Mary, Viscount of Béarn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary, Viscountess of Béarn
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Mary of Béarn swearing homage to Alfonso II of Aragon, promising not to marry without his consent.
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| Died | after 1187 |
| Nationality | French |
| Children | Gaston VI of Béarn, William Raymond of Béarn |
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Mary (died after 1187) was an important ruler in the Middle Ages. She was the Viscountess of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois from 1170 to 1171. A viscountess was a noblewoman who governed a territory called a viscounty. Mary was special because she ruled these lands herself, which was rare for women at that time.
Mary's Early Life
Mary was the only daughter of Peter II and Matelle de Baux. Her older brother, Gaston V, died without any children. This meant that Mary inherited his titles and became the ruler of Béarn. She was only the second woman to hold this important position.
Becoming a Ruler
Mary's time as a ruler was short. One of her most important actions was an agreement she made with Alfonso II of Aragon. This happened on April 30, 1170, in a place called Jaca. Mary and other nobles from Béarn promised to be loyal to Alfonso. This agreement gave Alfonso, who was the King of Aragon, a lot of power over Béarn. He even got to choose who Mary would marry! This was a way for him to control the future of Béarn.
Challenges to Her Rule
In March 1171, Mary married William of Montcada, a nobleman from Catalonia. After this, Mary was no longer called the Viscountess. However, the people of Béarn did not like William as their new ruler. They rebelled against him.
The nobles of Béarn then chose their own leaders:
- First, they picked Theobald from a nearby area. But he didn't follow their local laws, called the Fors de Bearn, so they removed him quickly.
- Next, they chose Sentonge from Auvergne. He ruled for two years but also faced the same fate as Theobald.
During this time, William of Montcada wanted to take control of Béarn by force, but he never actually launched a military attack.
Life After Ruling
In 1173, Mary decided to leave her husband, William. She took their young twin sons and went to live in a monastery called Santa Cruz de Volvestre.
The nobles of Béarn, who had struggled with their previous rulers, sent a message to Mary at the monastery. They asked her to send one of her sons to become the new Viscount. Mary agreed and sent her elder son, Gaston. He later became known as Gaston VI of Béarn. Many years later, Gaston's younger twin brother, William Raymond, inherited Béarn from him.
Mary's exact death date is not known, but it was sometime after 1187.
See also
In Spanish: María de Bearne para niños
