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Birth:          1145 France
Death:          11 Mar 1198 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_of_France,_Countess_of_Champagne
Marie of France (1145 – March 11, 1198) was a French princess and Countess consort 
of Champagne. She was regent of the county of Champagne in 1179-1181, and in 
1190-1197.

She was the elder daughter of King Louis VII of France and Duchess Eleanor of 
Aquitaine. Her parents' marriage was annulled in 1152, and custody of Marie and her 
sister, Alix, was awarded to their father. Both Louis and Eleanor remarried quickly, 
with Eleanor becoming Queen of England as the spouse of King Henry II. Marie had 
numerous half-siblings, including kings Philip II of France and John and Richard I of 
England.
Marriage[edit]

In 1160, when Louis married Adele of Champagne, he betrothed Marie and Alix to 
Adele's brothers. After her betrothal, Marie was sent to the abbey of Avenay in 
Champagne for her education. In 1164, Marie married Henry I, Count of Champagne. 
They had four children:
Henry II of Champagne (1166–1197)
Scholastique of Champagne (1172–1219), married William IV of Macon
Marie of Champagne (c.?1174–1204), married Baldwin I of Constantinople
Theobald III of Champagne (1179–1201)

Regencies[edit]

Marie was left as regent for Champagne when Henry I went on pilgrimage to the Holy 
Land from 1179 until 1181. While her husband was away, Marie's father died and her 
half-brother, Philip, became king. He confiscated his mother's dower lands and married 
Isabelle of Hainaut, who was previously betrothed to Marie's eldest son. This 
prompted Marie to join a party of disgruntled nobles—including Queen Adele and the 
archbishop of Reims—in plotting against Philip. Eventually, relations between Marie and 
her royal brother improved. Her husband died soon after his return from the Holy Land. 
Now a widow with four young children, Marie considered marrying Philip of Flanders, 
but the engagement was broken off suddenly for unknown reasons. Marie resumed 
regency when her son also went on Crusade, governing Champagne from 1190 to 
Henry's death in 1197.

Death and legacy[edit]

She retired to the nunnery of Fontaines-les-Nones near Meaux, and died there in 
1198, she was buried in Meaux Cathedral.

On 25 June 1562, the Huguenots took over the town of Meaux and devastated many 
edifices, including the Cathedral. Backed up by Parisian refugees, the Huguenots of 
the Meaux region called a meeting in the market district and chose a leader, Louis de 
Meaux, seigneur de la Ramée. They took the keys to the town, put guards at the 
gates, and then made for the Cathedral. They attacked the sculpted stone decorations 
and liturgical furniture, it is on this occasion that the tomb of Marie de Champagne, in 
the choir, was destroyed.

Marie was also a patron of literature, including Andreas Capellanus, who served in her 
court, and Chrétien de Troyes. She was literate in French and Latin and maintained 
her own library. A deep affection existed between Marie and her half-brother King 
Richard, and his celebrated poem J'a nuns hons pris, lamenting his captivity in 
Austria, was dedicated to her.

Parents
____ Louis VII "the Young" (1119 - 18 Sep 1180)
D'AQUITAINE ET POITOU Eleonore (ABT 1121 - 31 Mar 1204)

Siblings
OF FRANCE Marie (1145 - 11 Mar 1198)

Marriage To ____ Henry (Henri) I "the Generous" (1127 - 16 Mar 1181)
    m. 1164 

Notes

Parents
OF BLOIS Theobald (Thibaud) IV (II) "the Great" (1090 - 8 Jan 1152)
VON SPONHEIM Mathilde (Maud) (ABT 1097 - 13 Dec 1160)

Children by ____ Henry (Henri) I "the Generous" 1127 - 16 Mar 1181
DE CHAMPAGNE Marie (ABT 1174 - 9 Aug 1204)
____ Theobald III (Thibault V) (13 May 1179 - 24 May 1201)

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