Gisant of Constance of Arles

Constance of Arles (also known as Constance of Provence) (986 - July 25, 1034) was the third wife and queen of King Robert II of France. She was the daughter of William I, count of Provence and great-grandson of Charles-Constantine; and Adelais of Anjou, daughter of Fulk II of Anjou. She was the sister of Count William II of Provence. Events March 2 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks End of the reign of Emperor Kazan of Japan Emperor Ichijo ascends to the throne of Japan Explorer Bjarni Herjólfsson becomes the first inhabitant of the Old World to sight North America Births Deaths March 2 - Lothair, King of... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events April 11 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium marries her chamberlain and elevates him to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael IV. Franche-Comté becomes subject to the Holy Roman Empire. ... Robert II the Pious (French: Robert II le Pieux) (March 27, 972 – July 20, 1031) was King of France from 996 to 1031. ... William I (c. ... The now-extinct title of Count of Provence belonged to local families of Frankish origin, to the House of Barcelona, to the House of Anjou and to a cadet branch of the House of Valois. ... Charles Constantine (13 November 1846 – 5 May 1912) was a Canadian Northwest Mounted Police officer and superintendent. ... Fulk II of Anjou, son of Fulk the Red, was count of Anjou from 941 to 958. ...

In 1003, she was married to King Robert, after his divorce from his second wife, Bertha of Burgundy. The marriage was stormy; Bertha's family opposed her, and Constance was despised for importing her Provençal kinfolk. Robert's friend, Hugh of Beauvais, tried to convince the king to repudiate her in 1007. Constance's response was to have Beauvais murdered by the knights of her kinsman, Fulk Nerra. In 1010 Robert even went to Rome, accompanied by his former wife Bertha, to seek permission to divorce Constance and remarry Bertha. Constance encouraged her sons to revolt against their father, and then favored her younger son, Robert, over her elder son, Henri. Events Sweyn I of Denmark begins his first invasion of England. ... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. ... Bertha, Princess of Burgundy, daughter of Conrad the Pacific, King of Burgundy, and his wife Matilda of France. ... Coat of arms of Provence Provence (Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) was a Roman province and now is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to Italy. ... Aethelred buys two years of peace with the Danes for 36,000 pounds of silver. ... Fulk III (972-1040), called Nerra (that is, le Noir, the Black) after his death, was count of Anjou from 987 to 1040. ... Events The Ly Dynasty in Vietnam is established (or 1009). ...

During the famous trial of Herefast de Crepon (who was alleged to be involved with a heretical sect of canons, nuns, and clergy in 1022^[1]), the crowd outside the church in Orleans became so unruly that, according to Moore: Events Several Catharist heretics are killed in Toulouse. ...

At the king's command, Queen Constance stood before the doors of the Church, to prevent the common people from killing them inside the Church, and they were expelled from the bosom of the Church. As they were being driven out, the queen struck out the eye of Stephen, who had once been her confessor, with the staff which she carried in her hand.

The symbolism, or reality, of putting an eye out is used often in medieval accounts to show the ultimate sin of breaking of one's oath, whether it be heresy, or treason to ones lordship, or in this case both. Stephen's eye was put out by the hand of a Queen wielding a staff (royal scepters were usually tipped with a cross) thus symbolically providing justice for the treasoned lord on earth and in heaven. For the record label, see Scepter Records. ...

Constance and Robert had seven children:

1. Advisa, Countess of Auxerre, (c.1003-after 1063), married Count Renaud I of Nevers
2. Hugh Magnus, co-king (1007-September 17, 1025)
3. Henri (May 4, 1008-August 4, 1060)
4. Adela, Countess of Contenance (1009-June 5, 1063), married (1) Duke Richard III of Normandy (2) Count Baldwin V of Flanders
5. Robert I, Duke of Burgundy (1011-March 21, 1076)
6. Eudes (1013-1056)
7. Constance (1014-unknown), married Manasses de Dammartin

At Constance's urging, her eldest son Hugh Magnus was crowned co-king alongside his father in 1017. Hugh Magnus demanded his parents share power with him, and rebelled against his father in 1025. He died suddenly later that year, an exile and a fugitive. Robert and Constance quarrelled over which of their surviving sons should inherit the throne; Robert favored their second son Henri, while Constance favored their third son, Robert. Despite his mother's protests, Henry was crowned in 1027. Fulbert, bishop of Chartres wrote a letter claiming that he was "frightened away" from the consecration of Henry "by the savagery of his mother, who is quite trustworthy when she promises evil." Renauld I (972-29 May 1040) was count of Nevers 1000-1040. ... Aethelred buys two years of peace with the Danes for 36,000 pounds of silver. ... is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events April 18 - Boleslaw I Chrobry is crowned as the first king of Poland. ... Henry I (French: Henri Ier) (May 4, 1008–August 4, 1060) was King of France from 1031 to 1060. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Olof, king of Sweden, is baptized. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... May — The Norman leader Robert Guiscard conquers Taranto. ... Events February 14: First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg. ... is the 156th day of the year (157th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Anselm of Canterbury becomes prior at Le Bec Sancho I becomes ruler of Aragon Bishopric of Olomouc is founded Births Deaths April 30 - Emperor Renzong (b. ... Richard III (997 - 1027)was the eldest son of Richard II, Who died in 1027, and left the Duchy of Normandy to his eldest son. ... Baldwin V of Flanders (d. ... Robert I Capet (1011 – March 21, 1076) was duke of Burgundy between 1032 to his death. ... Events Emperor Sanjo ascends to the throne of Japan. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 14 - Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. ... Events Danish invasion of England under king Sweyn I. King Ethelred flees to Normandy, and Sweyn becomes king of England. ... Events Creation of the Crab Nebula observed by a Chinese astronomer Anselm of Canterbury leaves Italy. ... Events February 14 - Pope Benedict VIII recognizes Henry of Bavaria as King of Germany July 29 - Battle of Kleidion: Basil II inflicts not only a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian army, but his subsequent savage treatment of 15,000 prisoners reportedly causes Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria to die of shock... Events Canute the Great is acclaimed king of England. ... Events April 18 - Boleslaw I Chrobry is crowned as the first king of Poland. ... Henry I (French: Henri Ier) (May 4, 1008–August 4, 1060) was King of France from 1031 to 1060. ... Robert I Capet (1011 – March 21, 1076) was duke of Burgundy between 1032 to his death. ... Events March 26 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II Holy Roman Emperor. ...

