Summary
Alys of France, Countess of Vexin (4 October 1160 – c. 1218-1220), known in English as "Alice", was a French princess, initially betrothed to Richard of England. Her engagement was broken in 1190, through negotiations between Richard and her half-brother Philip Augustus of France. Philip then attempted to betroth her to King John of England but it was rejected. Alys married William IV, Count of Ponthieu on 20 August 1195. She died between 1218 and 1220.
| Alys | |
|---|---|
| Countess of Vexin Countess consort of Ponthieu | |
| Born | 4 October 1160 |
| Died | c. 1218-1220 (aged 59–60) |
| Spouse | William IV of Ponthieu |
| Issue | Marie, Countess of Ponthieu |
| House | Capet |
| Father | Louis VII, King of France |
| Mother | Constance of Castile |
Life edit
Born 4 October 1160,[1] Alys was the daughter of Louis VII, King of France and his second wife, Constance of Castile.[2] She was the half-sister of Marie and Alix of France, Louis's children by Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the younger sister of Margaret of France. Just five weeks after Constance died giving birth to Alys, Louis married Adèle of Champagne, by whom he had two further children, including the future King Philip II of France.
In January 1169, Louis and King Henry II of England signed a contract for the marriage between Alys and Henry's son Richard the Lionheart.[3] The 8-year-old Alys was then sent to England as Henry's ward.
In 1177, Cardinal Peter of Saint Chrysogonus, on behalf of Pope Alexander III, threatened to place England's continental possessions under an interdict if Henry did not proceed with the marriage.[4] There were widespread rumors that Henry had not only made Alys his mistress,[5] but that she had a child with him.[6] Henry died in 1189, and Richard, his eldest surviving son, ascended the English throne. Richard broke off Alys' betrothal in 1190, during personal talks with her brother the French king, Philip Augustus, on their way towards the Holy Land during the Third Crusade, by appealing to the Christian limitations on affinity. Richard married Berengaria of Navarre on 12 May 1191.
Philip had offered Alys to Prince John, but Eleanor prevented the match.[7] Alys married William IV Talvas, Count of Ponthieu, on 20 August 1195.[8] They had two daughters: Marie, Countess of Ponthieu,[9] and Isabelle; and a stillborn son named Jean. Alys died between 1218 and 1220.[10]
References edit
- ^ York 1999, p. 164.
- ^ Warren 1978, p. 26.
- ^ Robert of Torigny, Chronicles of the reigns of Stephen, Henry II, and Richard I, ed. Richard Howlett, vol. 4 p. 240; John of Salisbury, Letters (ed. W. J. Millor, H. E. Butler) vol. 2 pp. 648–9.
- ^ Roger of Howden, Annals 1177.
- ^ Gerald of Wales, De instructione principis (p. 91).
- ^ Chronica Monasterii de Melsa I 26 (p. 256).
- ^ Warren 1978, p. 43.
- ^ Krause 2019, p. 117.
- ^ Baldwin 2002, p. 58.
- ^ Krause 2019, p. 118.
Sources edit
- Baldwin, John W. (2002). Aristocratic Life in Medieval France. Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Krause, Kathy M. (2019). "From Mothers to Daughters:Literary Patronage as Political Work in Ponthieu". In Tanner, Heather J. (ed.). Medieval Elite Women and the Exercise of Power, 1100–1400: Moving beyond the Exceptionalist Debate. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Warren, W.L. (1978). King John. University of California Press.
- York, Laura (1999). "Alais of France". In Commire, Anne; Klezmer, Deborah (eds.). Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Vol. I: Aak-Azz. Yorkin Publications.