But is that really the story?
The truth about Jeanne I of Castile is far more complex, and far more human, than her infamous nickname suggests.
A Queen Ahead of Her Time
Born in 1479, Jeanne was well-educated, intelligent, and politically savvy. She knew multiple languages, understood diplomacy, and was expected to govern one of the most powerful kingdoms in Europe.
Yet, almost from the start, she was viewed as “unstable.”
Why? Because she loved deeply and grieved intensely, and because her every move was watched through the lens of court politics.
The Love That Shaped History
Jeanne’s husband, Philip the Handsome, was notoriously unfaithful.
While many might have walked away, Jeanne clung to him emotionally — a loyalty that shocked observers of the time. After his sudden death, her grief became legendary: she reportedly refused to be separated from his body.
To modern eyes, this behavior seems extreme. To her contemporaries, it was proof of madness.
But let’s pause: extreme grief doesn’t equal insanity. Jeanne’s emotional intensity was real, yes — but it was exploited by those around her.
Politics, Not Madness
Ferdinand of Aragon, her father, and later her son Charles V, saw a queen they could control more easily if labeled “mad.” History was quick to record Jeanne’s “craziness,” while quietly ignoring the power plays that made her confinement politically convenient.
Even before Philip’s death, contemporaries remarked on her mood swings and strong attachments, but she never committed a crime, nor plotted violence, nor acted against the crown. Yet she was locked away for decades.
Jeanne: Misunderstood or Misrepresented?
So who was Jeanne really? A queen who loved intensely, grieved deeply, and got caught in the machinery of power. A woman whose “madness” tells us more about the fears and ambitions of those around her than about her mind.
History may have branded her “folle,” but a closer look suggests the truth was far more human — and far more tragic.
Want to uncover more myths about historical queens?
Jeanne la Folle is just the beginning — history loves a good story, but sometimes the truth is far more fascinating than legend.
