Mary of Béarn
Encyclopedia
Mary was the daughter, sister, wife, and mother of various Viscounts of Béarn
, Gabardan, and Brulhois. Briefly, from 1170 to 1171, she ruled Béarn as Viscountess in her own right
Mary was the only known daughter of Peter II
and a Catalan
princess. When Mary's elder brother Gaston V
died without descendants, she inherited his titles. This title was rarely carried by women and Mary was only the second to use the title for herself, but only briefly, until she married.
Her only known act during her brief reign was the act of homage rendered at Jaca
to Alfonso II of Aragon
on 30 April 1170. Mary and a delegation of Bearnese nobles accepted an oath containing several newly inserted clauses of Alfonso's making which asserted the Crown of Aragon
's absolute rights and total control over and above the three viscounties of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois. Alfonso thus usurped the rights of the Duke of Aquitaine
, which had long before gone dormant. He also reserved the right to choose Mary's future husband and thus bestow Béarn on whomever he pleased.
In March 1171, the Catalan William of Montcada
did homage to Alfonso for Béarn, implicitly as Mary's husband. Mary does not thenceforth reappear with the vicecomital title. However, the Catalan was not acceptable to the Bearnese nobless, which promptly rebelled against their new liege lord. Immediately, they elected Theobald
of the neighbouring County of Bigorre
as their viscount, but, as he did not respect the Fors de Bearn
, they executed him within the year. They then selected a nobleman of the Auvergne
, Sentonge
, who lasted two years in power before being suffering the same sad fate at the hands of the nobles. Throughout this whole period, William planned to conquer Béarn, but never got around to actually launching any military expedition.
In 1173, the year Sentonge was executed, Mary abandoned her husband taking their young twin sons with her and entered the monastery of Santa Cruz de Volvestre. The Bearnese, having rid themselves of three viscounts in as many years, sent a delegation to the monastery to request one of her sons to succeed to the viscounty. Mary consented and sent the elder, Gaston
. The younger son, William Raymond, inherited Béarn from his brother many years later.
The date of Mary's death is unknown, but it probably occurred after 1187.
Viscounts of Béarn
The viscounts of Béarn were the rulers of a former province of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France...
, Gabardan, and Brulhois. Briefly, from 1170 to 1171, she ruled Béarn as Viscountess in her own right
Mary was the only known daughter of Peter II
Peter II of Béarn
Peter II was the Viscount of Béarn from 1134 to his death. He was also the viscount of Gabardan, Brulhois, and Gabarret ....
and a Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
princess. When Mary's elder brother Gaston V
Gaston V of Béarn
Gaston V was the Viscount of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois from 1153 to his death.He was the son of Peter II and a Catalan princess. When his father died in 1153, he inherited his title under the regency of his grandmother Guiscarda...
died without descendants, she inherited his titles. This title was rarely carried by women and Mary was only the second to use the title for herself, but only briefly, until she married.
Her only known act during her brief reign was the act of homage rendered at Jaca
Jaca
Jaca is a city of northeastern Spain near the border with France, in the midst of the Pyrenees in the province of Huesca...
to Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II or Alfons I ; Huesca, 1-25 March 1157 – 25 April 1196), called the Chaste or the Troubadour, was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1164 until his death. He was the son of Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona and Petronilla of Aragon and the first King of Aragon who was...
on 30 April 1170. Mary and a delegation of Bearnese nobles accepted an oath containing several newly inserted clauses of Alfonso's making which asserted the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
's absolute rights and total control over and above the three viscounties of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois. Alfonso thus usurped the rights of the Duke of Aquitaine
Duke of Aquitaine
The Duke of Aquitaine ruled the historical region of Aquitaine under the supremacy of Frankish, English and later French kings....
, which had long before gone dormant. He also reserved the right to choose Mary's future husband and thus bestow Béarn on whomever he pleased.
In March 1171, the Catalan William of Montcada
William I of Béarn
William I, called Guillem de Montcada II, was the Viscount of Béarn from 1171 to 1173 with opposition.William was the eldest son of Guillem Ramon de Montcada II. William first appears in 1150, witnessing his father's settlement at Arles with the Baux family after Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona's...
did homage to Alfonso for Béarn, implicitly as Mary's husband. Mary does not thenceforth reappear with the vicecomital title. However, the Catalan was not acceptable to the Bearnese nobless, which promptly rebelled against their new liege lord. Immediately, they elected Theobald
Theobald of Béarn
Theobald was the probably legendary Viscount of Béarn in 1171. He was from Bigorre. The story of his succession to Béarn is probably not reliable and is likely a later invention....
of the neighbouring County of Bigorre
County of Bigorre
The County of Bigorre was a small feudatory of the Duchy of Aquitaine in the ninth through fifteenth centuries. Its capital was Tarbes.The county was constituted out of the dowry of a Faquilène, an Aquitainian princess, for her husband Donatus Lupus I, the son of Lupus III of Gascony...
as their viscount, but, as he did not respect the Fors de Bearn
Fors de Bearn
The Fors de Bearn, or fueros of Béarn, are a series of legal texts compiled over centuries in the Viscounty of Béarn...
, they executed him within the year. They then selected a nobleman of the Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
, Sentonge
Sentonge of Béarn
Sentonge was the probably legendary Viscount of Béarn from 1171 until his execution two years later. He was from Auvergne. The story of his succession to Béarn is probably not reliable and is likely a later invention....
, who lasted two years in power before being suffering the same sad fate at the hands of the nobles. Throughout this whole period, William planned to conquer Béarn, but never got around to actually launching any military expedition.
In 1173, the year Sentonge was executed, Mary abandoned her husband taking their young twin sons with her and entered the monastery of Santa Cruz de Volvestre. The Bearnese, having rid themselves of three viscounts in as many years, sent a delegation to the monastery to request one of her sons to succeed to the viscounty. Mary consented and sent the elder, Gaston
Gaston VI of Béarn
Gaston VI , called the Good, was the Viscount of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois from 1173. He was also Count of Bigorre and Viscount of Marsan through his marriage in 1196 to Petronilla of Bigorre, the daughter of Countess Stephanie of Bigorre....
. The younger son, William Raymond, inherited Béarn from his brother many years later.
The date of Mary's death is unknown, but it probably occurred after 1187.