House of Blois

Last updated
House of Blois
Royal house
Old Arms of Blois.svg
Arms of the House of Blois
Country West Francia
France
Navarre
England
Jerusalem
Founded906;1119 years ago (906)
Founder Theobald the Elder
Final rulerBlois: Margaret, Countess of Blois
Champagne and Navarre: Joan I of Navarre
Sully and Boisebelle: Mary, Lady of Sully and Princess of Boisebelle
Sancerre: Margaret, Countess of Sancerre
Titles
Lesser titles:
Estate(s)Blois, Champagne, Navarre, England, Sancerre, Boulogne, Aumale, etc
Dissolution1???
Cadet branches
  • House of Blois-Champagne
    • House of Blois-Chartres
    • House of Blois-Navarre
    • House of Sancerre
    • House of Lacarre
  • House of Sully
    • House of Sully-Beaujeu
  • House of Champlitte
    • House of Champlitte-Pontailler
  • House of Aumale

The House of Blois (French: [blwa] ) was a noble family that arose in the Kingdom of West Francia in the early 10th century, and whose prominent members were often named Theobald (Thibaud, Thibault, Thibaut in French).

Contents

History

This lineage came from Theobald the Elder, viscount of Tours before 908. Theobald became viscount of Blois before 922. Afterwards the House of Blois accumulated the counties of Blois, Chartres, Châteaudun and as successors of Herbertians the counties of Troyes, Reims and Meaux - core of the County of Champagne, and finally the kingdom of Navarre.

The House of Blois-Champagne, which was founded by Theobold II in 1025, split into several branches. The House of Blois-Chartres, which was founded by Theobold V of Blois inherited the counties of Blois and Chartres and others in 1152. His descendants would hold the counties until the deaths of Margaret and Isabella, to which the branch became extinct in 1249. The House of Blois-Navarre, which was founded by Theobold I of Navarre, when he inherited the throne from his uncle, Sancho Garcés VI. This branch became the senior line later and eventually became extinct in 1305 with the death of Joan I of Navarre, wife of Philip IV of France. Champagne and Navarre passed to the Capetian dynasty. The House of Sancerre, which was founded by Stephen I, Count of Sancerre, a younger son of Theobold II, Count of Champagne. He inherited the county on his father's death. This branch became extinct at the death of Margaret of Sancerre in 1418 or 1419. The final branch, the House of Lacarre, which was founded by Juan Enriquez, the illegitimate son of Henry I of Navarre.

When Louis VII of France was greatly threatened by the vast collection of territories in the person of Henry II of England, he chose a wife from the House of Blois-Champagne (Adela of Champagne) as a counterpoise to Angevin power.

When William married the Lady of Sully, Adela, sometime after 1100, he became jure uxoris Count or Lord of Sully. This would make him establish a cadet branch in Sully. This branch would also form its own cadet branch, the House of Sully-Beaujeu, which was when Odo, the son of Gilles III, Lord of Sully, acquired the Lordship of Beaujeu.

Sometime during or past 1126, Odo I was taken over by his maternal family. He then became Lord of Champlitte, which he likely inherited from his mother, Isabella, or from the generosity of his uncle Renaud III, Count of Burgundy. [1] He in turn would establish a new cadet branch in Champlitte. This Branch would also establish its own branch, the House of Champlitte-Pontailler. Which was when William I, son of Odo I, acquired the Lordship of Pontailler.

King Stephen I of England, 1135–1154, was both a member of the House of Blois and the last Anglo-Norman King, being the grandson of William the Conqueror through his daughter Adela of Normandy. [2]

A branch of the family was established in Sancerre by Stephen I of Sancerre, a younger son of Theobald II, Count of Champagne. This branch became extinct at the death of Margaret of Sancerre in 1418 or 1419.

