Margaret of Provence

Margaret (French: Marguerite) was born during the spring of 1221, in Forcalquier. She was the eldest daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy. She had three younger sisters, who would all become queens like her: Eleanor (Queen of England), Sanchia (Queen of Germany) and Beatrice (Queen of Sicily). Margaret has a especially close relationship with Eleanor, and they remained friends until they grew old.

In 1233, Blanche of Castile sent one of her knights to Provence to meet Margaret, whose grace and beauty was famous. Margaret and her father entertained the knight well, and soon Blanche and Ramon Berenguer were negotiating a marriage contract between Margaret and Louis IX of France, Blanche's son.
Margaret was escorted to Lyon by her parents, where the marriage treaty was signed. From there, she was escorted to her wedding ceremony, in Sens. On 27 May 1234, Margaret became the wife of Louis IX and Queen of France; she was just 13.

The marriage turned out to be a difficult one. Blanche still wielded strong influence over Louis, and this would go on throughout her life. As a sign of authority, after the wedding, Blanche dismissed Margaret's servants (they served her since her childhood). Margaret resented Blanche and vice versa from the very beginning.

Margaret, like her sisters, was noted for her beauty. She was said to be pretty, with dark hair and fine eyes, and in the early years of their marriage, she and Louis enjoyed a warm relationship. They enjoyed riding together, listening to music and reading. The attentions of the King and court being drawn to the young queen only made Blanche more jealous. She worked to keep the King and Queen apart as much as possible.

Margaret accompanied Louis on the Seventh Crusade; they were joined by Margaret's sister, Beatrice. Though the crusade was successful at first (they captured Damietta in 1249), it became a disaster after the King's brother was killed and Louis captured. The Queen was responsible for negotiations and gathering enough silver to pay his ransom. Thus, she was, if for a brief time only, the only woman to ever lead a crusade.

The chronicler Jean de Joinville reports incidents demonstrating Margaret's bravery after Louis was made prisoner in Egypt. Margaret acted decisively to assure a food supply for the Christians in Damietta; she also convinced some of those who had been about to leave to remain in Damietta and defend it. However, Joinville remarked with noticeable disapproval that Louis rarely asked after his wife and children.

Her leadership during the crusade had brought Margaret international prestige, and after she returned to France, she was often asked to mediate disputes. She feared the ambition of her husband's brother, Charles, and strengthened the bond with her sister Eleanor and her husband, Henry III of England, as a counterweight. In 1259, the relationship between Louis IX and Henry III improved and they signed the Treaty of Paris.

In later years, Louis became vexed with Margaret's ambition. It seems that when it came to politics or diplomacy, she was indeed ambitious but somewhat inept. After the death of her eldest son, Louis, in 1260, she convinced her next son, Philip, to swear an oath that no matter at what age he succeeded to the throne, he would remain under her tutelage until the age of 30. When the King found out about the oath, he immediately asked the Pope to excuse Philip from the vow. The Pope obliged, ending Margaret's attempt to make herself a second Blanche of Castile.

After the death of Louis IX on his second crusade in 1270, Margaret returned to Provence. She became a more politically active figure after her husband's death and she was particularly exigent in defending her rights in Provence. Her last years were spent doing pious work, including founding the Franciscan nunnery of Lourcines in 1289.

Margaret of Provence died in Paris, at the Poor Clares monastery she had founded, on 20 December 1295; she was 74 years old.

Margaret of Provence
15th century