Question

In your response, be sure to address all parts of the question. Use complete sentences; an outline or bulleted list alone is not acceptable. Use the passage below to answer all parts of the question that follows. “The wise and noble Queen Blanche [of Castile], the mother of King Louis IX of France [reigned 1226-1270], had infinite goodness. She ruled the kingdom of France with such skill and care until her son was old enough to accede to the throne that no man could have done better. Even when he was grown up, she proved herself so worthy that she remained at the head of his advisors and nothing was decided without her consent. She even followed her son into battle. On one occasion during the king’s minority, she scolded the Count of Champagne for having rebelled against his lord, the king. On hearing her wise words, he gazed at Queen Blanche and was captivated by her great virtue and respectability, despite the fact that she had long passed the flower of her youth. The count was so suddenly overcome with love for her that he didn’t know what to do. From that moment on, he adored her for the rest of his life.” Christine de Pizan, French female author, The Book of the City of the Ladies, a collection of stories about famous women in history, written circa 1405 a) Identify ONE claim made in the passage. b) Identify ONE way in which the passage illustrates the political development of Europe in the period 1200–1450.

Answer 1

Answer (a): The wise and noble Queen Blanche [of Castile], the mother of King Louis IX of France [reigned 1226-1270], had infinite goodness.

The first sentence of this paragraph is the main idea of the whole paragraph. The sentences following this elaborates and how 'good' Queen Blanche was, through her skillful reign over France, her position as head of advisors, her direct involvement in battles, and her bravery in confronting rebellious factions.

Answer (b): By explaining that Queen Blanche had to go into battle, following her son and through her scolding of Count of Champagne.

These statements explained that the political climate during Queen Blanche's rule was not a peaceful one, since there were battles and rebellions. This echoes what was happening to France during the Late Middle Ages, specifically during Queen Blanche's rulership.  

During this time, counties were rebelling against the French royalty, represented by the House of Capet - the house of Queen Blanche.