Marguerite of France (born 1158)

French Monarchy-
Capetian Dynasty
(direct Capetians branch)

Hugh Capet Children    Robert II Robert II Children    Henry I    Robert I, Duke of Burgundy Henry I Children    Philip I    Hugh, Count of Vermandois Philip I Children    Louis VI Louis VI Children    Louis VII    Robert I of Dreux Louis VII Children    Mary, Countess of Champagne    Alix    Marguerite    Alys, Countess of the Vexin    Philip II    Agnes of France Philip II (Philip Augustus) Children    Louis VIII Louis VIII Children    Louis IX    Robert I, Count of Artois    Alphonse, Count of Poitou and Toulouse    Isabel of France    Charles I of Anjou and Sicily Louis IX Children    Philip III    Robert, Count of Clermont    Agnes of France Philip III Children    Philip IV    Charles III, Count of Valois    Louis d'Evreux    Margaret of France Philip IV Children    Louis X    Philip V    Isabella of France    Charles IV Louis X Children    Joan II of Navarre    John I John I Philip V Charles IV

Marguerite of France (1158 - 1197) was the eldest daughter of Louis VII of France by his second wife Constance of Castile. Her maternal grandparents were Alfonso VII of Castile and Berenguela of Barcelona. Berenguela was a daughter of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona by his third wife Douce of Provence.

Marguerite was a younger half-sister to Marie de Champagne and Alix of France. She was an older sister to Alys, Countess of the Vexin. Constance died in giving birth to Alys on 4 October 1160. Marguerite and Alys were older half-sisters to Philip II of France and Agnes of France.

She was betrothed to Henry the Young King of England on November 2, 1160. Henry was the second of five sons born to Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was five years old at the time of this agreement while Marguerite was only two.

Her husband became co-ruler with his father in 1170. They were formaly married on August 27, 1172 in Winchester Cathedral. Marguerite became pregnant and gave birth to their only son William on June 19, 1177. The child was born prematurely and died on June 22 of the same year.

She was accused in 1182 of having a love affair with William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, although contemporary chroniclers doubted the truth of these accusations. Henry may have started the process to have their marriage annulled, ostensibly due to her adultery but in reality because she could not conceive an heir. Marguerite was sent back to France, according to E. Hallam (The Plantagenets) and Amy Kelly (Eleonore of Aquitaine and the Four Kings), to ensure her safety during the civil war with Young Henry's brother Richard.

After receiving a substantial pension in exchange for surrendering her dowry of Gisors and the Vexin, she became the third Queen consort of Béla III of Hungary in 1186. The difficult delivery of her only known child in 1177 seems to have rendered her sterile, as she had no further children by either Young Henry or Béla. She became a widow in 1196 and died on pilgimage to the Holy Land at St. John of Acre in 1197, having only arrived a few days prior to her death. She was buried at the Cathedral of Tyre, according to Ernoul the chronicler who continued the chronicles of William of Tyre.