Marriage
In 1164, William married Eléonore de Vermandois, later Eléonore, Countess of Vermandois in her own right from 1183 to 1214. His wife was a daughter of Raoul I, Count of Vermandois and his second wife Petronilla of Aquitaine, who was a daughter of William X of Aquitaine and Aenor of Châtellerault; therefore Eléonore was a niece of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
His wife was previously married to Godfrey of Hainaut, Count of Ostervant, son of Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut and Alice of Namur, who died on 7 April 1163, while preparing for a journey to Palestine. Eléonore went on to marry Matthew of Alsace, Mathieu III of Beaumont-sur-Oise and (possibly) Etienne II of Blois. She never had children and her designated heir to her realms was Philip II of France, a paternal second cousin, once removed.
Read more about this topic: William IV, Count Of Nevers
Famous quotes containing the word marriage:
“the mother lies down on her marriage bed
and eats up her heart like two eggs.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“For the marriage bed ordained by fate for men and women is stronger than an oath and guarded by Justice.”
—Aeschylus (525–456 B.C.)
“What is any respectable girl brought up to do but to catch some rich man’s fancy and get the benefit of his money by marrying him?—as if a marriage ceremony could make any difference in the right or wrong of the thing!”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)