lewis Women's History Writer B.A., Mundelein College M.Div., Meadville/Lombard Theological School Jone Johnson Lewis is a women's history writer who has been involved with the women's movement since the late 1960s. She is a former faculty member of the Humanist Institute. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on January 20, 2020 Dates: Born 1163? 1165?Married May 12, 1191, to Richard I of EnglandDied December 23, 1230 Occupation: Queen of England - Queen consort of Richard I of England, Richard the Lionhearted Known for: the only Queen of England never to set foot on the soil of England while Queen About Berengaria of Navarre Berengaria was the daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre, called Sancho the wise, and Blanche of Castile. Richard I of England had been betrothed to Princess Alice of France, sister of King Phillip IV. But Richard's father, Henry II, had made Alice his mistress, and church rules, therefore, forbid the marriage of Alice and Richard. Berengaria was chosen as wife to Richard I by Richard's mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. The marriage with Berengaria would bring a dowry that would help Richard finance his efforts in the Third Crusade. Eleanor, though almost 70 years old, traveled over the Pyrenees to escort Berengaria to Sicily. In Sicily, Eleanor's daughter and Richard's sister, Joan of England, embarked with Berengaria to join Richard in the Holy Land. But the ship carrying Joan and Berengaria was wrecked off the shore of Cyprus. The ruler, Isaac Comnenus, took them prisoner. Richard and part of his army landed in Cyprus to free them, and Isaac foolishly attacked. Richard freed his bride and his sister, defeated and captured Comnenus, and took control of Cyprus. Berengaria and Richard were married on May 12, 1191, and set off together to Acre in Palestine. Berengaria left the Holy Land for Poitou, France, and when Richard was on his way back to Europe in 1192, he was captured and then held prisoner in Germany until 1194, when his mother arranged for his ransom. Berengaria and Richard had no children. Richard is widely believed to have been a homosexual, and though he had at least one illegitimate child, it is believed that the marriage with Berengaria was little more than a formality. When he returned from captivity, their relationship was so bad that a priest went so far as to order Richard to reconcile with his wife. After Richard's death, Berengaria as a dowager queen retired to LeMans in Maine. King John, Richard's brother, seized much of her property and refused to repay her. Berengaria lived in virtual poverty during John's lifetime. She sent to England to complain that her pension was not being paid. Eleanor and Pope Innocent III each intervened, but John never did pay her most of what was owed to her. John's son, Henry III, finally did pay much of the overdue debts. Berengaria died in 1230, soon after founding Pietas Dei at Espau, a Cistercian monastery. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Lewis, Jone Johnson. "Berengaria of Navarre: Queen Consort to Richard I." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/berengaria-of-navarre-3529619. Lewis, Jone Johnson. (2020, August 26). Berengaria of Navarre: Queen Consort to Richard I. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/berengaria-of-navarre-3529619 Lewis, Jone Johnson. "Berengaria of Navarre: Queen Consort to Richard I." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/berengaria-of-navarre-3529619 (accessed May 30, 2023). copy citation