Alys of France, Countess of

Vexin Vexin () is a historical county of northern France. It covers a verdant plateau on the right bank (north) of the Seine running roughly east to west between Pontoise and Romilly-sur-Andelle (about 20 km from Rouen), and north to south betw ...

(4 October 1160 – c. 1218–1220), known in English as "Alice", was a French princess, initially betrothed to

Richard I of England Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199), known as Richard the Lionheart or Richard Cœur de Lion () because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior, was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ru ...

. Her engagement was broken in 1190, through negotiations between Richard and her half-brother Philip Augustus of France. Philip then attempted to betroth her to Richard's brother

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

but this betrothal was rejected. Alys married William IV, Count of Ponthieu, on 20 August 1195. She died between 1218 and 1220.

Life

Born 4 October 1160, Alys was the daughter of Louis VII, King of France and his second wife,

Constance of Castile Constance of Castile (1136 or 1140 – 4 October 1160) was Queen of France as the second wife of Louis VII of France, Louis VII, who married her following the annulment of his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was a daughter of Alfonso VII o ...

. She was the half-sister of Marie and Alix of France, Louis's children by

Eleanor of Aquitaine Eleanor of Aquitaine ( or ; ; , or ; – 1 April 1204) was Duchess of Aquitaine from 1137 to 1204, Queen of France from 1137 to 1152 as the wife of King Louis VII, and Queen of England from 1154 to 1189 as the wife of King Henry II. As ...

, and the younger sister of Margaret of France. Just five weeks after Constance died giving birth to Alys, Louis married Adèle of Champagne, by whom he had two further children, including the future King

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 ...

. In January 1169, Alys was contracted, by Louis and King

Henry II of England Henry II () was King of England The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with the ...

, for marriage to Henry's son

Richard the Lionheart Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...

. The 8-year-old Alys was then sent, with no dowry, to England as Henry's ward. In 1177, Cardinal Peter of Saint Chrysogonus, on behalf of

Pope Alexander III Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland (), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181. A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a Papal election, ...

, threatened to place England's continental possessions under an

interdict In Catholic canon law, an interdict () is an ecclesiastical censure, or ban that prohibits certain persons or groups from participating in particular rites, or that the rites and services of the church are prohibited in certain territories for ...

if Henry did not proceed with the marriage. There were widespread rumors that Henry had not only made Alys his mistress, but that she had a child with him. Henry died in 1189, and Richard ascended the English throne. Richard broke off Alys' betrothal in 1190, during personal talks with her brother the French king, Philip Augustus, on their way towards the Holy Land during the

Third Crusade The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was an attempt led by King Philip II of France, King Richard I of England and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by the Ayyubid sultan Saladin in 1187. F ...

. Richard made financial restitutions and married

Berengaria of Navarre Berengaria of Navarre (, , ; 1165–1170 – 23 December 1230) was Queen of England as the wife of Richard I of England. She was the eldest daughter of Sancho VI of Navarre and Sancha of Castile. As is the case with many of the medieval ...

on 12 May 1191. Philip had offered Alys to Prince John, but Eleanor prevented the match. Alys married William IV Talvas,

Count of Ponthieu The County of Ponthieu (, ), centered on the mouth of the Somme, became a member of the Norman group of vassal states when Count Guy submitted to William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy after the battle of Mortemer.Dunbabin.France in the Making ...

, on 20 August 1195. They had a daughter, Marie, Countess of Ponthieu. Alys died between 1218 and 1220.

References

Sources

* * * * * *83 * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alys, Countess of Vexin Vexin, Alys, Countess of Mistresses of Henry II of England House of Capet Vexin, Alys, Countess of Vexin, Alys, Countess of Year of death uncertain 12th-century English women 12th-century English nobility 12th-century French women 12th-century French nobility 13th-century French women 13th-century French nobility Daughters of kings