Marie of France, Duchess of Brabant
Encyclopedia
Marie of France was a daughter of Philip II of France
and his disputed third wife Agnes of Merania
. She was a member of the House of Capet
. Marie was Duchess of Brabant
by her marriage to Henry I, Duke of Brabant
.
. Pope Innocent III
(1198–1216) refused to grant Philip a divorce. Philip still did remarry though. His first choice was Marguerite of Geneva
, they did not marry because Thomas I of Savoy
captured her on her way to Paris
, claiming that Philip was already married to Ingeborg. Philip then married Agnes in 1196. Agnes gave birth to Marie and then to a brother, Philip of France
.
Pope Innocent III declared Philip's marriage to Agnes null and void, as he was still married to Ingeborg. He ordered the King to part from Agnès; when he did not, the Pope placed France under an interdict in 1199. This continued until 7 September 1200. Due to pressure from the Pope and from Ingeborg's brother, King Valdemar II of Denmark
(1202–41), Philip finally took Ingeborg back as his Queen in 1213. Marie and her brother became bastards. However Marie and Philip were legitimized by the pope in 1201 at the request of the king.
Marie's mother, Agnes died in 1201, heartbroken.
(future King Alexander II) the pair were only two years of age. Alexander succeeded as King aged sixteen in 1214, his engagement to Marie had been broken off around 1202 and he married Joan, daughter of John of England
instead.
Marie's second betrothal was to Arthur I, Duke of Brittany
, who was fighting against John for the Kingdom of England
. Marie's father recognised Arthur's rights to many French lands but recognised John as the rightful King of England. Marie and Arthur were betrothed in 1202 but never married due to Arthur's disappearance and supposed death which John was blamed for.
During a war with France, Philip I of Namur
was imprisoned and only bought his freedom by marrying Marie and sending his nieces as envoys to the royal court of France. This insulted the barons of Flanders and Hainault and they revolted and forced him to give up the regency.
The marriage did not produce children, Philip had designated his nephew Philip of Courtenay
as heir. Philip died in 1212.
With the death of her first husband, Marie was able to remarry. She married April 22, 1213 in Soissons
to Henry I, Duke of Brabant
. This was a second marriage for them both, Henry had been widowed three years earlier by his first wife Mathilde of Flanders
.
The couple had two daughters:
Marie died on 15 August 1238 and is buried at the abbey of Affligem. Her husband died eleven years later and was succeeded by his son, Henry II, Duke of Brabant
.
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
and his disputed third wife Agnes of Merania
Agnes of Merania
Agnes Maria of Andechs-Merania , queen of France, was the daughter of Bertold IV , who was Count of Andechs, a castle and territory near Ammersee, Bavaria and from 1183 duke of Merania . Her mother was Agnes of Rochlitz...
. She was a member of the House of Capet
House of Capet
The House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
. Marie was Duchess of Brabant
Duchess of Brabant
The Duchess of Brabant is the woman married to the heir to the Belgian throne, the Duke of Brabant. But this was only as of 1840 when it was revived as an honorific title for the Crown Prince of the newly created Kingdom of Belgium...
by her marriage to Henry I, Duke of Brabant
Henry I, Duke of Brabant
Henry I of Brabant , named "The Courageous" Duke of Brabant and Duke of Lower Lotharingia until his death.-Biography:...
.
Early Life and Legitimacy
In order to marry Agnes, Marie's father Philip had to get a divorce from his neglected second wife Ingeborg of DenmarkIngeborg of Denmark, Queen of France
Ingeborg was a Danish-born queen consort of France.She was a daughter of Valdemar I of Denmark and Sofia of Minsk. Her maternal grandparents were Volodar of Minsk and Richeza of Poland...
. Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
(1198–1216) refused to grant Philip a divorce. Philip still did remarry though. His first choice was Marguerite of Geneva
Marguerite of Geneva
Marguerite of Geneva was the daughter of William I, Count of Geneva and Beatrice de Faucigny. She was supposed to become the third wife of Philip II of France but was abducted by Thomas I of Savoy in 1195, while on her way to Paris...
