Editing Robert II of France (section)

====Third marriage: Constance of Arles====
[[File:Constance d'Arles et Robert II le Pieux.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Constance of Arles, depicted in an engraving of the late 19th century.]]
After October 1002 and before August 1004, Robert II contracted his third and last marriage with the 17-year-old [[Constance of Arles|Constance]] (a distant princess, to avoid any close relationship), daughter of Count [[William I of Provence|William I of Arles and Provence]] and his wife [[Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou]].{{sfn|Theis|1999|p=131}} The new Queen's parents were prestigious in their own right: Count William I was nicknamed "the Liberator" (''le Libérateur'') thanks to his victories against the [[Saracens]], and Countess Adelaide-Blanche's blood relations with the [[House of Ingelger]] allowed Robert II to restored his alliance with them.{{sfn|Menant|1999|p=36}} Six{{efn|According to several sources,<ref>{{Cite book |first=Donald C. |last=Jackman |title=Extension of Latin Relationship Terms in Medieval France |series=Archive for Medieval Prosopography |issue=15 |date=2019 |page=74 |isbn=978-1-936466-65-8}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=6aCcDwAAQBAJ online]</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |first=Philippe |last=Thuillot |title=Les châtellenies au nord du Bassin parisien, du Xe au XIIIe siècles: étude sur les cadres institutionnels et les lieux de pouvoir, sur la société aristocratique (princes, comtes et chevaliers) |language=French |journal=Histoire. Université Paris-Est |date=2019 |page=365}}</ref> and considering the word "daughter" (''filla'') in the strict contemporary form, many authors believed that Constance, wife of Count [[Manasses, Count of Dammartin|Manasses of Dammartin]] (d. 1037) was another daughter of Robert II—from one of his three marriages, or daughter-in-law, or illegitimate daughter or even a godchild—and Constance of Arles—due to onomastics reasons she could be either her mother or godmother—. The connection is suggested by the presence of the royal couple at a donation by "''Manasses comes''" dated 4 February 1031 where Constance is named as ''filla'' of the King and Queen. On the other hand, Rodolfus Glaber records that Robert II had two daughters by his wife Constance, presumably referring to Hedwig and Adela, so ignoring any daughter named Constance. According to ''Europäische Stammtafeln'', the wife of Count Manasses was "Constance [of Dammartin]", presumably on the theory that she brought her husband the [[County of Dammartin]].}} children born from Constance's marriage to Robert II are recorded:

* [[Hedwig of France, Countess of Nevers|Hedwig [Advisa]]], Countess of Auxerre (ca. 1003 – aft. 1063), married [[Renauld I, Count of Nevers]]{{sfn|Bouchard|1987|p=343}} on 25 January 1016 and had issue.
* [[Hugh of France (son of Robert II)|Hugh]], Junior King (1007 – 17 September 1025).
* [[Henry I of France|Henry I]], successor (bef. 17 April/4 May 1008 – 4 August 1060).{{sfn|Bouchard|2001|p=112}}
* [[Adela of France, Countess of Flanders|Adela]], Countess of Contenance (ca. 1009 – 8 January 1079), married (1) [[Richard III of Normandy]] and (2) Count [[Baldwin V of Flanders]].{{sfn|Bouchard|2001|p=112}}
* [[Robert I, Duke of Burgundy|Robert]] (1011–12 – 21 March 1076), named by his father heir to the Duchy of Burgundy in 1030, installed as such in 1032 by his brother.{{sfn|Bouchard|2001|p=112}}   
* Odo [Eudes] (1013 – 15 May 1057–59), who may have been [[intellectual disability|intellectually disabled]] according to the chronicle (ended in 1138) of Pierre, son of Béchin, canon of Saint-Martin-de-Tours. He died after his brother's failed invasion of Normandy.
[[File:Robert2Franc Constance of Arles.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Constance of Arles surrendering to her son [[Henry I of France]]. [[Illuminated manuscript|Illumination]] on [[parchment]] from ca. 1375–1380 manuscript. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Fr 2813, folio 177 recto.]]

Since early in her marriage, Constance often placed herself at the center of many intrigues to preserve a preponderant place in the Frankish court. Rodolfus Glaber rightly emphasized that the Queen was "in control of her husband". For contemporaries, a woman who led her husband implied an abnormal situation. It all started at the beginning of the year 1008, a day when the King and his faithful [[Count palatine]] Hugh of Beauvais were hunting in the forest of Orléans. Suddenly, twelve armed men appeared and threw themselves on Hugh before killing him under the eyes of the king. The crime was ordered by Count Fulk III of Anjou, and with all probability supported by the Queen.{{efn|Hugh of Beauvais, cousin of the Count of Blois, was one of Bertha's supporters, which explains Constance's hostility towards him.{{sfn|Theis|1999|p=142}}}} Robert II, exasperated by his wife after six or seven years of marriage (c. 1009–1010), went personally to [[Rome]] accompanied by Angilramme (a monk from Saint-Riquier) and Bertha de Burgundy. His plan was to obtain from [[Pope Sergius IV]] an annulment from his marriage with Constance and to remarry Bertha,{{sfn|Adair|2003|p=13}}<ref>Christian Bouyer, ''Dictionnaire des Reines de France'' (in French). Academic Library Perrin, 1992. {{ISBN|2-262-00789-6}}</ref> whom Robert II still loved deeply,<ref name="Rouche2"/> under the grounds of Constance's participation in the murder of Hugh of Beauvais. [[Odorannus]], a [[Benedictine]] [[monk]] from the [[Abbey of Saint-Pierre-le-Vif]] in [[Sens]], explains in his writings that during her husband's journey to Rome, Constance withdrew in distress to her dominions at [[Theil]]. According to him, Saint Savinian would have appeared to him and secured that the royal marriage would be preserved; three days later, Robert II was back, definitively abandoning Bertha.{{efn|From 1010, Bertha disappeared from the documentation and she died in January of the same year.<ref>[[Odorannus]], ''Opera omnia'', ed. and trad. by Robert-Henri Bautier, CNRS, Paris, 1972.</ref>}}
The problems did not end, however. The rivalry between Bertha and Constance only enhanced the hatred between the Houses of Blois and Anjou. In the midst of this dispute, after the military victory of [[Odo II, Count of Blois|Odo II of Blois]] over [[Fulk III of Anjou]] in [[Pontlevoy]] (1016), the Queen sought to strengthen her family's position at court. For this, she and her Angevin relatives pressured the King to associate her eldest son Hugh to the throne, to ensure the regency of Constance over the Kingdom in the event of Robert II's death. Against the opinion of the royal councilors and the territorial princes, Robert II relented and thus, according to Rodulfus Glaber, 10-years-old Hugh was consecrated Junior King on [[Pentecost Day]] (9 June) 1017 in the church of the Abbey of Saint-Corneille in [[Compiègne]].<ref>Rodulfi Glabri, ''Historiarum'' III.32, p. 151.</ref> Although the association markedly favored the House of Anjou (and could put the sovereign's own life at risk), Robert II considered that this was the best way to consolidate the new Capetian dynasty and prevent another of the noble families from disputing the throne. However, he did not give any royal power to his son and, for this, Hugh was constantly humiliated by his mother. When he came of age, the junior King rebelled against his father, but eventually was restored in the royal favor.<ref name="Pfister">[[Christian Pfister]], ''Études sur le règne de Robert le Pieux (996–1031)'' (in French). