Margaret I, Countess of Artois
Encyclopedia
Margaret of France (1310 – 9 May 1382) was a medieval noblewoman, reigning Countess Palatine of Burgundy (Franche-Comté
) and Countess of Artois, ruling both as Margaret I, as well as countess-consort of Flanders
, Nevers
and Rethel. Her father was Philip V
, king of France from 1316-22.
, afterwards King Philip V of France. Margaret's mother was Countess Palatine of Burgundy (daughter and heiress of Otto IV, Count of Burgundy
) and Queen consort of France; Margaret's father was the second son of king Philip IV of France
and Queen regnant
Joan I of Navarre
.
. Margaret was married to Louis I, Count of Flanders (1304–1346), who was ruler of Flanders, Nevers and Rethel from 1322. Her husband was dependent on her father in suppressing the rebellion of Nicolaas Zannekin
. Her father died in 1322, and by law the crown was inherited by her uncle, Charles, Count of La Marche
.
Margaret's mother, Joan II, succeeded her own mother, Mahaut, Countess of Artois
, as ruler of Artois in 1329. Margaret's elder sister Joan, Duchess of Burgundy (1308–49) inherited the county when their mother died in 1329, becoming Countess of Artois and Palatine Countess of Burgundy.
on 26 August 1346. He and Margaret had one son, Louis II, Count of Flanders (1330–84), who in 1346 succeeded in Flanders, Nevers and Rethel and for whom she acted as a regent in the beginning of his reign. In 1355, the younger Louis claimed the duchy of Brabant
in right of his wife, but Joanna, Duchess of Brabant
, managed to keep her possessions.
In 1357, her granddaughter, Margaret III of Flanders (1350–1405), then seven years old, was married to Margaret's great-nephew Philip I, Duke of Burgundy
(1346–1361), who, therefore, was the young bride's second cousin. The girl thus became duchess-consort of Burgundy, as well as countess-consort of Artois and the County Palatine of Burgundy (also called Franche-Comté
); in 1360, the couple became Count and Countess-consort of Boulogne
and Auvergne
.
The coastal Low Countries
was a restless region in the latter half of 14th century, due to civil strife. Margaret succeeded in 1361 her great-nephew Philip I, Duke of Burgundy
as ruler of Artois
and Franche-Comté (County Palatine of Burgundy), since her elder sister Joan's line became extinct upon his death. Thus Margaret, already Dowager Countess of Flanders
, now became a ruler in her own right.
Her granddaughter, Margaret, was now a widow due to the premature death of Philip of Burgundy. The duchy of Burgundy
, having since 1330 been united to the counties of Palatine Burgundy and Artois, now passed to one of its two senior heirs, John II of France
(the other, Charles the Bad of Navarre
, had been kept from inheriting due to his genealogical distance from the Dukes of Burgundy).
In 1369, Margaret III of Flanders, now 19 years old, and Margaret I of Burgundy's only grandchild, married Philip the Bold
(1342–1404), King John's youngest son, who had become Duke of Burgundy
in 1363 (having given up his previous duchy of Touraine in exchange); thus, Margaret again became Duchess consort of Burgundy.
According to Guizot, whilst Margaret I favoured the marriage of her granddaughter to Philip the Bold, the girl's father, Louis of Flanders, and the Flemish communes, preferring England to France, were unwilling to arrange the marriage. Reputedly, Margaret, vexed at the ill will of the count her son, had one day said to him, as she tore open her dress before his eyes, "Since you will not yield to your mother's wishes, I will cut off these breasts which gave suck to you, to you and to no other, and will throw them to the dogs to devour." Louis, persuaded, agreed to the marriage.http://www.gutenberg.org/files/11953/11953-h/11953-h.htm
The unrest in coastal Low Countries escalated to open rebellions in Margaret's last years. A revolt in Ghent
was put down by joint operation of Margaret's son Louis II of Flanders and grandson-in-law Philip II of Burgundy. However, after the Battle of Beverhoutsveld
Louis II was expelled from Flanders by the Flemings under Philip van Artevelde
. A French army (and Duke Philip) came to help them to regain Flanders, and the revolting Flemings were decisively defeated at the Battle of Roosebeke
the same year in which Margaret died. However, the citizens of Ghent continued to resist (with English
aid) and it was left to her granddaughter and her consort to subdue the town.
