Constance of France
Encyclopedia
Constance of France was the daughter of King Philip I of France
and Bertha of Holland
. She was a member of the House of Capet
and was princess of Antioch
from her second marriage and Countess of Champagne
from her first marriage. She was regent during the minority of her son.
. It caused the displeasure of the church and an interdict
was placed on France several times as a result. Constance was the eldest of five children and was the only daughter of her father from his first marriage. Constance's brother was Louis VI of France
.
Her maternal grandparents were Floris I, Count of Holland
and his Gertrude of Saxony
. Constance's paternal grandparents were Henry I of France
and his second wife Anne of Kiev
.
Between 1093 and 1095 Philip I had his daughter, Constance married to Hugh, Count of Champagne. Philip's purpose with this marriage was to influence Hugh's family, the powerful House of Blois, to offset the opposition of Count Fulk IV of Anjou
since Philip had stolen Fulk's wife, Bertrade. But this union was made much too late, Hugh's brother, Stephen II, Count of Blois
, holder of most counties of the House of Blois was married. Stephen had married Adela of Normandy
, daughter of William I of England
, and their marriage had produced children. This marriage was not beneficial to Constance's father in any way now but Constance remained married to Hugh. Constance and Hugh had a son, but he died young. Some also believe that they had a daughter Eléonore of Blois
, this is however their niece.
After ten years, Constance demanded an annulment of their marriage, for unknown reasons. Constance obtained a divorce at Soissons
on 25 December 1104. Philip never assisted Constance during this time. Philip soon died and Louis became King of France. Louis successfully restored the royal authority and tamed the unruly vassals. Constance could never expect help from her father but she could from her brother.
since Stephen was killed in the Holy Land
. Adela was well educated and all seemed to be well at the Court. It appeared that Adela used all her power to help Constance get a divorce from Hugh, who later left to fight in the Holy Land
.
At the same time, Bohemond I of Antioch was just released by the Turks
. He returned to Europe
to obtain relief for the Crusaders in the Holy Land. The regency of the Principality of Antioch
was assured by Bohemond's nephew Tancred, Prince of Galilee
. Bohemond now needed a wife. He impressed audiences across France with gifts of relics from the Holy Land and tales of heroism while fighting the Saracens, gathering a large army in the process. Henry I of England
famously prevented him from landing on English shores, so great was his influence expected to be on the English nobility. His new-found status won him the hand of Constance. Of this marriage wrote Abbot Suger:
The marriage was celebrated in the cathedral of Chartres
, and the festivities were held at the court of Adela, who also took part in negotiations. The groom took the opportunity to encourage the nobility to fight in the Holy Land, and also negotiated for a marriage between Bohemond's nephew Tancred, Prince of Galilee
and Constance's half-sister Cecile of France
.
Pleased by his success, Bohemond resolved to use his army of 34,000 men, not to defend Antioch
against the Greeks, but to attack Alexios I Komnenos
. He did so; but Alexius, aided by the Venetians
, proved too strong, and Bohemond had to submit to a humiliating peace, (the Treaty of Devol in 1108).
After her marriage, Constance accompanied her husband to Apulia
, where she gave birth to their only child, Bohemond II of Antioch (1107–1130), future Prince of Antioch. Bohemond became the vassal of Alexius, consented to receive his pay, with the title of sebastos, and promised to cede disputed territories and to admit a Greek patriarch
into Antioch. Henceforth Bohemond was a broken man. He died without returning to the East, and was buried at Canosa
in Apulia, in 1111.
and Apuleius
on behalf of her son and took the title of Queen as a daughter of the King of France, but she was imprisoned by Grimoald Alferanites, who proclaimed himself Lord of Bari. Constance was released in 1120 on the intervention of King Roger II of Sicily
and the Pope
, but in exchange for her release, Constance had to give up the regency over her son.
She died on 14 September 1126, and Bohemond II then went to takeover his principality of Antioch.
Constance's granddaughter, also called Constance
, became Princess of Antioch. Her children included: Maria, Byzantine Empress
, Bohemund III of Antioch
and Agnes, Queen of Hungary
.
Philip I of France
Philip I , called the Amorous, was King of France from 1060 to his death. His reign, like that of most of the early Direct Capetians, was extraordinarily long for the time...
and Bertha of Holland
Bertha of Holland
Bertha of Holland was the first wife of Philip I of France, the King of France.-Biography:She was the daughter of Floris I, Count of Holland, by his wife Gertrude of Saxony. After her father died in 1061, her mother remarried to Robert I, Count of Flanders. In 1072 her stepfather concluded a...
