Margaret II, Countess of Flanders
Encyclopedia
Margaret, called of Constantinople (2 June 1202 – 10 February 1280) was countess of Flanders
from 1244 to 1278 and also, countess of Hainaut from 1244 to 1253 and again from 1257 until her death.
, who was also count of Flanders
and Hainaut
, and Marie of Champagne
. He left on the Fourth Crusade
before she was born, and her mother left two years later, leaving Margaret and her older sister Joan in the guardianship of their uncle Philip of Namur.
After her mother died in 1204, and her father the next year, the now-orphaned Margaret and her sister remained under Philip's guardianship until 1208, when he gave their wardship to King Philip II of France
. During her time in Paris, she and her sister became familiar with the Cisterian Order, probably under influence of Blanche of Castile
, the future Queen consort of France.
In 1212 Margaret married Bouchard d'Avesnes
, a prominent Hainaut
nobleman. This was apparently a love match, though it was approved by Margaret's sister Joan, who had herself recently married. The two sisters subsequently had a falling-out over Margaret's share of their inheritance, which led Joan to attempt to get Margaret's marriage dissolved. She alleged that the marriage was invalid, and without much inspection of the facts of the case Pope Innocent III
condemned the marriage, though he did not formally annul it.
Bourchard and Margaret continued as a married couple, having 3 children, as their conflict with Joan grew violent and Bouchard was captured and imprisoned in 1219. He was released in 1221 on the condition that the couple separate and that Bouchard get absolution from the pope. While he was in Rome
, Joan convinced Margaret to remarry, this time to William II of Dampierre
, a nobleman from Champagne
. From this marriage Margaret had two sons: William and Guy of Dampierre
.
This situation caused something of a scandal, for the marriage was possibly bigamous
, and violated the church's strictures on consanguinity
as well. The disputes regarding the validity of the two marriages and the legitimacy of her children by each husband continued for decades, becoming entangled in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire
and resulting in the long War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
.
In 1246 king Louis IX of France
, acting as an arbitrator, gave the right to inherit Flanders to the Dampierre children, and the rights to Hainaut to the Avesnes children. This would seem to have settled the matter, but in 1253 problems arose again. The eldest son, John I of Avesnes
, who was uneasy about his rights, convinced William of Holland, the German king recognized by the pro-papal forces, to seize Hainaut and the parts of Flanders which were within the bounds of the empire. William of Holland was theoretically, as king, overlord for these territories, and also John's brother-in-law. A civil war followed, which ended when the Avesnes forces defeated and imprisoned the Dampierres at the Battle of Walcheren. Guy was ransomed in 1256 and the death of Margaret's son John strenghtened their position.
Like her sister, Margaret conducted an economic policy designed to encourage international commerce. She removed restrictions on foreigner traders, despite pressures from local traders, who wanted to maintain monopolies. She also issued a new coinage. Her policies helped Bruges
turn into an international port.
In 1278, she abdicated in Flanders in favour of her son Guy. She ruled Hainaut until her death in 1280.
in Bruges. She also had an interest in architecture and patronized writers and poets.
With William II of Dampierre:
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....
from 1244 to 1278 and also, countess of Hainaut from 1244 to 1253 and again from 1257 until her death.
History and Family
She was the younger daughter of Baldwin I of ConstantinopleBaldwin I of Constantinople
Baldwin I , the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders and as Baldwin VI Count of Hainaut, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the capture of Constantinople, the conquest of the greater part of the Byzantine...
, who was also count 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...
and Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
, and Marie of Champagne
Marie of Champagne
Marie of Champagne was the Empress consort of Baldwin I of Constantinople.-Family:She was a daughter of Henry I, Count of Champagne and Marie of France, Countess of Champagne. Her maternal grandparents were Louis VII of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine.Her brothers were Henry II of Champagne and...
. He left on the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
before she was born, and her mother left two years later, leaving Margaret and her older sister Joan in the guardianship of their uncle Philip of Namur.
After her mother died in 1204, and her father the next year, the now-orphaned Margaret and her sister remained under Philip's guardianship until 1208, when he gave their wardship to King Philip II of France
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...
. During her time in Paris, she and her sister became familiar with the Cisterian Order, probably under influence of Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile , was a Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis VIII. She acted as regent twice during the reign of her son, Louis IX....
, the future Queen consort of France.
In 1212 Margaret married Bouchard d'Avesnes
Bouchard IV of Avesnes
Bouchard IV was the lord of Avesnes and Étrœungt. He was the son of James of Avesnes and Adela of Guise and brother of Walter, Count of Blois by marriage....
