Béatrice d'Hirson (

fl. ''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...

14th century) was a

lady-in-waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

to the French noblewoman

Mahaut, Countess of Artois Mahaut of Artois also known as Mathilda (1268 27 November 1329), ruled as Countess of Artois from 1302 to 1329. She was furthermore regent of the County of Burgundy from 1303 to 1315 during the minority and the absence of her daughter, Joan II, ...

Family

Béatrice's sister Mathilde (or Mahaut) d'Hirson was also a lady-in-waiting to the Countess. Béatrice's uncles were as follows: *

Thierry Larchier d'Hirson Thierry Larchier d'Hirson or d'Hireçon, or de Hérisson, (1270 in Bourbonnais – 23 August 1328) was a French cleric under Robert II, Count of Artois. Hirson was employed by Philip IV of France on several occasions. He became a canon of Arras ...

, Bishop of Arras * Denis d'Hirson, treasurer to the Countess of Artois, then lord of Arras * Guillaume d'Hirson,

bailiff A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...

of Arras * Pierre d'Hirson, attendant to the Countess of Artois

In fiction

Although an obscure historical figure, Béatrice is an important character in Maurice Druon's series of French

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...

s, '' Les Rois maudits'' (''The Accursed Kings)''. In the novels, she practices

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...

and is adept with poisons. ''Les Rois maudits'' was adapted into two French television miniseries in 1972 and 2005, and Béatrice was played by

Catherine Rouvel Catherine Rouvel (born Catherine Vitale; 31 August 1939 in Marseille) is an acclaimed French actress. Her career spans from 1959 in television to 2004. She starred in Jean Renoir's ''Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe'', Marcel Carné's ''Les Assassins de ...

in the 1972, and by Jeanne Balibar in 2005.

References

14th-century French people French ladies-in-waiting 14th-century French women {{France-noble-stub