Rulers

House of Blois

Partitions and acquisitions of Blois under Blois rule

Flemish
County of
Boulogne
Norman
County of
Aumale
Counties of Troyes
and Meaux
County of Blois
(940-1230/49) [3]
Barony of
Sully-sur-Loire
County of
Champagne

(1st creation)
(1037–1066)
      
County of
Aumale

(1069–1196)
      
County of
Champagne

(2nd creation)
(1089–1125) [4]
      
      Barony
of Sully

(1107–1409)
County of
Boulogne

(1125–1170)
      
County of
Champagne

(3rd creation)
(1152–1305) [5]
      County of
Sancerre

(1152–1419)
Inherited by the
House of Alsace
      
Annexed to
France [6]
and re-given to the
House of
Dammartin
(1224)
      
Inherited by
the Houses of Avesnes
and Châtillon
Annexed to
France
Inherited by the
House of Bourbon
Inherited by the
La Trémoille family

Table of rulers

Genealogy

Arms

House Arms
Arms of the House of Blois (ancient).svg
Ancient Arms
Old Arms of Blois.svg
Main Arms
Arms of the House of Blois-Champagne.svg
House of Blois-Chartres
Arms of the French Region of Champagne-Ardenne.svg
House of Blois-Champagne
Arms of the House of Blois-Navarre.svg
House of Blois-Navarre
Arms of the House of Sancerre.svg
House of Sancerre
Arms of the House of Sully.svg
House of Sully
Arms of the House of Sully (after 1346).svg
House of Sully (after 1346)
Arms of the House of Champlitte.svg
House of Champlitte
Arms of the House of Lacarre.svg
House of Lacarre
Other House Arms
Blason comte fr Aumale.svg
House of Aumale
Blason famille de Champlitte-Pontailler.svg
House of Champlitte-Pontailler
House Arms Variants
Arms of the House of Champlitte (variant).svg
House of Champlitte
Arms of the House of Blois-Navarre (quartered variant).svg
House of Blois-Navarre
Personal Arms
Arms of Etienne de Sancerre.svg
Stephen I of Sancerre
Arms of Etienne II de Sancerre.svg
Stephen II of Sancerre
Arms of Louis I de Sancerre.svg
Louis I of Sancerre
Arms of Jean II de Sancerre.svg
John II of Sancerre
Arms of Eudes III de Sully.svg
Odo-Archambaud III of Sully
Arms of Jean de Sully.svg
John of Sully
Arms of Jean de Sully (variant).svg
(Variant) John of Sully
Arms of Louis I de Blois.svg
Louis I of Blois
Arms of Stephen of Blois (attributed).svg
(Attributed) Stephen I of Blois
Arms of Stephen II of Blois.svg
(Attributed) Stephen II of Blois
Other Personal Arms
Coat of Arms of William I, Count of Boulogne.svg
William I of Boulogne
Arms of Jeanne de Champagne.svg
Joan I of Navarre
Blason Guy II de Pontailler.svg
Guy II of Pontailler
Tabard and coat of arms of Champagne LDAM (f. 040) Conde de Champanhe.jpg
Tabard and coat of arms of Champagne

See also

References

  1. Histoire des Ducs et Comtes de Champagne, Marie Henry d'Arbois de Jubainville, 1865.
  2. David Crouch. The Reign of King Stephen, 1135-1154, Pearson Education, Harlow, England, 2000.
  3. A small partition created in 1218 at Chartres lasted until 1249, and it was inherited by the Amboise family.
  4. Solely at Troyes; Meaux was held by the main Blois line.
  5. Union with the Kingdom of Navarre since 1234.
  6. Claimed by the Forz family, heirs of Countess Hawise, as Earl of Albemarle , in the English peerage until 1439.
  7. Arbois de Jubainville (1859) Tome I, p. 504.
  8. Numbered after Stephen I, Count of Troyes.
  9. Bates 2004.[ incomplete short citation ]
  10. Jean Bernier, Histoire de Blois, contenant les antiquités et singularités du comté de Blois, Francois Muguet, 1682 (read online), p. 291–296.
  11. Evergates, Theodore (2007). The Aristocracy in the County of Champagne, 1100-1300. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 7.
  12. 1 2 3 The numbering follows the previous Lords of Sully.
  13. The numbering follows the previous Counts of Boulogne.
  14. Allen, S.J. (2017). An Introduction to the Crusades. University of Toronto Press. p. 33.
  15. Evergates 2007, p. 36-37.
  16. Evergates 2007, p. 39.
  17. Charon, 1999, p. 127.[ incomplete short citation ]
House of Blois
Preceded by Ruling house of England
11351154
Succeeded by