Isabelle of Hainaut

Isabelle of Hainaut (5 April 1170, Valenciennes [ [http://www.Worldroots.com World Roots Genealogy Archive] ] - 15 March 1190, Paris) was queen consort of France.

Isabelle was born in Valenciennes, on 5 April 1170 the daughter of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut and Countess Margaret I of Flanders. She married King Philip II of France on 28 April 1180 at Bapaume and brought as her dowry the county of Artois. The marriage was arranged by her maternal uncle Count Philip of Alsace who was advisor to the King [Cawley: "Medieval Lands"] .

Isabelle was crowned consort of France at Saint Denis on 28 May 1180. As Baldwin V rightly claimed to be a descendant of Charlemagne, the chroniclers of the time saw in this marriage a union of the Carolingian and Capetian dynasties. Though she received extravagant praise from certain annalists, she failed to win the affections of Philip due to her inability to provide him with an heir [Cawley: "Medieval Lands"] . Meanwhile, King Philip in 1184, was waging war against Flanders, and angered at seeing Baldwin support his enemies, he called a council at Sens for the purpose of repudiating her. Robert, the king's uncle, successfully interposed. Finally, on 5 September 1187, she gave birth to the needed heir, the future King Louis VIII of France.

Her second pregnancy was extremely difficult; on 14 March 1190, Isabelle gave birth to twin sons. Due to complications in childbirth, Isabelle died the next day, and was buried in the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. The twins lived only four days (14 March-18 March 1190) [ [http://membres.lycos.fr/behgnam/ http://membres.lycos.fr/behgnam/] ] . Her dowry of Artois eventually returned to the French Crown following the death of Philip.

ources

*1911
* Jill M. Phillips "The Rain Maiden"
* Charles Cawley "Medieval Lands"
* [http://www.Worldroots.com Worldroots.com]

Notes and references