Margaret of Burgundy, Duchess of Bavaria

Margaret of Burgundy
Duchess consort of Bavaria-Straubing Countess consort of Mortain, Hainaut, Holland, and Zeeland
Spouse	William II, Duke of Bavaria
Issue
Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut
House	House of Valois-Burgundy House of Wittelsbach
Father	Philip II, Duke of Burgundy
Mother	Margaret III, Countess of Flanders
Born	October 1374
Died	8 March 1441 (66–67) Le Quesnoy

Duchy of Burgundy-
House of Valois, Burgundian Branch

John the Good Children    Charles V of France    Louis I of Anjou    John, Duke of Berry    Philip the Bold Philip the Bold Children    John the Fearless    Margaret of Burgundy, Duchess of Bavaria    Catherine of Burgundy    Anthony, Duke of Brabant    Mary, Duchess of Savoy    Philip, Count of Nevers John the Fearless Children    Mary of Burgundy, Duchess of Cleves    Margaret, Countess of Richemont    Philip the Good    Anne of Burgundy    Agnes of Burgundy Philip the Good Children    Charles the Bold    Anthony the Bastard Charles the Bold Children    Mary of Burgundy Mary of Burgundy

Margaret of Burgundy (October 1374 – 8 March 1441) was a daughter of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and Margaret III, Countess of Flanders.^[1] By her marriage to William of Bavaria, she would, in 1404, become Duchess of Bavaria.

Family

Margaret was the third child and first daughter out of nine children born to Philip the Bold and his wife Margaret III, Countess of Flanders. Her siblings included John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy and Antoine, Duke of Brabant.

Her paternal grandparents were John II of France and Bonne of Bohemia. Her maternal grandparents were Louis II of Flanders and Margaret of Brabant.

Marriage

Her husband William

Margaret's father the Duke of Burgundy used the marriages of his children to achieve far-sighted goals. In keeping with this strategy, Margaret and her brother John were wedded in a double marriage to William and his sister Margaret of Bavaria. This marriage would have later influence the union of Hainaut and Holland with Burgundy and Flanders, as carried out by Margaret's nephew Philip the Good.

On 12 April 1385 in Cambrai, Margaret was married to William of Bavaria.^[1] He succeeded his father as William II, Duke of Bavaria and William VI, Count of Hainaut, Holland, and Zeeland in 1404, thus making Margaret Duchess of Bavaria and Countess of these areas.

Political activity

Margaret had exerted a lot of political influence during the reign of her spouse: William was sovereign of both Holland and Hainaut, and as he preferred Holland and spend a lot of his reign there, Margaret was his regent and representative in Hainaut^[2].

After 16 years of childless marriage, Margaret finally produced one child, Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut (16 August 1401 – 8 October 1436).^[1] After 1410, Margaret's political position increased, as she was granted several towns and castles as her personal fiefs during the 1410s^[3].

Her husband died in 1417 of a dog bite. Margaret would remain widowed for 24 years. Although William and Margaret attempted to ensure that their daughter would inherit all his lands, a war of succession broke out after his death. Jacqueline would eventually come to inherit Hainaut, Holland, and Zeeland, but not Bavaria. She married four times to (John, Dauphin of France, John IV, Duke of Brabant, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and Francis, Lord of Borselen); she had no children by any of these marriages.

Later life

During the reign of her daughter, Margaret was involved in several political acts^[4] She preferred the Le Quesnoy castle as her residence, which was also her personal fief where she held formal authority as lady of Quesnoy^[5] She died at Le Quesnoy on 8 March 1441.

Ancestry

Margaret's ancestors in three generations

Margaret of Burgundy	Father: Philip the Bold	Paternal Grandfather: John II of France	Paternal Great-grandfather: Philip VI of France
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Joan the Lame
		Paternal Grandmother: Bonne of Bohemia	Paternal Great-grandfather: John I of Bohemia
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Elisabeth of Bohemia (1292–1330)
	Mother: Margaret III, Countess of Flanders	Maternal Grandfather: Louis II of Flanders	Maternal Great-grandfather: Louis I of Flanders
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Margaret I, Countess of Burgundy
		Maternal Grandmother: Margaret of Brabant	Maternal Great-grandfather: John III, Duke of Brabant
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Marie d'Évreux

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Lundy, Darryl. "The Peerage: Marguerite de Bourgogne". http://thepeerage.com/p10752.htm#i107516. Retrieved 16 December 2009. 
2. ^ http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DVN/lemmata/data/MargarethaVanBourgondie
3. ^ http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DVN/lemmata/data/MargarethaVanBourgondie
4. ^ http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DVN/lemmata/data/MargarethaVanBourgondie
5. ^ http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/DVN/lemmata/data/MargarethaVanBourgondie

Margaret of Burgundy, Duchess of Bavaria House of Valois-Burgundy Cadet branch of the House of Valois Born: October 1374 Died: 8 March 1441
Preceded by Margaret of Cleves	Duchess of Bavaria 1404–1417	Succeeded by Elisabeth, Duchess of Luxembourg

Persondata
Name	Margaret Of Burgundy
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1374
Place of birth
Date of death	8 March 1441
Place of death	Le Quesnoy