Margaret I ( 1145 – died 15 November 1194) was the

countess of Flanders The count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders, beginning in the 9th century. Later, the title would be held for a time, by the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. During the French Revolution, in 1790, the c ...

suo jure ''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...

'' from 1191 to her death.

Early life

Margaret was the daughter of Count Thierry of Flanders and Sibylla of Anjou. In 1160 she married Count Ralph II of Vermandois, son of Ralph I and known as Ralph the Younger. Due to his

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

, the marriage could not be consummated and remained childless. He died of leprosy in 1167 without issue. In 1169 she married Count Baldwin V of Hainaut, a scion of the

House of Flanders The House of Flanders, also called the Baldwins (, , ), was a medieval ruling family of Franks, Frankish origin that was founded by Baldwin I, Count of Flanders, Baldwin Iron Arm, son-in-law of Charles the Bald. The House of Flanders was the firs ...

Countship

In 1191, Margaret's brother Count Philip I of Flanders died childless, as his heir she claimed the county of Flanders with the support of her husband. Her claim was questioned by the king of France who, with support of

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

, declared Flanders escheated to the crown due to the lack of male heirs, a problem that was not solved until the Treaty of Arras by the mediation of the archbishop of Reims. They met some unrest among the nobility of the area, foremost by her brother's widow, Theresa of Portugal, who was given extensive

dower Dower is a provision accorded traditionally by a husband or his family, to a wife for her support should she become widowed. It was settlement (law), settled on the bride (being given into trust instrument, trust) by agreement at the time of t ...

lands in the coastal and southern Flanders where she provoked considerable unrest by high taxation. The right of Margaret and her husband to the County of Flanders was not finally acknowledged until 1 March 1192. As countess, she objected to all foreign legal independence in her lands, and accordingly, she prevented the Hanse merchants living in

Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...

from acquiring a separate quarter and rights for themselves in the port of Damme. Margaret died on 15 November 1194. As her husband had become Count of Flanders ''

jure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title '' suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could beco ...

'', he could not remain sole count, and Margaret was succeeded by their son

Baldwin IX Baldwin I (; ; July 1172 – ) was the first Emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople; Count of Flanders (as Baldwin IX) from 1194 to 1205 and Count of Hainaut (as Baldwin VI) from 1195 to 1205. Baldwin was one of the most prominent lea ...

Issue

Margaret and Baldwin had: * Isabella of Hainault, married

Philip II of France Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), also known as Philip Augustus (), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks (Latin: ''rex Francorum''), but from 1190 onward, Philip became the firs ...

* Baldwin IX of Flanders (1171–1205), also count of Flanders and Latin Emperor * Yolanda (1175–1219), married Peter of Courtenay, Latin Emperor. *

Philip I of Namur Philip I (1175 – 9 October 1212), called the Noble, was the margrave of Namur from 1195 until his death. He was the second son of Count Baldwin V of Hainault and Countess Margaret I of Flanders. His paternal grandmother was Alice of Nam ...

(1175–1212), Margrave of Namur, married Marie of France. * Henry of Flanders (1176–1216),

Latin emperor of Constantinople The Latin Emperor was the ruler of the Latin Empire, the historiographical convention for the Crusader realm, established in Constantinople after the Fourth Crusade (1204) and lasting until the city was reconquered by the Byzantine Greeks in 1 ...

, married firstly to Agnes of Montferrat and secondly to

Maria of Bulgaria Maria of Bulgaria (died 21 November, after 1095), known as Maria Doukaina () in the Byzantine sources, was the wife of ''protovestiarios'' and ''domestikos ton scholon'' Andronikos Doukas (cousin of Michael VII), Andronikos Doukas and mother of E ...

. *Sybille (1179–9 January 1217), married c. 1197 Guichard IV, Sire de Beaujeu. They had a daughter, Agnes of Beaujeu. * Eustace (d. 1219), regent of the

Kingdom of Thessalonica The Kingdom of Thessalonica () was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over conquered Byzantine lands in today's territory of Northern Greece and Thessaly. History Background After the fall of Constantinople to the ...

* Godfrey

References

Sources

* *

External links

* {{Use dmy dates, date=March 2015 Flanders, Margaret I of Flanders, Margaret I of 12th-century counts of Flanders House of Metz Countesses of Flanders Countesses of Hainaut Flanders, Countess of, Margaret I Year of birth uncertain 12th-century countesses regnant 12th-century women from the county of Flanders 12th-century people from the county of Flanders Mothers of emperors