Mary of Lusignan, Countess of Brienne
Encyclopedia
Mary of Lusignan was the wife of Count Walter IV of Brienne
and Countess of Brienne from the time of her marriage in 1233 to her husband's death while on Crusade in 1244. Mary's parents were King Hugh I of Cyprus
and Alice of Champagne
, making her a maternal granddaughter of Queen Isabella I of Jerusalem. Her two surviving sons were John, Count of Brienne
, and Hugh of Brienne
.
, and a brother, Henry
, who succeeded as king upon the death of their father in January 1218. In 1225, Alice married secondly Bohemond V of Antioch, after she and her sister, Philippa
had long become embroiled in a bitter dispute with Blanche of Navarre over the county of Champagne
, which was later known as the Champagne War of Succession.
Before 21 July 1229, Mary was betrothed to Peter I, Duke of Brittany
, whose wife Alix of Thouars
had died in 1221; however, the Pope prohibited the match due to their fourth degree consanguinity.
. From the time of her marriage, she was styled Countess of Brienne. Her husband was also the Count of Jaffa and Ascolom, the title of which had been granted to him by his father, Walter III of Brienne
in 1221.
Together Mary and Walter had three sons:
Mary became a widow in October 1244 after Walter was murdered in Cairo
. He had been taken prisoner following the Crusader-Syrian defeat at the Battle of La Forbie
where he had led the Crusader
Army against the Egypt
ian forces. Their eldest son, John succeeded him as Count of Brienne. Mary remained at the Cypriot court and died on 5 July in 1251 or 1253. Queen consort Elizabeth Woodville
and Mary, Queen of Scots were among Mary's numerous descendants.
In 1267, after the death of King Hugh II
, Mary's only surviving son Hugh claimed the Cypriot kingdom for himself, but was passed over by the Haute Cour of Jerusalem
in favour of her younger sister Isabella's son, Hugh of Poitiers
; although being the son of the elder daughter of Alice of Champagne, the throne by right of succession belonged to him.
Walter IV of Brienne
Walter IV the Great of Brienne was Count of Brienne 1205–1244. He was the son of Walter III of Brienne and Elvira of Lecce. Around the time of his birth, his father lost his bid for the Sicilian throne and died in prison...
and Countess of Brienne from the time of her marriage in 1233 to her husband's death while on Crusade in 1244. Mary's parents were King Hugh I of Cyprus
Hugh I of Cyprus
Hugh I of Cyprus succeeded to the throne of Cyprus on April 1, 1205 underage upon the death of his elderly father Amalric of Lusignan, King of Cyprus and Jerusalem...
and Alice of Champagne
Alice of Champagne
Alice of Champagne was the daughter of Queen Isabella I of Jerusalem and her third husband Henry II, Count of Champagne. Alice and her sister Philippa spent part of their life fighting for their father's homeland of Champagne, over another branch of their family...
, making her a maternal granddaughter of Queen Isabella I of Jerusalem. Her two surviving sons were John, Count of Brienne
John, Count of Brienne
John, Count of Brienne was the eldest son of Walter IV of Brienne and Marie of Lusignan, a princess of Cyprus.He inherited the County of Brienne on his father's death in 1246, but preferred to live among his mother's relatives at the court of Cyprus, and played little part in international politics...
, and Hugh of Brienne
Hugh of Brienne
Hugh de Candie, Count of Brienne and Lecce was the second surviving son of Count Walter IV of Brienne and Marie de Lusignan of Cyprus....
.
Family and betrothal
Mary was born sometime before March 1215, the eldest daughter and child of King Hugh I of Cyprus and Alice of Champagne, the daughter of Queen Isabella I of Jerusalem and Henry II, Count of Champagne. She had a younger sister, IsabelleIsabella of Antioch
Isabella of Cyprus, also known as Isabelle de Lusignan , was the Princess of Antioch by her marriage. She was also Regent of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.-Family:...
, and a brother, Henry
Henry I of Cyprus
Henry I of Cyprus, nicknamed the Fat, aka Henry of Lusignan or Henri I le Gros de Lusignan was King of Cyprus from 1218 to 1253. He was the son of Hugh I of Cyprus and Alice of Champagne of Jerusalem. When his father Hugh I died on January 10, 1218, the 8-month-old Henry became king...
