House of Vermandois - Elizabeth of Vermandois, Countess of Leicester, Hugh I, Count of Vermandois, Ralph I, Count of Vermandois, Herbert III (Paperback)

Chapters: Elizabeth of Vermandois, Countess of Leicester, Hugh I, Count of Vermandois, Ralph I, Count of Vermandois, Herbert Iii, Count of Meaux. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 27. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Elizabeth of Vermandois, or Elisabeth or Isabel de Vermandois (ca. 1081 13 February 1131), was a niece of Philip I of France who was twice married to influential Anglo-Norman magnates. Elizabeth of Vermandois was the third daughter of Hugh Magnus and Adelaide of Vermandois, and as such represented both the Capetian line of her paternal grandfather Henry I of France, and the Carolingian ancestry of her maternal grandfather Herbert IV of Vermandois. Her father was a younger brother of Philip I of France. In 1096, while under age (and probably aged 9 or 11), Elizabeth married Robert de Meulan, 1st Earl of Leicester. Meulan was over 35 years her senior, which was an unusual age difference even for this time period. He was a nobleman of some significance in France, having inherited lands from his maternal uncle Henry, Count of Meulan, and had fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 under the command of his distant kinsman William the Conqueror. For this service, he was awarded English lands in addition to those in Meulan and Normandy he had inherited. However, at the time of the marriage, he held no earldom in England while his younger brother was already styled Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick. Meulan was a respected advisor to three reigning monarchs: William II of England, Robert Curthose of Normandy and Philip I of France. According to Middle Ages custom, brides were often betrothed young - 8 being the legal age for betrothal and 12 for marriage (for women). The young betrothed wife would often go to her husband's castle to be raised by his parents or other relat...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=326202