, they did not marry because Thomas I of Savoy
Thomas I of Savoy
Thomas I or Tommaso I was Count of Savoy from 1189-1233. He was the son of Humbert III of Savoy and Beatrice of Viennois. His birth was seen as miraculous; his monkish father had despaired of having a male heir after three wives. Count Humbert sought counsel from St...
captured her on her way to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, claiming that Philip was already married to Ingeborg. Philip then married Agnes in 1196. Agnes gave birth to Marie and then to a brother, Philip of France
Philippe Hurepel
Philip Hurepel was Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, Boulogne, Mortain, Aumale, and Dammartin. He was the son of Philip II of France and his controversial third wife Agnes of Merania. Illegitimacy shadowed his birth and career....
.
Pope Innocent III declared Philip's marriage to Agnes null and void, as he was still married to Ingeborg. He ordered the King to part from Agnès; when he did not, the Pope placed France under an interdict in 1199. This continued until 7 September 1200. Due to pressure from the Pope and from Ingeborg's brother, King Valdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II of Denmark
Valdemar II , called Valdemar the Victorious or Valdemar the Conqueror , was the King of Denmark from 1202 until his death in 1241. The nickname Sejr is a later invention and was not used during the King's own lifetime...
(1202–41), Philip finally took Ingeborg back as his Queen in 1213. Marie and her brother became bastards. However Marie and Philip were legitimized by the pope in 1201 at the request of the king.
Marie's mother, Agnes died in 1201, heartbroken.
Marriages
Marie was betrothed twice before she married. Her first betrothal was in 1200 to Prince Alexander of ScotlandAlexander II of Scotland
Alexander II was King of Scots from1214 to his death.-Early life:...
(future King Alexander II) the pair were only two years of age. Alexander succeeded as King aged sixteen in 1214, his engagement to Marie had been broken off around 1202 and he married Joan, daughter of John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
instead.
Marie's second betrothal was to Arthur I, Duke of Brittany
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany
Arthur I was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1202. He was the posthumous son of Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany and Constance, Duchess of Brittany...
, who was fighting against John for the Kingdom of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Marie's father recognised Arthur's rights to many French lands but recognised John as the rightful King of England. Marie and Arthur were betrothed in 1202 but never married due to Arthur's disappearance and supposed death which John was blamed for.
During a war with France, Philip I of Namur
Philip I of Namur
Philip I , called the Noble, was the margrave of Namur from 1195 to his death. He was the second son of Baldwin V, Count of Hainault, and Margaret I, Countess of Flanders...
was imprisoned and only bought his freedom by marrying Marie and sending his nieces as envoys to the royal court of France. This insulted the barons of Flanders and Hainault and they revolted and forced him to give up the regency.
The marriage did not produce children, Philip had designated his nephew Philip of Courtenay
Philip of Courtenay
Philip I of Courtenay was titular Emperor of Constantinople 1273–1283. He was the son of Baldwin II of Constantinople and Marie of Brienne....
as heir. Philip died in 1212.
With the death of her first husband, Marie was able to remarry. She married April 22, 1213 in Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
to Henry I, Duke of Brabant
Henry I, Duke of Brabant
Henry I of Brabant , named "The Courageous" Duke of Brabant and Duke of Lower Lotharingia until his death.-Biography:...
. This was a second marriage for them both, Henry had been widowed three years earlier by his first wife Mathilde of Flanders
Mathilde of Flanders
Matilde of Flanders was the youngest daughter of Marie I, Countess of Boulogne and her husband Matthew, Count of Boulogne. Matilde was Duchess of Brabant, by her marriage to Henry I, Duke of Brabant.- Family :...
.
The couple had two daughters:
- Elizabeth (d. October 23, 1272), married in LeuvenLeuvenLeuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
March 19, 1233 Count Dietrich of Cleves, Lord of DinslakenDinslakenDinslaken is a city in the district of Wesel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is known for its harness horse race track, its now closed coal mine in Lohberg and its wealthy neighborhoods Hiesfeld and Eppinghoven.- Geography :...
(c. 1214–1244), married 1246 Gerhard II, Count of Wassenberg (d. 1255) - Marie, died young
Marie died on 15 August 1238 and is buried at the abbey of Affligem. Her husband died eleven years later and was succeeded by his son, Henry II, Duke of Brabant
Henry II, Duke of Brabant
Henry II of Brabant was Duke of Brabant and Lothier after the death of his father Henry I in 1235...
.