Marie de Coucy facts for kids

Marie de Coucy (born around 1218 – died 1285) was a French noblewoman. She became the Queen of Scotland when she married King Alexander II. She was also part of the royal council for two years (1260–1262). This happened while her son, King Alexander III, was still young.

Early Life and Family

Marie was the daughter of Enguerrand III, Lord of Coucy. Her mother was Marie de Montmirel (1192 – 1267). Marie was also a great-great-granddaughter of King Louis VI of France. People at the time said she was very beautiful and came from a very rich family.

In 1238, King Alexander II of Scotland needed to marry again. His first wife, Joan of England, had died without having any children. King Henry III of England believed he had power over Scotland. Alexander II disagreed and wanted to make an alliance with France against England. Marie's father, Enguerrand III, was a powerful French noble and an enemy of England. So, the marriage between Marie and Alexander II was seen as a way for France and Scotland to become allies against England.

Becoming Queen of Scotland

On May 15, 1239, Marie married Alexander II of Scotland in Roxburgh. This marriage created a strong link between Scotland and the Coucy family in France. For the rest of the 1200s, they helped each other with soldiers and money.

Marie brought many French people with her to Scotland. Among them were her chancellor, Richard Vairement, and her nephew, Enguerrand de Guines. Her nephew later became an important person in Scotland. He married Christiane de Lindsay, who was a niece of John Balliol. Two years after her marriage, Marie gave birth to her son, Alexander III, who would become the next king.

King Alexander II died on July 8, 1249. He was on an expedition against a lord in Argyll, on the island of Kerrera. As soon as Marie heard the news, she made sure her 8-year-old son was crowned quickly. He was crowned at Scone. Even though her son was young and a group of nobles ruled for him, Marie did not become the main ruler herself. On June 9, 1250, Marie and Alexander III were in Dunfermline. They were there to celebrate Saint Margaret of Scotland becoming a saint and moving her remains to a new shrine.

Life After Queenship

In the autumn of 1250, Marie went back to Picardy in France. For the rest of her life, she spent time both in France and Scotland. In 1252, she attended the wedding of her son, Alexander III, and Margaret of England. This wedding took place in York Minster and Marie came with many French and Scottish nobles.

Around 1256 or 1257, Marie married John of Brienne (1227–1296). He was a grand butler of France. They did not have any children together.

By 1260, different groups in Scotland were fighting for power while her son was still young. This made the situation in Scotland difficult. Because of this, Marie and her husband were asked to join the royal council. They served on the council until Alexander III was old enough to rule on his own in 1262. In 1268, Marie and John separated, and she returned to Scotland.

When her daughter-in-law, Margaret, died in February 1275, Marie helped arrange a new marriage for her son. He married Yolande of Dreux. In 1275–76, Marie went on a special journey to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket in Canterbury, England.

Marie de Coucy died in the summer of 1285. She was buried in a tomb she had built for herself at Newbattle Abbey.