Matilda II of Boulogne
Encyclopedia
Mahaut or Matilda II of Boulogne (also known as Mathilde, Maud de Dammartin; died 1260) was Countess of Boulogne
in her own right and Queen of Portugal by marriage to King Afonso III
from 1248 until their divorce in 1253.
She was the daughter of Ida, Countess of Boulogne
and her husband and co-ruler Renaud, Count of Dammartin. She succeeded her mother as Countess of Boulogne in 1216.
, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvais, a younger, illegitimate son of King Philip II of France
. By marriage to her, Philippe became her co-ruler of Boulogne, Mortain, Aumale, and Dammartin. Count Philippe revolted against his widowed sister-in-law, Blanche of Castile
, when his half-brother King Louis VIII
died in 1226.
. He became King Afonso III of Portugal
on 4 January 1248. At that time he renounced Boulogne. In 1253, King Afonso divorced Matilda, probably due to her inability to provide him with a son owing to her advanced age.
Her son reportedly renounced his rights and went to England, for unknown reasons. Apparently he survived his mother the Countess, but presumably did not leave issue. Matilda's daughter, having married a lord de Châtillon-Montjay, predeceased her, and presumably left no surviving issue.
).
The then-widow Adelaide's husband had been William X, count of Auvergne
. Their son Robert of Auvergne succeeded also his mother in Boulogne and already in her lifetime acted as co-ruler. Their heirs continued to rule Auvergne and Boulogne together. The ultimate heiress was Catherine de' Medici
, Queen of France, but a couple of decades before her, the then count of Auvergne, her great-grandfather, had sold Boulogne to the French throne, keeping just Auvergne.
Count of Boulogne
The county of Boulogne was a historical region in the Low Countries. It consisted of a part of the present-day French département of the Pas-de-Calais , in parts of which there is still a Dutch-speaking minority....
in her own right and Queen of Portugal by marriage to King Afonso III
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
from 1248 until their divorce in 1253.
She was the daughter of Ida, Countess of Boulogne
Ida, Countess of Boulogne
Ida of Boulogne was Countess of Boulogne. She was the eldest daughter of Matthew of Alsace by Marie I, Countess of Boulogne. Her maternal grandparents were King Stephen of England and Matilda I of Boulogne....
and her husband and co-ruler Renaud, Count of Dammartin. She succeeded her mother as Countess of Boulogne in 1216.
First marriage
In 1223, Matilda married her first husband, Philippe HurepelPhilippe Hurepel
Philip Hurepel was Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, Boulogne, Mortain, Aumale, and Dammartin. He was the son of Philip II of France and his controversial third wife Agnes of Merania. Illegitimacy shadowed his birth and career....
, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvais, a younger, illegitimate son of 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...
. By marriage to her, Philippe became her co-ruler of Boulogne, Mortain, Aumale, and Dammartin. Count Philippe revolted against his widowed sister-in-law, 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....
, when his half-brother King Louis VIII
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
died in 1226.
Second marriage
Count Philippe died in 1235, and Matilda reigned independently for three years. To give the county a male head, she married again in 1238 to Infante Afonso, second in line to the Portuguese throne, younger brother of King Sancho II of PortugalSancho II of Portugal
Sancho II , nicknamed "the Pious" and "the Caped" or "the Capuched" , , fourth King of Portugal, was the eldest son of Afonso II of Portugal by his wife, Infanta Urraca of Castile...
. He became King Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III of Portugal
Afonso III , or Affonso , Alfonso or Alphonso or Alphonsus , the Bolognian , the fifth King of Portugal and the first to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve, from 1249...
on 4 January 1248. At that time he renounced Boulogne. In 1253, King Afonso divorced Matilda, probably due to her inability to provide him with a son owing to her advanced age.
Later life
She had a son and a daughter with Count Philippe, but no surviving issue with Afonso, who desperately needed heirs after ascending to the Portuguese throne. Matilda's then apparent barrenness was the true reason for their divorce. According to reports, Queen Matilda remained in Boulogne and was not allowed to follow her husband to Portugal.Her son reportedly renounced his rights and went to England, for unknown reasons. Apparently he survived his mother the Countess, but presumably did not leave issue. Matilda's daughter, having married a lord de Châtillon-Montjay, predeceased her, and presumably left no surviving issue.
Aftermath
After Matilda II, the county of Boulogne passed to Adelaide of Brabant, Matilda's cousin, daughter of another Matilda of Boulogne (Matilda II's aunt, wife of Henry I, Duke of BrabantHenry I, Duke of Brabant
Henry I of Brabant , named "The Courageous" Duke of Brabant and Duke of Lower Lotharingia until his death.-Biography:...
).
The then-widow Adelaide's husband had been William X, count of Auvergne
Rulers of Auvergne
-History:In the 7th century Auvergne was disputed between the Franks and Aquitanians. It was later conquered by the Carolingians, and was integrated for a time into the kingdom of Aquitaine...
. Their son Robert of Auvergne succeeded also his mother in Boulogne and already in her lifetime acted as co-ruler. Their heirs continued to rule Auvergne and Boulogne together. The ultimate heiress was Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici
Catherine de' Medici was an Italian noblewoman who was Queen consort of France from 1547 until 1559, as the wife of King Henry II of France....
, Queen of France, but a couple of decades before her, the then count of Auvergne, her great-grandfather, had sold Boulogne to the French throne, keeping just Auvergne.