Alice of Courtenay
Encyclopedia
Alice of Courtenay, Countess of Angoulême (1160 – 12 February 1218) was a French noblewoman of the House of Courtenay
. Her father was Peter of Courtenay
and her brother was Peter II of Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople. Alice married twice; by her second husband, Aymer Taillefer, Count of Angoulême
, she was the mother of Isabella of Angoulême
, who was Queen consort
of England, as the wife of King John
.
She is also known as Alix de Courtenay.
and Elisabeth of Courtenay, daughter of Renauld de Courtenay and Helvis du Donjon. Her family was one of the most illustrious in France; and her paternal grandparents were King Louis VI of France
and Adélaide de Maurienne
. Her eldest brother Peter became the Latin Emperor of Constantinople in 1216. In addition to Peter, she had three more brothers, Philippe de Courtenay, Robert, Seigneur of Champignelles, and William, Seigneur of Tanlay; and five sisters, Eustacie, Clemence, Isabelle, Constance, and another whose name is unknown.
.
Alice married her second husband, Aymer Taillefer in 1186, the same year he succeeded his father, William IV as Count of Angoulême. Sometime in 1188, Alice gave birth to her only child:
Alice's husband died on 16 June 1202. Their only child, Isabella succeeded him as suo jure
Countess of Angoulême. By this time, Isabella was already Queen of England.
She herself died on 11 (or 12) February 1218 at the age of about 58.
House of Courtenay
The House of Courtenay was an important dynasty in medieval France originating from the castle of Courtenay in the Gâtinais , going back to the 10th century. The dynasty descended from Athon, the first lord of Courtenay, apparently himself a descendant of the Counts of Sens and from Pharamond,...
. Her father was Peter of Courtenay
Peter of Courtenay
Peter of Courtenay was emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople from 1216 to 1217.He was a son of Peter I of Courtenay , the youngest son of Louis VI of France and his second Queen consort Adélaide de Maurienne...
and her brother was Peter II of Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople. Alice married twice; by her second husband, Aymer Taillefer, Count of Angoulême
Aymer of Angoulême
Aymer was the last Count of Angoulême of the House of Taillefer. He was the third of the six children of Count William IV and Marguerite of Turenne...
, she was the mother of Isabella of Angoulême
Isabella of Angoulême
Isabella of Angoulême was queen consort of England as the second wife of King John from 1200 until John's death in 1216. They had five children by the king including his heir, later Henry III...
, who was Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of England, as the wife of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
.
She is also known as Alix de Courtenay.
Family
Alice was born in 1160, the second eldest daughter and one of the ten children of Peter I of CourtenayPeter of Courtenay
Peter of Courtenay was emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople from 1216 to 1217.He was a son of Peter I of Courtenay , the youngest son of Louis VI of France and his second Queen consort Adélaide de Maurienne...
and Elisabeth of Courtenay, daughter of Renauld de Courtenay and Helvis du Donjon. Her family was one of the most illustrious in France; and her paternal grandparents were King Louis VI of France
Louis VI of France
Louis VI , called the Fat , was King of France from 1108 until his death . Chronicles called him "roi de Saint-Denis".-Reign:...
and Adélaide de Maurienne
Adélaide de Maurienne
Adelaide of Savoy was the second spouse but first Queen consort of Louis VI of France.-Biography:...
. Her eldest brother Peter became the Latin Emperor of Constantinople in 1216. In addition to Peter, she had three more brothers, Philippe de Courtenay, Robert, Seigneur of Champignelles, and William, Seigneur of Tanlay; and five sisters, Eustacie, Clemence, Isabelle, Constance, and another whose name is unknown.
Marriages
In 1178, she married her first husband, Guillaume I, Count of Joigny. The marriage did not produce any children, and they were divorced in 1186. A charter dated 1180 records that Count Guillaume, with Alice's consent, donated property to Pontigny AbbeyPontigny Abbey
Pontigny Abbey, founded in 1114 as the second of the four great daughter houses of Cîteaux Abbey, was a Cistercian monastery situated in the commune of Pontigny, on the River Serein, in the present diocese of Sens and department of Yonne, in Burgundy, France.-History:Hildebert , a canon of...
.
Alice married her second husband, Aymer Taillefer in 1186, the same year he succeeded his father, William IV as Count of Angoulême. Sometime in 1188, Alice gave birth to her only child:
- Isabella of AngoulêmeIsabella of AngoulêmeIsabella of Angoulême was queen consort of England as the second wife of King John from 1200 until John's death in 1216. They had five children by the king including his heir, later Henry III...
(1188 – 31 May 1246), married firstly 24 August 1200 King John of England, by whom she had five children; in spring 1220, she married secondly, Hugh X of LusignanHugh X of LusignanHugh X de Lusignan, Hugh V of La Marche or Hugh I of Angoulême or Hugues X & V & I de Lusignan succeeded his father Hugh IX as Seigneur de Lusignan and Count of La Marche in November, 1219 and was Count of Angoulême by marriage.Hugh X de Lusignan was betrothed to marry 12 year-old Isabel of...
, Count of La Marche, by whom she had another nine children.
Alice's husband died on 16 June 1202. Their only child, Isabella succeeded him as suo jure
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
Countess of Angoulême. By this time, Isabella was already Queen of England.
She herself died on 11 (or 12) February 1218 at the age of about 58.