. 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...
and was princess of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
from her second marriage and Countess of 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 her first marriage. She was regent during the minority of her son.
Family
Her mother was repudiated by her father for Bertrade de MontfortBertrade de Montfort
Bertrade de Montfort was the daughter of Simon I de Montfort and Agnes, Countess of Evreux. Her brother was Amaury de Montfort.-Marriages:...
. It caused the displeasure of the church and an interdict
Interdict
The term Interdict may refer to:* Court order enforcing or prohibiting a certain action* Injunction, such as a restraining order...
was placed on France several times as a result. Constance was the eldest of five children and was the only daughter of her father from his first marriage. Constance's brother was 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:...
.
Her maternal grandparents were Floris I, Count of Holland
Floris I, Count of Holland
Floris I of Holland was Count of Holland from 1049 to 1061. He was a son of Dirk III and Othelindis....
and his Gertrude of Saxony
Gertrude of Saxony
Gertrude of Saxony , also known as Gertrude Billung, was the daughter of Bernard II, Duke of Saxony and Eilika of Schweinfurt. She married Floris I, Count of Holland c. 1050, and upon his death, her son Dirk V became Count of Holland...
. Constance's paternal grandparents were Henry I of France
Henry I of France
Henry I was King of France from 1031 to his death. The royal demesne of France reached its smallest size during his reign, and for this reason he is often seen as emblematic of the weakness of the early Capetians...
and his second wife Anne of Kiev
Anne of Kiev
Anne of Kiev was the queen consort of France as the wife of Henry I, and regent for her son Philip I.Her parents were Yaroslav I the Wise and princess Ingegerd Olofsdotter of Sweden....
.
First marriage
Fulk IV of Anjou
Fulk IV , called le Réchin, was the Count of Anjou from 1068 until his death. The nickname by which he is usually referred has no certain translation...
since Philip had stolen Fulk's wife, Bertrade. But this union was made much too late, Hugh's brother, Stephen II, Count of Blois
Stephen II, Count of Blois
Stephen II Henry , Count of Blois and Count of Chartres, was the son of Theobald III, count of Blois, and Garsinde du Maine. He married Adela of Normandy, a daughter of William the Conqueror around 1080 in Chartres...
, holder of most counties of the House of Blois was married. Stephen had married Adela of Normandy
Adela of Normandy
Adela of Normandy also known as Adela of Blois and Adela of England was, by marriage, Countess of Blois, Chartres, and Meaux. She was a daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders...
, daughter of William I of England
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
, and their marriage had produced children. This marriage was not beneficial to Constance's father in any way now but Constance remained married to Hugh. Constance and Hugh had a son, but he died young. Some also believe that they had a daughter Eléonore of Blois
Eléonore of Blois
Eleanor of Blois was a daughter of Stephen II, Count of Blois, and of Adela of Normandy. She married Raoul I of Vermandois and became mother of Hugh II of Vermandois , count of Vermandois and of Valois, then monk in 1160...
, this is however their niece.
After ten years, Constance demanded an annulment of their marriage, for unknown reasons. Constance obtained a divorce at 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...
on 25 December 1104. Philip never assisted Constance during this time. Philip soon died and Louis became King of France. Louis successfully restored the royal authority and tamed the unruly vassals. Constance could never expect help from her father but she could from her brother.
Second marriage
Constance went to the court of Adela, wife of Stephen. She was acting as regentRegent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
since Stephen was killed in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. Adela was well educated and all seemed to be well at the Court. It appeared that Adela used all her power to help Constance get a divorce from Hugh, who later left to fight in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
.
At the same time, Bohemond I of Antioch was just released by the Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
. He returned to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to obtain relief for the Crusaders in the Holy Land. The regency of the Principality of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
was assured by Bohemond's nephew Tancred, Prince of Galilee
Tancred, Prince of Galilee
Tancred was a Norman leader of the First Crusade who later became Prince of Galilee and regent of the Principality of Antioch...
