Constance of Burgundy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Constance of Burgundy |
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| Queen consort of León and Castile Empress of Spain |
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| Tenure | 1079–1093 |
| Born | 8 May 1046 |
| Died | 1093 |
| Spouse | Hughes II, Count of Chalon Alfonso VI of León and Castile |
| Issue | Urraca of León |
| House | House of Burgundy |
| Father | Robert I of Burgundy |
| Mother | Helie de Semur-en-Brionnais |
Constance of Burgundy (born May 8, 1046 – died 1093) was an important queen in medieval Spain. She was the daughter of Duke Robert I of Burgundy. Constance became the Queen of Castile and León when she married Alfonso VI of León and Castile. She was also the granddaughter of King Robert II of France, a famous French ruler. Constance was the mother of Urraca of León, who later became queen after her father.
Life of Queen Constance
Constance first married Hugh II, Count of Chalon in 1065. They were married for 14 years, until Hugh passed away in 1079. They did not have any children together.
Later in 1079, Constance married Alfonso VI of León and Castile. This marriage was likely arranged through church connections at Alfonso's court. Alfonso had been married before, but his first wife was no longer with him. At first, the Pope did not approve of Constance and Alfonso's marriage. This was possibly because Constance and Alfonso's first wife were related.
Constance and Alfonso had several children. However, only one of them lived to become an adult:
- Urraca (born April 1079 – died March 8, 1126) was the Queen of Castile and León in her own right. She first married Raymond of Burgundy. Later, she married Alfonso the Battler, but they did not have children.
Constance passed away in 1093. Her daughter, Urraca, was 14 years old at the time. After Constance's death, King Alfonso VI married three more times. He later had a son with Zaida of Seville.
Where Constance Was Buried
After her death, Queen Constance was buried in the Monastery of St. Facundo and Primitivo in Sahagún. Her husband, King Alfonso VI, was also buried there, along with his other wives.
Sadly, the grave holding Alfonso VI's remains was destroyed in a fire in 1810. The remains of the king and his wives, including Constance, were carefully collected. They were kept safe in the abbot's room until 1821. Later, they were moved to a box and placed in a chapel wall. In 1835, the remains were moved again to the monastery's archive.
Today, the remains of King Alfonso VI are buried in the Royal Monastery of San Benito in Sahagún. Near his tomb, the remains of several of his wives, including Queen Constance, are also buried in a simple tomb.
See also
In Spanish: Constanza de Borgoña para niños
