Teresa (Mafalda) de Portugal, infanta de Portugal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infanta_Teresa,_Countess_of_Flanders

Infanta Teresa, Countess of Flanders

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Infanta Teresa of Portugal (Portuguese pronunciation: [t%C9%A8%CB%88%C9%BEez%C9%90] or [%CB%88t%C9%BEez%C9%90]) was a Portuguese infanta (princess), being the third daughter of Portuguese 1st King Afonso Henriques and Maud of Savoy. She was born c. 1157 and died in 1218 in Veurne, Flanders.

Around 1183 she married Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders, becoming Countess consort of Flanders. Because of the difficulty of pronouncing her name, she changed it to Matilde (Matilda or Mahaut).

Her marriage was celebrated (in the Tournai Cathedral, Bruges) after the death of Elisabeth of Vermandois, first wife of Philip, who hadn't given him any children, and was because Philip needed an heir so that his county wouldn't fall into French hands. For its part, Portugal, a new-born country, managed to secure an important alliance with Flanders, and European recognition. Teresa brought a considerable dowry, something that helped Philip manage his war with France for a couple of more years, before making peace in 1186. A reasonable number of Portuguese immigrants (mainly merchants) also went to Flanders with the infanta.

Teresa lived in one of the most luxurious royal courts of Europe, in which Philip patronized Chrétien de Troyes, author of a famous cycle of Arthurian stories and one of the fathers of the Graal theme in literature.

However, like Elisabeth of Vermandois, Teresa never gave birth, and after Philip's death, the county went to his sister Margaret I, Countess of Flanders.

After Philip's death in August 1191, she would marry again, this time to Eudes III of Burgundy in 1193. She interceded favourably with the king of France, for the marriage of her nephew Infante Fernando of Portugal with her grand-niece Jeanne, Countess of Flanders. Her second marriage produced no children, and so, she ended up being repudiated by the Duke, so that he could marry Alice of Vergy.

She has been reported to be Afonso I of Portugal's favourite daughter. In a work by Portuguese historian Maria Roma, she is described as beautiful and as a "prideful woman with a vyril energy", of the fibre of her grandmother Teresa, Countess of Portugal.

She is tenderly celebrated in Bruges every year.

Infanta dona TERESA de Portugal (1157-drowned off Furnes, Flanders 6 May 1218, bur Abbaye de Clairvaux, Jura). The De Rebus Hispaniæ of Rodericus Ximene s names "Sancium et Urracam…et aliam filiam…Tarasia" as the children of "Aldefonsum" & his wife, specifying that Teresa married "Philippo Comiti Flandriæ et Hannoniæ" and died childless[60]. The Chronicon Lusitanum records that “D. Tarasiam” daughter of “Rex Donnus Alfonsus” and his wife “Donnam Matildam, Comitis Amadæi de Moriana filiam” married “Consuli Flandrensium D”[61]. Known as TERESA from birth, she adopted the name MAFALDA in [1173/74] after the death of her older sister of that name, and was later known as MATHILDE. Senhora de Montemayor el Viejo e Ourem. The Flandria Generosa specifies that on her (first) marriage she was given "Insulam et Duacum et plures…villas…iacentes, Caslethuin, Watenes, Bergas, Burburgium, totamque maritimmam regionem"[62]. The Flandria Generosa names "Mathildis regine Portusequalis" as wife of Count Philippe, specifying that she arranged the repatriation of her husband's body to "Claramvallem"[63]. After the death of her husband, she received her widow's portion in southern and coastal Flanders but increased taxes so much that she provoked rebellions at Veurne [Furnes] and the castellany of Bourbourg[64]. She was designated regina and Ctss of Flanders when she promised her second husband not to marry again without his permission[65]. The Flandria Generosa records that she was "amita" of "Fernando filio regis Portusequalis" and instrumental in arranging his marriage to her first husband's great-niece Jeanne Ctss of Flanders[66]. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines records the death in 1218 of "comitissa vetus de Flandria relicta comitis Philippi" and her burial next to her husband at Clairvaux[67]. She died when her carriage accidentally fell into a marsh near Furnes[68]. m firstly (Aug 1183) as his second wife, PHILIPPE Count of Flanders, son of THIERRY I Count of Flanders & his second wife Sibylle d'Anjou (-Acre 1 Jul 1191, bur Abbaye de Clairvaux, Jura). m secondly (1193, divorced on grounds of consanguinity 1195) as his first wife, EUDES III Duke of Burgundy, son of HUGUES III Duke of Burgundy & his first wife Alix de Lorraine (1166-Lyon 6 Jul 1218, bur Abbaye de Cîteaux). from 'Foundation for Medieval Genealogy' http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/PORTUGAL.htm#_Toc174880649

Infanta Teresa, Countess of Flanders

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Infanta Teresa of Portugal (pron. IPA: [t%C9%A8'%C9%BEez%C9%90] or ['t%C9%BEez%C9%90]) was a Portuguese infanta, being the third daughter of Portuguese 1st King Afonso Henriques and Maud of Savoy. She was born c. 1157 and died in 1218 in Veurne, Flanders.

Around 1183 she married Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders, becoming Countess consort of Flanders. Because of the difficulty of pronouncing her name, she changed it to Matilde (Matilda or Mahaut).

Her marriage was celebrated (in the Tournai Cathedral, Bruges) after the death of Elisabeth of Vermandois, first wife of Philip, who hadn't given him any children, and was because Philip needed an heir so that his county wouldn't fall into French hands. For its part, Portugal, a new-born country, managed to secure an important alliance with Flanders, and European recognition. Teresa brought a considerable dowry, something that helped Philip manage his war with France for a couple of more years, before making peace in 1186. A reasonable number of Portuguese immigrants (mainly merchants) also went to Flanders with the infanta.

Teresa lived in one of the most luxurious royal courts of Europe, in which Philip patronized Chrétien de Troyes, author of a famous cycle of Arthurian stories and one of the fathers of the Graal theme in literature.

However, like Elisabeth of Vermandois, Teresa never gave birth, and after Philip's death, the county went to his sister Margaret I, Countess of Flanders.

After Philip's death in August 1191, she would marry again, this time to Eudes III of Burgundy in 1193. She interceded favourably with the king of France, for the marriage of her nephew Infante Fernando of Portugal with her grand-niece Jeanne, Countess of Flanders. Her second marriage produced no children, and so, she ended up being repudiated by the Duke, so that he could marry Alice of Vergy.

She has been reported to be Afonso I of Portugal's favourite daughter. In a work by Portuguese historian Maria Roma, she is described as beautiful and as a "prideful woman with a vyril energy", of the fibre of her grandmother Teresa, Countess of Portugal.

She is tenderly celebrated in Bruges every year.