Countess Margaret died in 1382. Her counties of Artois and Burgundy were inherited by her only son Louis
, Count of Flanders
, who survived her just for two years. In 1384, all her possessions, together with Louis' inheritance (Flanders, etc.), went to her only surviving grandchild, Margaret, the then duchess-consort of Burgundy, who thus became possessor of Palatine County of Burgundy and county of Artois
, countess in her own right, where she had been countess-consort almost thirty years earlier, as they then were held by her first husband.
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
) and Countess of Artois, ruling both as Margaret I, as well as countess-consort of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
and Rethel. Her father was Philip V
Philip V of France
Philip the Tall was King of France as Philip V and, as Philip II, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne. He reigned from 1316 to his death and was the penultimate monarch of the House of Capet. Considered a wise and politically astute ruler, Philip took the throne under questionable...
, king of France from 1316-22.
Early life
She was born in 1310, the second daughter of Joan II, Countess of Burgundy, and her husband Philip, Count of PoitiersPhilip V of France
Philip the Tall was King of France as Philip V and, as Philip II, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne. He reigned from 1316 to his death and was the penultimate monarch of the House of Capet. Considered a wise and politically astute ruler, Philip took the throne under questionable...
, afterwards King Philip V of France. Margaret's mother was Countess Palatine of Burgundy (daughter and heiress of Otto IV, Count of Burgundy
Otto IV, Count of Burgundy
Otto IV, Count of Burgundy was the son of Hugh de Chalon and Adelaide, Countess Palatine of Burgundy. By his mother, he was a grandson of Countess Beatrice II of Burgundy. By his father, he was descended from another branch of the Counts of Burgundy.Upon his father's death in 1266/1267, he became...
) and Queen consort of France; Margaret's father was the second son of king Philip IV of France
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
and Queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
Joan I of Navarre
Joan I of Navarre
Joan I , the daughter of king Henry I of Navarre and Blanche of Artois, reigned as queen regnant of Navarre and also served as queen consort of France.-Life:...
.
Marriage
In 1316 her father became King Philip V of France, following the premature death of her infant first cousin John I of FranceJohn I of France
John I , called the Posthumous, was King of France and Navarre, and Count of Champagne, as the son and successor of Louis the Headstrong, for the five days he lived...
. Margaret was married to Louis I, Count of Flanders (1304–1346), who was ruler of Flanders, Nevers and Rethel from 1322. Her husband was dependent on her father in suppressing the rebellion of Nicolaas Zannekin
Nicolaas Zannekin
Nicolaas Zannekin , was a Flemish peasant leader, best known for his role in the Peasant revolt in Flanders 1323-1328....
. Her father died in 1322, and by law the crown was inherited by her uncle, Charles, Count of La Marche
Charles IV of France
Charles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....
.
Margaret's mother, Joan II, succeeded her own mother, Mahaut, Countess of Artois
Mahaut, Countess of Artois
Mahaut of Artois , also known as Mathilda, was the only daughter, and eldest child of Robert II, Count of Artois and Amicie de Courtenay.- Lineage :...
, as ruler of Artois in 1329. Margaret's elder sister Joan, Duchess of Burgundy (1308–49) inherited the county when their mother died in 1329, becoming Countess of Artois and Palatine Countess of Burgundy.
Later life
Her husband Louis was killed in the Battle of CrécyBattle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 near Crécy in northern France, and was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years' War...
on 26 August 1346. He and Margaret had one son, Louis II, Count of Flanders (1330–84), who in 1346 succeeded in Flanders, Nevers and Rethel and for whom she acted as a regent in the beginning of his reign. In 1355, the younger Louis claimed the duchy of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
in right of his wife, but Joanna, Duchess of Brabant
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant , also known as Jeanne, was the heiress of Duke John III, who died in Brussels, December 5, 1355. Her mother was Marie d'Évreux.- Family :...
, managed to keep her possessions.
