Adeliza of Louvain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adeliza of Louvain |
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Detail of a Shaftesbury manuscript, most likely depicting Adeliza
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| Queen consort of England | |
| Tenure | 24 January 1121 – 1 December 1135 |
| Coronation | 30 January 1121 |
| Born | c. 1103 |
| Died | March/April 1151 (aged c. 48) Affligem Abbey, Brabant |
| Burial | Reading Abbey or Affligem Abbey, Brabant |
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William d'Aubigny, 2nd Earl of Arundel |
| House | Reginar |
| Father | Godfrey I, Count of Louvain |
| Mother | Ida of Chiny |
Adeliza of Louvain (born around 1103 – died March/April 1151) was the Queen of England. She was the second wife of King Henry I. Adeliza was queen from 1121 to 1135.
Adeliza was the oldest child of Godfrey I, Count of Louvain, and Ida of Chiny. In 1121, when she was about 18, Adeliza married King Henry. He was around 54 years old. Henry's only son had died in 1120. This made him want to marry again to have another son.
Adeliza was known for supporting French poetry and art at court. But she did not play a big part in politics. She and Henry did not have any children. So, Henry decided his daughter, Empress Matilda, would inherit the throne. Adeliza promised to support Matilda. She did so during Matilda's fight against Stephen of Blois, who became king after Henry died in 1135.
After Henry's death, Adeliza lived in a convent for three years. In 1138, she married William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel. They had seven children together. In 1150, she moved to the Affligem Abbey in Brabant. She died there the next year.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Adeliza was famous for her beauty. People called her 'the fair maiden of Brabant'. A writer named Henry of Huntingdon also wrote about her beauty. He said she was so beautiful that jewels looked dull next to her.
Adeliza's father was Godfrey I, Count of Louvain. He was a powerful count and duke. He was also an ally of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. After Adeliza's mother died, her father married again. Adeliza also had an unofficial brother, Joscelin of Louvain. He married a wealthy heiress.
Becoming Queen of England
Talks about Adeliza marrying Henry I of England might have started when she was 16. This was even before Henry's only son died in a ship accident in 1120. But Henry needed a new son to be his heir. This made the marriage happen quickly. They married on January 24, 1121.
Henry was drawn to Adeliza because of her beauty. She was also a descendant of Charlemagne. It is thought that Henry's daughter, Empress Matilda, helped arrange the marriage. She was with her father when the plans were being made.
Life as Queen
Adeliza traveled a lot with King Henry. They hoped this would help her get pregnant. However, Adeliza and Henry never had a child.
Unlike Henry's first wife, Adeliza did not play a big role in running the kingdom. She issued only one official document during her time as queen. She also signed very few of Henry's many documents. This shows she was not very involved in politics.
Supporting Arts and Literature
Even though she wasn't involved in politics, Adeliza loved art and books. She helped French poetry become popular in the English court. Queens had supported artists for a long time. But Adeliza mostly supported books written in French.
At that time, non-religious books in French were very popular. Wealthy women like Adeliza helped this trend grow. A poet named Philippe de Thaon wrote a book called the Bestiary for the queen. It was a book about animals.
He wrote:
Philippe de Thaon has put into a French book
The Bestiary, a Latin book,
For the honor of a jewel, who is a very beautiful woman.
And she is polite and wise, with good manners and generous:
She is called 'Aaliz', she is crowned Queen,
She is the queen of England; may her soul never have trouble!
Listen to what we find about her name in Hebrew:
"Aaliz" is her name; "Praise of God" is
In Hebrew truly "Aaliz", praise of God.
I do not dare praise her more, so envy does not get me,
But so that she may be remembered and praised forever
I wish to write this book; may God be with its beginning!
The Bestiary likely had many pictures. It was meant to be read slowly, page by page. Adeliza also ordered other similar works.
Life After King Henry's Death
King Henry died on December 1, 1135. Adeliza then went to live in a convent for a short time. She was there when Henry's tomb was dedicated at Reading Abbey. This was one year after his death. Around that time, she started a hospital for people with leprosy.
Remarriage and Family
In 1138, three years after Henry I died, Adeliza married again. Her new husband was William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel. He had been one of Henry I's advisors. They lived at her castle in Arundel. They had seven children together. Their children were Alice, William, Olivia, Reynor, Geoffrey, Henry, and Agatha.
Her Relationship with Matilda
Not much is known about Adeliza's relationship with her stepdaughter, Matilda. But Adeliza was there when King Henry officially named Matilda as his heir. A writer said that the Queen "swore an oath for the king's daughter... and agreed... that if the king did not have an heir... then the survivor should inherit the kingdom."
After her second marriage, Adeliza welcomed Matilda to her home in Arundel. Matilda's half-brother was also there. This was against the wishes of Adeliza's second husband. He supported King Stephen. Later, Adeliza gave them over when King Stephen attacked the castle.
A writer tried to explain Adeliza's actions. He said she was afraid of the king and worried about losing her lands. Adeliza told King Stephen that his enemies had not come to England because of her. She had simply offered them a place to stay. In the end, King Stephen let Matilda leave and join her half-brother.
Adeliza's Landholdings
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Adeliza was given control of lands and money from different areas. These included Rutland, Shropshire, and a large part of London. She also owned the city of Chichester. King Henry gave her the manor of Aston as his queen.
Other lands that were part of Adeliza's estate included Waltham Abbey in Essex. She also had properties in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Middlesex, and Devon. Henry I also gave her a property in Ashleworth. In 1126, she was given the entire county of Shropshire.
Adeliza gave her brother Joscelin a large estate in Sussex called Petworth. This land was connected to her castle of Arundel. Many of his descendants still own parts of this estate today. Henry also gave Adeliza lands that had belonged to his first wife, Matilda. Her husband later made sure she didn't have to pay taxes on these lands.
After Henry died, Adeliza continued to manage her lands. She kept some of her property until 1150. In 1136, she gave money each year from her lands to Reading Abbey. On the first anniversary of Henry I's death, Adeliza gave the manor of Aston to Reading Abbey. She also gave them lands to support the abbey. A few years later, she added the gift of a church.
Later Years and Death
In her final years, Adeliza became less known. In 1150, Adeliza left her husband William. She went to live in the monastery of Affligem in Flanders. At least one of her brothers also lived at this monastery.
The records at the monastery are the only source that mention her death in 1151. We do not know exactly where she was buried. Some stories say she was buried at the monastery. But a gift made by her brother Joscelin to Reading Abbey suggests she might have been buried there with Henry I.
Images for kids
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Detail of a Shaftesbury manuscript, most likely depicting Adeliza
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King Henry I of England holding Reading Abbey, where he was buried.
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Arundel Castle
