Juana of Casle and Philip of Burgundy Visit the French Court, 1501 In 1501, Philip of Burgundy and Juana of Casle became the heirs of the kingdoms of Casle and Aragon. This new status required them to appear in constuonal ceremonies in principal cies of Spain and before the ‘Cortes’ to witness the swearing of oaths to them as heirs. The route they would take was the subject of controversy. Juana’s parents, Ferdinand and Isabella were insisng they take a sea voyage from Flanders to Spain. Philip’s advisors spulated an overland route through France. The maer was seled in August of 1501 when Philip agreed to marry his son Charles to Claude, the eldest daughter of King Louis XII of France and his queen, Anne of Briany. This marriage created some family fricon for Philip. Juana was adamant about upholding her rights as the heiress to the Spanish kingdoms but Philip refused to side with Spain and the Spanish monarchs. He was defiant in his support for a pro-French agenda. Aſter all, he owed homage to France for his Burgundian possessions. Philip expressed an interest in meeng his prospecve daughter-in-law and when King Louis heard this he invited Philip and Juana to visit the French royal court at Blois on their way to Spain. Philip may have been planning this all along. Queen Anne of France had sent a deputaon to Philip’s court to reside there from April through May most likely to promote the marriage of her daughter and the voyage through France. Due to the enmity that existed between the two countries and their houses, there was considerable hope this meeng would usher in a new era in internaonal relaons and perhaps result in a new universal peace. The momentousness of the occasion was demonstrated in the grand appearance during the visit of equee and pageantry. Juana insisted on making the journey on horseback in spite of the foul weather and the bad roads. Queen Anne sent Madame de Vendôme along with fourteen women to wait on Juana while she traveled from one town to the next. Juana made an official entry into Valenciennes on November 9 where she was given two silver pots and a bowl covered with flowers of gold by the inhabitants. Philip and Juana made their official entry into France on November 16 where they were met with immense recepons. They arrived in Paris where a grand banquet was given for the couple that included engaging maidens, drink, spices, sweets and dancing. Juana leſt aſter one night to make her way to the castle of Blois. Philip stayed in Paris four more days before joining her. They arrived at Blois together on December 7 where they were housed in a newly built secon of the palace which had been richly tapestried and furnished just for their visit. Philip went to meet King Louis with his renue accompanied by Pierre de Beaujeu, the Duke of Bourbon. He entered the king’s presence and bent down on his knee three mes as he neared. Louis rose and doffed his cap at each bow, advancing and embracing Philip. The heir to the French throne, Francois d’Angouleme was seven years old and he came forward to receive a kiss from Philip. It was Francois’ first appearance at a grand court occasion.