Marie of Montpellier

Marie of Montpellier (1182/83 - Rome 4/18/1213), downward last of the local lords of Montpellier, the Guilhem.

Girl of Guilhem VIII of Montpellier (1157/58 - 11/9/1202) and of Eudoxie Comnène, (1162-apr. the 1202) niece of the emperor Manual Ier Comnène of Byzance.

All its life, Marie will be victim of the ambitions of his/her father, her husbands and notable of Montpellier.

Married as of the ten years age in Raymond Geoffroi II known as Barral, Viscount of Marseilles, it becomes widowed little of time after (1192). His/her father and his mantle Agnes de Castille the remarie in December 1197 with Bernard IV, count de Comminges and oblige it to sign an act of renunciation of his rights on the seigniory of Montpellier in favor of his half-brothers, born from the remarriage of his father with Agnès. Although two girls (Mathilde and Petronille) were born from this marriage, this one will not last. Marie returns to Montpellier regarding this marriage as no one and nonwhich occurred (Bernard de Comminges was twice bigamist).

With died of Guilhem VIII, it évince his/her half-brother, Guilhem IX, seigniory of Montpellier and wife the king Pierre II of Aragon, on June 15th, 1204, in the house of the militia of the Temple. The same day, Pierre and Marie promise to respect the habits of the city in a text of 123 articles the “Charter of the Habits and Libertés”.

This marriage is only pretext for Pierre II to attach Montpellier to its kingdom. Not needing more Montpellier which he completely mortgaged, he decides to separate from Marie in spite of the birth of a son, the future Jacques the Conqueror, junior by a girl, Sancie, of which we know anything.

Marie of Montpellier decides to go to Rome to obtain from the pope, Innocent III, the insurance which its union will not be dissolved. She obtains win but sick, Marie dies in perhaps poisoned Rome in 1213. She is buried in the Holy-Petronille vault, now destroyed, at Saint Pierre of Rome.

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