In 1357, her granddaughter, Margaret III of Flanders (1350–1405), then seven years old, was married to Margaret's great-nephew Philip I, Duke of Burgundy
Philip I, Duke of Burgundy
Philip I of Burgundy, also Philip II of Palatine Burgundy, Philip III of Artois, Philip III of Boulogne and Auvergne, nicknamed Philip of Rouvres was Duke of Burgundy from 1350 until his death. Philip was the only son of Philip of Burgundy, heir to the Duchy of Burgundy, and Joanna I, Countess of...
(1346–1361), who, therefore, was the young bride's second cousin. The girl thus became duchess-consort of Burgundy, as well as countess-consort of Artois and the County Palatine of Burgundy (also called Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
); in 1360, the couple became Count and Countess-consort of Boulogne
Count of Boulogne
The county of Boulogne was a historical region in the Low Countries. It consisted of a part of the present-day French département of the Pas-de-Calais , in parts of which there is still a Dutch-speaking minority....
and Auvergne
Rulers of Auvergne
-History:In the 7th century Auvergne was disputed between the Franks and Aquitanians. It was later conquered by the Carolingians, and was integrated for a time into the kingdom of Aquitaine...
.
The coastal Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
was a restless region in the latter half of 14th century, due to civil strife. Margaret succeeded in 1361 her great-nephew Philip I, Duke of Burgundy
Philip I, Duke of Burgundy
Philip I of Burgundy, also Philip II of Palatine Burgundy, Philip III of Artois, Philip III of Boulogne and Auvergne, nicknamed Philip of Rouvres was Duke of Burgundy from 1350 until his death. Philip was the only son of Philip of Burgundy, heir to the Duchy of Burgundy, and Joanna I, Countess of...
as ruler of Artois
County of Artois
The County of Artois was an historic province of the Kingdom of France, held by the Dukes of Burgundy from 1384 until 1477/82, and a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1493 until 1659....
and Franche-Comté (County Palatine of Burgundy), since her elder sister Joan's line became extinct upon his death. Thus Margaret, already Dowager Countess of Flanders
Countess of Flanders
- House of Flanders, 862-1119 :- House of Estridsen, 1119-1127 :- House of Normandy, 1127-1128 :- House of Metz, 1128-1194 :- House of Hainaut, 1194-1278 :- House of Dampierre, 1247-1405 :- House of Valois-Burgundy, 1405-1482 :...
, now became a ruler in her own right.
Her granddaughter, Margaret, was now a widow due to the premature death of Philip of Burgundy. The duchy of Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
, having since 1330 been united to the counties of Palatine Burgundy and Artois, now passed to one of its two senior heirs, John II of France
John II of France
John II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
(the other, Charles the Bad of Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, had been kept from inheriting due to his genealogical distance from the Dukes of Burgundy).
In 1369, Margaret III of Flanders, now 19 years old, and Margaret I of Burgundy's only grandchild, married Philip the Bold
Philip II, Duke of Burgundy
Philip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
(1342–1404), King John's youngest son, who had become Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
in 1363 (having given up his previous duchy of Touraine in exchange); thus, Margaret again became Duchess consort of Burgundy.
According to Guizot, whilst Margaret I favoured the marriage of her granddaughter to Philip the Bold, the girl's father, Louis of Flanders, and the Flemish communes, preferring England to France, were unwilling to arrange the marriage. Reputedly, Margaret, vexed at the ill will of the count her son, had one day said to him, as she tore open her dress before his eyes, "Since you will not yield to your mother's wishes, I will cut off these breasts which gave suck to you, to you and to no other, and will throw them to the dogs to devour." Louis, persuaded, agreed to the marriage.http://www.gutenberg.org/files/11953/11953-h/11953-h.htm
The unrest in coastal Low Countries escalated to open rebellions in Margaret's last years. A revolt in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
was put down by joint operation of Margaret's son Louis II of Flanders and grandson-in-law Philip II of Burgundy. However, after the Battle of Beverhoutsveld
Battle of Beverhoutsveld
-Prelude:This battle was initiated when the city of Ghent had rebelled against their lord, count Louis II of Flanders, in 1379. The powerful guilds in Ghent did not take kindly to his rule, and wanted more privileges and less interference from the count...