. Bohemond now needed a wife. He impressed audiences across France with gifts of relics from the Holy Land and tales of heroism while fighting the Saracens, gathering a large army in the process. Henry I of England
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
famously prevented him from landing on English shores, so great was his influence expected to be on the English nobility. His new-found status won him the hand of Constance. Of this marriage wrote Abbot Suger:
Bohemond came to France to seek by any means he could the hand of the Lord Louis' sister Constance, a young lady of excellent breeding, elegant appearance and beautiful face. So great was the reputation for valour of the French kingdom and of the Lord Louis that even the Saracens were terrified by the prospect of that marriage. She was not engaged since she had broken off her agreement to wed Hugh, count of Troyes, and wished to avoid another unsuitable match. The prince of Antioch was experienced and rich both in gifts and promises; he fully deserved the marriage, which was celebrated with great pomp by the bishop of Chartres in the presence of the king, the Lord Louis, and many archbishops, bishops and noblemen of the realm.
The marriage was celebrated in the cathedral of Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
, and the festivities were held at the court of Adela, who also took part in negotiations. The groom took the opportunity to encourage the nobility to fight in the Holy Land, and also negotiated for a marriage between Bohemond's nephew Tancred, Prince of Galilee
Tancred, Prince of Galilee
Tancred was a Norman leader of the First Crusade who later became Prince of Galilee and regent of the Principality of Antioch...
and Constance's half-sister Cecile of France
Cecile of France
Cecile of France was a daughter of Philip I of France and Bertrade of Montfort. The Historia Regum Francorum Monasterii Sancti Dionysii names "Philippum et Florum et filiam unam" as children of "Philippus rex [et] Fulconi Rechin Andagavorum comiti uxorem", specifying that the daughter married...
.
Pleased by his success, Bohemond resolved to use his army of 34,000 men, not to defend Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
against the Greeks, but to attack Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
. He did so; but Alexius, aided by the Venetians
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, proved too strong, and Bohemond had to submit to a humiliating peace, (the Treaty of Devol in 1108).
After her marriage, Constance accompanied her husband to Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, where she gave birth to their only child, Bohemond II of Antioch (1107–1130), future Prince of Antioch. Bohemond became the vassal of Alexius, consented to receive his pay, with the title of sebastos, and promised to cede disputed territories and to admit a Greek patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
into Antioch. Henceforth Bohemond was a broken man. He died without returning to the East, and was buried at Canosa
Canosa
Canosa di Puglia is a town and comune in Apulia in southern Italy, between Bari and Foggia, located in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, not far from the position on the Ofanto River where the Romans found refuge after the defeat of the Battle of Cannae...
in Apulia, in 1111.
Widowhood
Constance acted as regent of the duchies of CalabriaCalabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
and Apuleius
Apuleius
Apuleius was a Latin prose writer. He was a Berber, from Madaurus . He studied Platonist philosophy in Athens; travelled to Italy, Asia Minor and Egypt; and was an initiate in several cults or mysteries. The most famous incident in his life was when he was accused of using magic to gain the...
on behalf of her son and took the title of Queen as a daughter of the King of France, but she was imprisoned by Grimoald Alferanites, who proclaimed himself Lord of Bari. Constance was released in 1120 on the intervention of King Roger II of Sicily
Roger II of Sicily
Roger II was King of Sicily, son of Roger I of Sicily and successor to his brother Simon. He began his rule as Count of Sicily in 1105, later became Duke of Apulia and Calabria , then King of Sicily...
and the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, but in exchange for her release, Constance had to give up the regency over her son.
She died on 14 September 1126, and Bohemond II then went to takeover his principality of Antioch.
Constance's granddaughter, also called Constance
Constance of Antioch
Constance of Antioch was the only daughter of Bohemund II of Antioch by his wife Alice, princess of Jerusalem. She was also Princess regnant of the Principality of Antioch from 1130 to her death.-Early life:...
, became Princess of Antioch. Her children included: Maria, Byzantine Empress
Maria of Antioch
Maria of Antioch was a Byzantine empress as the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. She was the daughter of Constance of Antioch and her first husband Raymond of Poitiers...
, Bohemund III of Antioch
Bohemund III of Antioch
Bohemond III of Antioch , also known as the Stammerer or the Stutterer, was Prince of Antioch from 1163 to his death. He was a son of Constance of Antioch by her first husband Raymond of Poitiers...
and Agnes, Queen of Hungary
Agnes of Antioch
Agnes of Antioch, , Queen Consort of Hungary.Agnes was the daughter of Raynald of Châtillon, Prince of Antioch by right of his wife, and his first wife, Constance of Antioch...
.