Marie of France (1198 – 15 August 1224) was a daughter of Philip II of France and his disputed third wife Agnes of Merania. She was a member of the House of Capet.
Contents
Early life and legitimacy
In order to marry Agnes, Marie's father Philip had to get a divorce from his neglected second wife Ingeborg of Denmark. Pope Innocent III (1198–1216) refused to grant Philip a divorce. Philip still did remarry though. His first choice was Marguerite of Geneva, but they did not marry. Philip then married Agnes in 1196. Agnes gave birth to Marie and then to her brother, Philip I, Count of Boulogne.
Innocent III declared Philip's marriage to Agnes null and void, as he was still married to Ingeborg. He ordered the King to part from Agnès; when he did not, the Pope placed France under an interdict in 1199. This continued until 7 September 1200. Needing an alliance from Ingeborg's brother, King Valdemar II of Denmark (1202–41), Philip finally allowed Ingeborg to be recognized as his Queen in 1213.
Marriages
Marie's first betrothal was to Prince Alexander of Scotland (future King Alexander II); the pair were only two years of age. Alexander succeeded as King aged sixteen in 1214, his engagement to Marie having been broken off around 1202.
Marie's second betrothal was to Arthur I, Duke of Brittany, who was fighting against John for the Kingdom of England. Marie's father recognised Arthur's rights to many French lands but recognised John as the rightful King of England. Marie and Arthur were betrothed in 1202 but never married due to Arthur's disappearance and supposed death, for which John was blamed.
