Alice of Champagne - Throne Claimant of Champagne

Throne Claimant of Champagne

When her father Henry II had enlisted in the Third Crusade, she was not yet married and he had stated in his will that the County of Champagne be left to his brother Theobald III, Count of Champagne unless he returned from the East. Theobald died in 1201 leaving a minor son and his wife Blanche of Navarre; however, the daughters of Henry II felt that their father could not disinherit them and would give them Champagne if he knew the sisters had children. Alice and Philippa claimed the county of Champagne. First Philippa and her husband Erard of Brienne triggered the War of Succession of Champagne, then gave up the county in 1221 but Alice did not give up. She was supported by a large number of French barons who had also drawn more or less in rebellion against Blanche of Castile for supporting Blanche of Navarre as regent. Alice was not dispatched and arrived in France at the beginning of 1233, which seriously harmed the project, since the chief baron made their submission to Louis IX of France. In September 1234, Alice was offered the sum of forty thousand crowns and an area of two thousand livres income if she gave up her claim, which she did.

Alice returned to Syria. In 1236 she tried to move to Cyprus, but her son made it clear she was not welcome. In 1241 she married Raoul de Soissons, Lord of Couevre. Two years before, in 1239 fighting had broken out in the Holy Land involving Theobald I of Navarre, who was Theobald III and Blanche of Navarre's son.