Marie Of BLOIS

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Countess of Boulogne
• Fact: Princess of England, Countess of Mortain
• Fact: A Nun at Stratford
• Fact: Romsey; Prioress at Lillechurch, abbess of Rumsey
• Birth: 1131
• Death: 1180

Notes:

DeBrett's Kings and Queens of Britain by Williamson states "the marriage was annulled in 1169. In "Lives of the Princesses of England", Vol. I,pgs 196-212, Green writes how Mary was used as the political tool of Henry II of England to help secure his continental possessions: Mary's only brother William died, leaving her countess of Boulogne and Mortagne. The king, despite her vows, "then considered so sacred, which bound her to a life of perpetual virginity," had her taken from the monastery and married against her will to Matthew of Alsace. The nun found herself "the innocent object of execration to the whole Catholic world" and her marriage described as "execrable nuptials." Matthew was excommunicated; his bride was not indicating she was held faultless in the matter. Bologne was placed under an interdict, which was followed by "an interdict of fire and water, by which any one who assisted the earl in procuring even the ordinary necessaries of life was subjected to the same penalties as he himself had incurred." Eventually, her husband allowed Mary to return to the cloister, and in 1169 she entered the Benedictine nunnery of St. Austrebert near Montreuil, where she remained until her death 13 years later.

Marie married Matthew I Of ALSACE in 1160. Matthew (son of Thierry I Of LORRAINE and Sybil Of ANJOU) was born about 1137 in Flanders, Belgium; died on 25 Jul 1173 in Seige of Driencourt; was buried in Josse. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ida Of BOLOGNE was born about 1161 in Boulogne, Pas-De-Calais, France; died in 1216.
2. Maud Of BOULOGNE was born about 1160 in Boulogne, Pas-De-Calais, France; died in 1210.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Stephen of Blois
• Fact: Count of Boulogne
• Fact: Count of Mortain
• Fact: King of England
• Crowned: 26 Dec 1135, Westminster Abbey
• Crowned: 25 Dec 1141

Notes:

After his capture and release by Matilda the Empress (whose throne, some believed,he usurped), Stephen was recrowned but not reconsecrated, insisting "that he had never been deposed."

On Henry I's death in 1135, Stephen usurped the throne from Matilda, Henry's daughter, and most of his reign was marked by civil war with the rival claimant. Order was not restored until 1153, when her son, Henry of Anjou, compelled the barons to recognize him as the heir to the throne.

Stephen married Matilda Of BOULOGNE about 1120. Matilda (daughter of Eustache III and Mary Of SCOTLAND) was born about 1105 in Boulogne, Pas-De-Calais, France; died on 03 May 1152 in Hedingham Castle, Essex, England; was buried in Faversham Abbey. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Crowned: 22 Mar 1136, Westminster Abbey
• Death: 3 Jul 1151, Hedingham Castle, Kent