Louis II was expelled from Flanders by the Flemings under Philip van Artevelde
Philip van Artevelde
Philip van Artevelde was a Flemish patriot, the son of Jacob van Artevelde. Because of his father's prominence he was godson of English queen Philippa of Hainault, who held him in her arms during his baptism....
. A French army (and Duke Philip) came to help them to regain Flanders, and the revolting Flemings were decisively defeated at the Battle of Roosebeke
Battle of Roosebeke
The Battle of Roosebeke took place on November 27, 1382 on the Goudberg between a Flemish army under Philip van Artevelde and a French army under Louis II of Flanders who had called upon the help of the French king Charles VI after he had suffered a defeat during the Battle of Beverhoutsveld...
the same year in which Margaret died. However, the citizens of Ghent continued to resist (with English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
aid) and it was left to her granddaughter and her consort to subdue the town.
Countess Margaret died in 1382. Her counties of Artois and Burgundy were inherited by her only son Louis
Louis II of Flanders
Louis II of Flanders , also Louis III of Artois and Louis I of Palatine Burgundy, known as Louis of Male, was the son of Louis I of Flanders and Margaret I of Burgundy, and Count of Flanders.On his father's death at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, he inherited the counties of Flanders, Nevers, and...
, Count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
, who survived her just for two years. In 1384, all her possessions, together with Louis' inheritance (Flanders, etc.), went to her only surviving grandchild, Margaret, the then duchess-consort of Burgundy, who thus became possessor of Palatine County of Burgundy and county of Artois
County of Artois
The County of Artois was an historic province of the Kingdom of France, held by the Dukes of Burgundy from 1384 until 1477/82, and a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1493 until 1659....
, countess in her own right, where she had been countess-consort almost thirty years earlier, as they then were held by her first husband.
Ancestors
| Margaret I, Countess of Burgundy | Father: Philip V of France Philip V of France Philip the Tall was King of France as Philip V and, as Philip II, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne. He reigned from 1316 to his death and was the penultimate monarch of the House of Capet. Considered a wise and politically astute ruler, Philip took the throne under questionable... |
Paternal Grandfather: Philip IV of France Philip IV of France Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of... |
Paternal Great-Grandfather: Philip III of France Philip III of France Philip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:... |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Isabella of Aragon Isabella of Aragon Isabella of Aragon , infanta of Aragon, was, by marriage, Queen consort of France in the Middle Ages from 1270 to 1271.-Life:... |
|||
| Paternal Grandmother: Joan I of Navarre Joan I of Navarre Joan I , the daughter of king Henry I of Navarre and Blanche of Artois, reigned as queen regnant of Navarre and also served as queen consort of France.-Life:... |
Paternal Great-Grandfather: Henry I of Navarre Henry I of Navarre Henry I the Fat was the Count of Champagne and Brie and King of Navarre from 1270... |
||
| Paternal Great-Grandmother: Blanche of Artois Blanche of Artois Blanche of Artois was the queen consort of Navarre; after her husband Henry I of Navarre's death, she served as regent from 1274 to 1284 on behalf of her daughter, Joan I... |
|||
| Mother: Joan II, Countess of Burgundy |
Maternal Grandfather: Otto IV, Count of Burgundy Otto IV, Count of Burgundy Otto IV, Count of Burgundy was the son of Hugh de Chalon and Adelaide, Countess Palatine of Burgundy. By his mother, he was a grandson of Countess Beatrice II of Burgundy. By his father, he was descended from another branch of the Counts of Burgundy.Upon his father's death in 1266/1267, he became... |
Maternal Great-Grandfather: Hugh III, Count of Burgundy Hugh III, Count of Burgundy Hugh III of Chalon, Count of Burgundy , also known as Hugues de Bourgogne, was count of Burgundy by his marriage to countess Adelaide I of Burgundy when he was aged 16, on 1 November 1236. He was the son of John, Count of Chalon and his first wife Mahaud of Burgundy.He and Adelaide had the... |
|
| Maternal Great-Grandmother: Adelaide I of Burgundy |
|||
| Maternal Grandmother: Mahaut of Artois |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Robert II, Count of Artois |
||
| Maternal Great-Grandmother: Amicie de Courtenay |