Ad?le of Champagne (c. 1140 ? 4 June 1206), also known as Adelaide and Alix, was the third wife of Louis VII of France (they married October 18, 1160, five weeks after his previous wife Constance of Castile had died at childbirth) and the mother of his only male heir, who became Philip II. She was the daughter of Theobald II, Count of Champagne and Matilda of Carinthia and was named after her grandmother.She was active in the political life of the kingdom, along with her brothers Henry I, Theobald V, and Guillaume aux Blanches Mains. Henry and Theobald were married to daughters of Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Ad?le and her brothers felt their position threatened when the heiress of Artois, Isabella of Hainault, married Ad?le's son Philip. Ad?le formed an alliance with Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy and Count Philip of Flanders, and even tried to interest Frederick Barbarossa. War broke out in 1181, and relations became so bad that Philip attempted to divorce Isabella in 1184.Although her power decreased after the accession of Philip in 1180, she acted as regent of the kingdom in 1190 while Philip was away on the Third Crusade. She returned to the shadows when he returned in 1192 but participated in the founding of many abbeys.She died on 4 June 1206 in Paris, ?le-de-France, France, and was buried in the church of Pontigny Abbey near Auxerre.She had two children with Louis VII of France:Dieudonn?, the future Philip AugustusAgnes of France, Byzantine EmpressHer grandchildren were King Louis VIII of France, wife of Narjot de Toucy, Duchess Marie and Philip I, Count of Boulogne.
Active years end year
1180
Death date
1206-01-01
Death year
1206
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