, who succeeded as king upon the death of their father in January 1218. In 1225, Alice married secondly Bohemond V of Antioch, after she and her sister, Philippa
Philippa of Champagne
Philippa of Champagne, Lady of Ramerupt and of Venizy was the third daughter of Queen Isabella I of Jerusalem and Henry II, Count of Champagne. She was the wife of Erard de Brienne-Ramerupt who encouraged her in 1216 to claim the county of Champagne which belonged to her cousin Theobald IV, who...
had long become embroiled in a bitter dispute with Blanche of Navarre over the county 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...
, which was later known as the Champagne War of Succession.
Before 21 July 1229, Mary was betrothed to Peter I, Duke of Brittany
Peter I, Duke of Brittany
Pierre Mauclerc , also known as Peter of Dreux or Pierre de Dreux, was duke of Brittany jure uxoris from 1213 to 1221, then regent of the duchy from 1221 to 1237 as well as Earl of Richmond from 1219 to 1235.-Biography:He was the second son of Robert II, Count of Dreux...
, whose wife Alix of Thouars
Alix of Thouars
Alix of Thouars was the nominal Duchess of Brittany from 1203 to her death.- Life :...
had died in 1221; however, the Pope prohibited the match due to their fourth degree consanguinity.
Marriage and issue
In 1233 on an unspecified date, she married Walter IV, Count of Brienne. The marriage had been arranged by his uncle John of BrienneJohn of Brienne
John of Brienne was a French nobleman who became King of Jerusalem by marriage, and ruled the Latin Empire of Constantinople as regent.-Life:...
. From the time of her marriage, she was styled Countess of Brienne. Her husband was also the Count of Jaffa and Ascolom, the title of which had been granted to him by his father, Walter III of Brienne
Walter III of Brienne
Walter III of Brienne was the Count of Brienne 1191–1205, Prince of Taranto, Duke of Apulia, and Count of Lecce, and titular King of Sicily 1201–1205....
in 1221.
Together Mary and Walter had three sons:
- John, Count of BrienneJohn, Count of BrienneJohn, Count of Brienne was the eldest son of Walter IV of Brienne and Marie of Lusignan, a princess of Cyprus.He inherited the County of Brienne on his father's death in 1246, but preferred to live among his mother's relatives at the court of Cyprus, and played little part in international politics...
(c.1235- 1260/61), married Mary of Enghien; died childless. - Hugh of BrienneHugh of BrienneHugh de Candie, Count of Brienne and Lecce was the second surviving son of Count Walter IV of Brienne and Marie de Lusignan of Cyprus....
, Count of Brienne and Lecce (c.1240- 9 August 1296), married firstly Isabelle de la Roche, Heiress of Thebes, daughter of Guy I de la RocheGuy I de la RocheGuy I de la Roche was the Duke of Athens , the nephew and successor of the first duke Otto. After the conquest of Thebes, Otto gave half the city in lordship to Guy....
, and by whom he had issue; married secondly Helena Komnenos Dukaina, by whom he had one daughter, Joanna of Brienne. - Amaury of Brienne (died young)
Mary became a widow in October 1244 after Walter was murdered in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. He had been taken prisoner following the Crusader-Syrian defeat at the Battle of La Forbie
Battle of La Forbie
The Battle of La Forbie, also known as the Battle of Harbiyah, was fought October 17, 1244 – October 18, 1244 between the allied armies and the Egyptian army of the Ayyubid Sultan as-Salih Ayyub, reinforced with Khwarezmian mercenaries.-Prelude:The capture of...
where he had led the Crusader
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
Army against the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian forces. Their eldest son, John succeeded him as Count of Brienne. Mary remained at the Cypriot court and died on 5 July in 1251 or 1253. Queen consort Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans...
and Mary, Queen of Scots were among Mary's numerous descendants.
In 1267, after the death of King Hugh II
Hugh II of Cyprus
Hugh II of Cyprus was king of Cyprus and, from the age of 5 years, also Regent of the Kingdom of Jerusalem....
, Mary's only surviving son Hugh claimed the Cypriot kingdom for himself, but was passed over by the Haute Cour of Jerusalem
Haute Cour of Jerusalem
The Haute Cour was the feudal council of the kingdom of Jerusalem. It was sometimes also called the curia generalis, the curia regis, or, rarely, the parlement.-Composition of the court:...
in favour of her younger sister Isabella's son, Hugh of Poitiers
Hugh III of Cyprus
Hugh III of Cyprus , born Hughues de Poitiers, later Hughues de Lusignan , called the Great, was the King of Cyprus from 1267 and King of Jerusalem from 1268 . He was the son of Henry of Antioch and Isabella of Cyprus, the daughter of Hugh I...
; although being the son of the elder daughter of Alice of Champagne, the throne by right of succession belonged to him.