Constance encouraged her sons to rebel, and Henri and Robert began attacking and pillaging the towns and castles belonging to their father. Robert attacked Burgundy, the duchy he had been promised but had never received, and Henry seized Dreux. At last King Robert agreed to their demands and peace was made which lasted until the king's death. Henry I (French: Henri Ier) (May 4, 1008–August 4, 1060) was King of France from 1031 to 1060. ... Robert I Capet (1011 – March 21, 1076) was duke of Burgundy between 1032 to his death. ... Robert I Capet (1011 – March 21, 1076) was duke of Burgundy between 1032 to his death. ... Coat of arms of the second Duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: ; German: ) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks; the former gave their... Henry I (French: Henri Ier) (May 4, 1008–August 4, 1060) was King of France from 1031 to 1060. ... Dreux is a town and commune in northwest France, in the Eure-et-Loir département. ...

King Robert died in 1031, and soon Constance was at odds with both her elder son Henri and her younger son Robert. Constance seized her dower lands and refused to surrender them. Henri fled to Normandy, where he received aid, weapons and soldiers from his brother Robert. He returned to besiege his mother at Poissy but Constance escaped to Pontoise. She only surrendered when Henri began the siege of Le Puiset and swore to slaughter all the inhabitants. Events Collapse of the Moorish Caliphate of Córdoba. ... Henry I (French: Henri Ier) (May 4, 1008–August 4, 1060) was King of France from 1031 to 1060. ... Robert I Capet (1011 – March 21, 1076) was duke of Burgundy between 1032 to his death. ... Dower (Lat. ... Poissy is a commune of the Yvelines département in France, located 20km from Paris, with a population (1999) of 36,000. ... Pontoise is a suburban commune of the Val-dOise département, in suburban Paris in France. ... Le Puiset is a small commune of the Eure-et-Loir département of France. ...

Constance died in 1034, and was buried beside her husband Robert at Saint-Denis Basilica. Events April 11 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium marries her chamberlain and elevates him to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael IV. Franche-Comté becomes subject to the Holy Roman Empire. ... The Basilica of Saint Denis (in French, la Basilique de Saint-Denis), a famous burial site for French monarchs, is located in Saint Denis (near Paris). ...

Bertha, Princess of Burgundy, daughter of Conrad the Pacific, King of Burgundy, and his wife Matilda of France. ... This is a list of the women who have been Queens consort or Empresses consort of the realm of France. ... Events Grand Prince Stephen I of Hungary is named the first King of Hungary by Pope Silvester II. Canonisation of Edward the Martyr, king of England. ... Events Collapse of the Moorish Caliphate of Córdoba. ... Matilda of Frisia (d. ...

Notes

1. ^ 1

"The heresy was sui generis, probably an amalgam of neoplatonic speculation and of inferences made from the search, familiar to biblical scholars of the time, for an inner meaning beneath the literal surface of the text of Scripture 'written on animal skins.' The radical nature of the denials of the adherents of the doctrines of incarnation and resurrection, have led some historians to argue that the heresy was imported, to some degree ready-made, and that it represents a fragmentary influence from the developed heretical tradition of the movement of the Bogomils, then spreading from its cradle-land in Bulgaria into other parts ... But the absence of any external evidence of Bogomil missionizing at this time and a wider realization of the number of factors in Western society which fostered dissisence in the eleventh century ... have caused the theory to lose support. What seems most likely is that the heresy was intellectual in origin and a facet of the reawakening of learning in the late tenth and early eleventh centuries." Malcolm Lambert, Medieval Heresy: Popular Movements from the Gregorian Reform to the Reformation (New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1991) 16 - 17.

Sources

• Jessee, W. Scott. A missing Capetian princess: Advisa, daughter of King Robert II of France (Medieval Prosopography), 1990
• Nolan, Kathleen D. Capetian Women, 2003.
• Moore, R.I. The Birth of Popular Heresy, 1975.
• Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis, Lines: 53-21, 101-21, 107-20, 108-21, 128-21, 141-21, 141A-21, 185-2.
• Lambert, Malcolm. Medieval Heresy: Popular Movements from the Gregorian Reform to the Reformation, 1991, 9 - 17.

External links

• Foundation for Medieval Genealogy on Constance of Arles