Count Matthew of Alsace & Countess Marie of Boulogne

 94555214. Count Matthew of Alsace & 94555215. Countess Marie of Boulogne

1133, Marie born in France, d/o 189110430. King Stephen & 189110431. Matilda of Boulogne.

12/22/1135, Stephen, Marie’s father, crowned king of England.

1137, Matthew born in Flanders, younger s/o 189110410. Thierry of Alsace & 189110411. Sybil of Anjou.

1137, Marie’s older sister, betrothed to Waleran de Beaumont, died.

8/1/1137, Louis VII succeeded as king of France.

1148, Marie became a nun at Romsey abbey, Hampshire.

8/1153, Marie’s eldest brother Eustace died, her brother William the next heir.

11/6/1153, By the Treaty of Wallingford, Duke Henry of Normandy recognized by his cousin King Stephen of England as his heir [Passing over Marie’s brother William].

10/25/1154, Marie’s father King Stephen died; Henry II succeeding by grant of her father.

12/19/1154, Henry II crowned king of England.

1155, Marie elected Abbess of Romsey abbey when Abbess Matilda died.

1157, Matthew’s older brother Philip began acting as co-Regent for their father who left on a trip to the Holy land.

10/11/1159, Marie’s brother William died without heirs, leaving her as Countess of Boulogne. [William had disposed of his English lands.]

[–––Matthew & Marie–––]

5/1160, Matthew abducted Marie from Romsey abbey and married her. [The marriage was supported by King Henry II.] Matthew’s father did not approve of the marriage. Archbishop Thomas Becket was vehemently opposed to the marriage.

3/1161, Thierry and son Matthew were reconciled by the aid of the Bishop of Cambrai. (S) Families, Friends, and Allies:, Tanner, 2004, P203.

12/18/1161, Pope Alexander wrote about Marie’s abduction and forced marriage to the Archbishop of Rheims.

1164, King Henry’s last brother William died. Matthew began to assert his claims to the county of Mortain, and William of Blois’ estates in England.

1165, Matthew of Alsace, count of Boulogne, founded the city of Calais. (S) Calais, Rose, 2008, P7. [This could have been as part of the planned invasion of England by Matthew and his brother Philip. They were preparing a fleet of 600 ships, which could not be assembled in a well-known port while keeping the preparations secret. (S) Richeliieu, James, 1837, P128.]

12/6/1166 at Rouen, Matthew of Boulogne met in conference with King Henry II. [King Henry agreed to an annual payment of £1000, for Matthew renouncing all claims on the Comte de Mortain, doing homage, and committing to military service.]

1167, Matthew campaigned with his brother Philip against Forence, earl of Holland; capturing the earl.

1167, Matthew, count of Boulogne, planned an invasion of England in support of King Louis. [The invasion never occurred.] (S) Feudal Assessments, Keefe, 1983, P13.

1/17/1168, Matthew’s father died; his brother Philip succeeding.

8/1168, John, count of Ponthieu, refused permission to Matthew, Comte of Boulogne, to march his troops through his county to assist King Henry. [King Henry took vengeance by burning more than 40 villages in the Viemieu.]

1168, “To her reverend lord Louis, king of the French, Mary, countess of Bologne, … Henry, king of England, has sent ambassadors to the emperor … sincere in his assisstance against you … The returning ambassadors passed through my territories, and I spoke with them, and well I percieved from their words that the English king ceases not, day or night, to devise mischief against you. …”. (S) Letters of Royal and Illustrious Ladies, V1, Green, 1846, P13.

1169, Marie’s marriage dissolved, she entered St. Austrebert, near Montreuil. [Marie likely got the support of King Louis in ending the marriage.]

[–––Matthew, Marie–––]

1170, Marie, using the name “Idonea”, delivered decrees from Thomas, archishop of Canterbury, to persons in England forbidding the coronation of King Henry II’s eldest son. (S) Thomas Becket, Guy, 2012, P288.

1171, Matthew married Eleanor, d/o Ralph I, count of Vermandois.

1172,  Matthew, Count of Boulogne, gives to the Abbey of St Josse 10000 herrings yearly, to be paid at Boulogne or Calais. (S) Oxford Studies in Social and Legal History, V4, 1914, P48.

1172, Matthew made a donation to Marie’s abbey.

1173, Matthew granted lands on the church of St. Judoc, “with the consent of the Countess Mary his wife, and his daughters.”

4/1173, Matthew supported the rebellion of the 3 eldest sons of King Henry II in Normandy.

7/1173, Matthew with his brother Philip joined Prince Henry [eldest s/o King Henry II] at the siege of Driencourt castle [Normandy].

12/1173, Matthew died at the siege of Driencourt, after being wounded by a crossbow bolt; his daughter Ida succeeding as Countess of Boulogne. (S) England Under the Angevin Kings, Norgate, 1969, P147.

[––Marie––]

1182, Marie made a grant to Lillechurch.

7/25/1182, Marie died; buried at St. Austrebert. (S) Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy, Vitalis, 1856, P158.

(S) Families, Friends, and Allies: Boulogne and Politics, Tanner, 2004, P203. (S) Lives of the Princesses of England, V1, Green, 1850. (S) Court, Household, and Itinerary of King Henry II, Eyton, 1878.

Family notes:

·         Public acts of Earl Matthew were always authenticated with Marie’s signature and seal.

Children of Matthew and Marie:

i. Ida of Boulogne, born ~1163 in Flanders.

1181, Ida married Gerard of Guelders [died 1182].

Ida married Berthold IV of Zahringen.

Ida married Count Renaud de Dammartin.

4/21/1216, Ida died.

ii. Maud of Flanders (47277607), born by ~1168 in Flanders.