Maria Montpellier

1182 (age 31)

Montpellier, Arrondissement of Montpellier, France

Although Eudokia entered in a convent in Aniane as a Benedictine nun, William VIII"s second marriage was declared invalid and all the children born from this union declared illegitimate, so Marie remained as the undisputed heiress of Montpellier. Marie married Viscount Raymond Geoffrey II of Marseille, also named Barral, in 1192 or shortly before, but was widowed at the end of that year. Her second marriage, in December 1197, was to Count Bernard IV of Comminges, and at the insistence of her father, Marie renounced to her rights over Montpellier in favor of her eldest half-brother William (IX), son of Agnes. The marriage was, however, notoriously polygamous (Bernard IV had two other living wives) and was finally annulled (some say on Marie"s insistence, some say on that of King Peter II of Aragon) in 1201. William VIII died in 1202. Marie"s half-brother William IX had taken control of the city, but she asserted her right to lieutenant On 15 June 1204 Marie married Peter II of Aragon and thanks to a revolt against William IX, she was recognised as Lady of Montpellier. Peter II immediately attempted to divorce her, hoping both to marry Maria of Montferrat, Queen of Jerusalem, and to claim Montpellier for himself. Marie"s last years were spent in combating these political and matrimonial manoeuvres. Pope Innocent III finally decided in her favour, refusing to permit the divorce. Marie died in Rome (21 April 1213) on her way back to Aragon, and Peter II a few months later (14 September 1213) at the Battle of Muret. Marie and Peter II"s only surviving child, James I, inherited Aragon and Montpellier.

Maria Montpellier Edit Profile

Background

She was the daughter of William VIII, Lord of Montpellier, by his wife Eudokia Komnene, a niece of Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos.

Career

Although Eudokia entered in a convent in Aniane as a Benedictine nun, William VIII"s second marriage was declared invalid and all the children born from this union declared illegitimate, so Marie remained as the undisputed heiress of Montpellier. Marie married Viscount Raymond Geoffrey II of Marseille, also named Barral, in 1192 or shortly before, but was widowed at the end of that year. Her second marriage, in December 1197, was to Count Bernard IV of Comminges, and at the insistence of her father, Marie renounced to her rights over Montpellier in favor of her eldest half-brother William (IX), son of Agnes.

The marriage was, however, notoriously polygamous (Bernard IV had two other living wives) and was finally annulled (some say on Marie"s insistence, some say on that of King Peter II of Aragon) in 1201.

William VIII died in 1202. Marie"s half-brother William IX had taken control of the city, but she asserted her right to lieutenant

On 15 June 1204 Marie married Peter II of Aragon and thanks to a revolt against William IX, she was recognised as Lady of Montpellier. Peter II immediately attempted to divorce her, hoping both to marry Maria of Montferrat, Queen of Jerusalem, and to claim Montpellier for himself.

Marie"s last years were spent in combating these political and matrimonial manoeuvres.

Pope Innocent III finally decided in her favour, refusing to permit the divorce. Marie died in Rome (21 April 1213) on her way back to Aragon, and Peter II a few months later (14 September 1213) at the Battle of Muret. Marie and Peter II"s only surviving child, James I, inherited Aragon and Montpellier.

Achievements

Since her birth, Marie was the legitimate heiress of the Lordship of Montpellier, because a clausule of the marriage contract of her parents established that the firstborn child, boy or girl, would succeed in Montpellier on William VIII"s death.

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