Agnes of Aquitaine, wife of Ramiro II of Aragon facts for kids

Agnes of Aquitaine (born around 1105, died around 1159) was a queen of Aragon for a short time. She was married to King Ramiro II, who used to be a monk. After their only child, Petronilla, was born, Agnes and Ramiro separated. They both went to live in monasteries. Agnes chose the Abbey of Fontevraud, where she still helped her sons from her first marriage.

Agnes's First Marriage

Agnes was the daughter of Duke William IX of Aquitaine and Countess Philippa of Toulouse. She was named after her aunt, Agnes, who was also a queen of Aragon.

Marriage to Aimery V

Agnes married Viscount Aimery V of Thouars before January 9, 1117. They confirmed the lands of the Saint-Laon de Thouars abbey together. Aimery died in 1127. Agnes and Aimery had three sons:

• William I (died 1151), who became viscount after his father.
• Guy, lord of Oiron (died around 1149).
• Geoffrey IV (died 1173), who became viscount after William. Geoffrey was the father of Guy of Thouars, who married Constance, Duchess of Brittany.

Agnes's Second Marriage

On November 13, 1135, Agnes married King Ramiro II in the cathedral of Jaca. Jaca was an old capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. Ramiro had been a monk and a bishop. He became king after his brother, Alfonso the Battler, died without children.

Why Agnes was Chosen

Agnes was about 30 years old when she married Ramiro. She had already shown she could have children in her first marriage. This was likely a main reason the Aragonese wanted her as queen. Agnes's brother, Duke William X, also supported a different pope at the time. This might have helped Ramiro's unusual path to becoming king. Agnes brought a church in Loscertales as her dowry.

A King Who Was a Monk

Ramiro being a monk and then a king was very unusual. Later historians tried to explain this marriage. Some old writings say that messengers were sent to the pope to get special permission. Other writings even questioned if Ramiro was truly a monk. The church later made rules that made marriages of priests invalid.

Agnes as Queen

Agnes first appeared as queen in a royal document on January 29, 1136. By August of that year, Agnes had given birth to a daughter named Petronilla.

Leaving the Royal Court

Agnes's last appearance in an Aragonese document was in October 1136. She and Ramiro gave a mill and a horse to a monastery. They might have separated soon after this. Agnes's brother died in April 1137 while on a pilgrimage. It was likely during this trip that he agreed to Petronilla's future marriage. There is no sign that Agnes helped arrange her daughter's future.

Retirement to the Abbey

Between August and November 1137, King Ramiro arranged for his daughter, Petronilla, to marry the powerful Count Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona. Ramiro then handed over his royal power to the count. After this, Ramiro went back to his religious life. Agnes retired to the Abbey of Fontevraud, where her own mother had lived. Records show Agnes was there between 1141 and 1147. She died at the abbey around 1159.

See also

In Spanish: Inés de Poitou (1105-1159) para niños

• Dukes of Aquitaine family tree