, a prominent Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
nobleman. This was apparently a love match, though it was approved by Margaret's sister Joan, who had herself recently married. The two sisters subsequently had a falling-out over Margaret's share of their inheritance, which led Joan to attempt to get Margaret's marriage dissolved. She alleged that the marriage was invalid, and without much inspection of the facts of the case 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....
condemned the marriage, though he did not formally annul it.
Bourchard and Margaret continued as a married couple, having 3 children, as their conflict with Joan grew violent and Bouchard was captured and imprisoned in 1219. He was released in 1221 on the condition that the couple separate and that Bouchard get absolution from the pope. While he was in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Joan convinced Margaret to remarry, this time to William II of Dampierre
William II of Dampierre
William II was the lord of Dampierre from 1216 until his death. He was the son of Guy II, constable of Champagne, and Matilda, heiress of Bourbon.His brother, Archambaud VIII, inherited Bourbon and he Dampierre...
, a nobleman from Champagne
Champagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
. From this marriage Margaret had two sons: William and Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre was the count of Flanders during the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302.Guy was the second son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders. The death of his elder brother William in a tournament made him joint Count of Flanders with his mother...
.
This situation caused something of a scandal, for the marriage was possibly bigamous
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, and violated the church's strictures on consanguinity
Consanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
as well. The disputes regarding the validity of the two marriages and the legitimacy of her children by each husband continued for decades, becoming entangled in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and resulting in the long War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault
The War of the Succession of Flanders and Hainault was a series of feudal conflicts in the mid-thirteenth century between the children of Margaret II, Countess of Flanders...
.
Countess
At the death of her sister Joan, Margaret succeeded her as Countess of Flanders and Hainaut.In 1246 king Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
, acting as an arbitrator, gave the right to inherit Flanders to the Dampierre children, and the rights to Hainaut to the Avesnes children. This would seem to have settled the matter, but in 1253 problems arose again. The eldest son, John I of Avesnes
John I of Avesnes
John I of Avesnes was the count of Hainaut from 1246 to his death. Born in Houffalize, he was the eldest son of Margaret II of Flanders by her first husband, Bouchard IV of Avesnes...
, who was uneasy about his rights, convinced William of Holland, the German king recognized by the pro-papal forces, to seize Hainaut and the parts of Flanders which were within the bounds of the empire. William of Holland was theoretically, as king, overlord for these territories, and also John's brother-in-law. A civil war followed, which ended when the Avesnes forces defeated and imprisoned the Dampierres at the Battle of Walcheren. Guy was ransomed in 1256 and the death of Margaret's son John strenghtened their position.
Like her sister, Margaret conducted an economic policy designed to encourage international commerce. She removed restrictions on foreigner traders, despite pressures from local traders, who wanted to maintain monopolies. She also issued a new coinage. Her policies helped Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
turn into an international port.
In 1278, she abdicated in Flanders in favour of her son Guy. She ruled Hainaut until her death in 1280.
Patronage
Again, like her sister Joan, she supported religious houses. In 1245, she founded the BéguinageBéguinage
A béguinage or begijnhof is a collection of small buildings used by Beguines. These were various lay sisterhoods of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in the 13th century in the Low Countries, comprising religious women who sought to serve God without retiring from the world.-Description:A...
in Bruges. She also had an interest in architecture and patronized writers and poets.
Issue
With Bouchard of Avesnes:- Baldwin (1217 - 1219)
- John IJohn I of AvesnesJohn I of Avesnes was the count of Hainaut from 1246 to his death. Born in Houffalize, he was the eldest son of Margaret II of Flanders by her first husband, Bouchard IV of Avesnes...
(1218 – 1257), later Count of Hainault - Baldwin (1219 – 1295), Lord of BeaumontBeaumont, BelgiumBeaumont is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut.On January 1, 2006 Beaumont had a total population of 6,698. The total area is 92.97 km² which gives a population density of 72 inhabitants per km²....
With William II of Dampierre:
- William IIIWilliam III of DampierreWilliam III was the lord of Dampierre from 1231 and count of Flanders from 1247 until his death. He was the son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders....
, Count of FlandersCount of FlandersThe 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....
and Lord of KortrijkKortrijkKortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders... - GuyGuy of DampierreGuy of Dampierre was the count of Flanders during the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302.Guy was the second son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders. The death of his elder brother William in a tournament made him joint Count of Flanders with his mother...
, Count of Flanders and Margrave of Namur - John I, Lord of Dampierre, ViscountViscountA viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
of TroyesTroyesTroyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
, and Constable of Champagne - JoannaJeanne of DampierreJeanne of Dampierre was the only daughter of Margaret II, Countess of Flanders and William II of Dampierre.In 1239, her mother arranged her to be wed to count Hugh III of Rethel. Margaret stipulated that her dowry should be returned in case the count died without giving Jeanne a child...