Marie de Sully facts for kids

Marie de Sully or Seuly (born 1365 – died around 1409/1410) was a powerful noblewoman who ruled the area of Boisbelle. Today, this place is known as Henrichemont in France. Marie was the daughter of Louis I de Sully and his wife, Isabelle de Craon.

Marie's life was quite special because she inherited a lot of power and land.

Becoming a Princess

When Marie's father passed away in 1382, she became the only heir to the Principality of Boisbelle. This was very unusual for the time. In many parts of France, a law called Salic law stopped women from inheriting important titles like the throne. But Boisbelle was different, and Marie could become its ruler.

As the ruler, or "Sovereign," Marie had important powers. She could create laws, make sure justice was served, and even mint her own money. The people living in Boisbelle also had special freedoms. They didn't have to pay taxes to the King of France or join his army. However, they still followed the rules of the Roman Catholic Church.

Because she was the only heir to such a special place, Marie became one of the most sought-after young women in France for marriage. Her mother, Isabelle, arranged for Marie to marry Charles of Berry, the Count of Montpensier. He was the son of John "the Magnificent", Duke of Berry, who was a son of King John II of France. Sadly, Charles died before they could marry. Even though they weren't married, Marie wore a special veil to show her sadness for his passing.

First Marriage and a Crusade

It wasn't long before Marie was engaged again. She married Guy VI de La Trémoille, a famous knight and crusader. When they married, Guy also became a ruler of Boisbelle alongside Marie.

One of the important things they did together was to build the Château de Sully-sur-Loire. This castle became the main home for the Lords of Sully, who were Marie's descendants through her marriage to Guy.

Around 1396, Guy joined a big religious war called a crusade. He went with John the Fearless, who later became the Duke of Burgundy. They were helping King Sigismund of Hungary fight against the Sultan Bayezid I. They fought in a huge battle called the Battle of Nicopolis in September 1396. It was a terrible defeat, and Guy was captured. He had to be ransomed, meaning a large sum of money was paid to free him.

On his way home, Guy became very ill and died in 1397 on the island of Rhodes. Marie was left a widow with young children to care for.

Second Marriage

On January 27, 1400, Marie married again. Her second husband was Charles I d'Albret from Gascony. He was a very respected nobleman and became the Constable of France, which was a top military position. Charles was also a cousin of King Charles VI of France.

Charles I d'Albret later became one of the commanders of the French army at the famous Battle of Agincourt in October 1415. Sadly, he was killed in this battle fighting against the English forces led by King Henry V.

Marie's Passing

Princess Marie passed away in Pau, in the Kingdom of Navarre. This happened sometime between September 6, 1409, and February 17, 1410. We know this because an inventory, or list, of her belongings was made on the later date.

Children and Family Tree

Marie had several children from her two marriages.

From her first marriage to Guy VI de La Trémoille, she had seven children. Four of them were still alive when their father died. These included:

• Jean de La Trémoille (died 1449), who was known as Seigneur de Jonvelle.
• Georges I de La Trémoille (died 1446), who took over his mother's title as Count of Guînes and also became Lord of Sully.

From her second marriage to Charles I d'Albret, Marie had these children:

• Jeanne d'Albret (1403 – 1433), who married John I, Count of Foix.
• Charles II d'Albret (1407 – 1471), who married Anne of Armagnac.
• Guillaume d'Albret, who died in battle in 1429.
• Jean d'Albret, who died without children.
• Catherine d'Albret, who married Charles de Montagu.

Marie's family tree is very impressive! One of her descendants was Jeanne d'Albret, who became Queen Jeanne III of Navarre. Jeanne's son, Henry of Navarre, later became King Henry IV of France. King Henry IV was a close friend of Maximilien de Béthune, 1st Duke of Sully, who was known as "Grand Sully." This "Grand Sully" helped rebuild Boisbelle, and it was renamed Henrichemont in honor of King Henry IV.

Another famous descendant of Marie was Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour. He was a governor of Acadia (a region in North America) in the 1600s. His family later settled in places like Acadia and Louisiana.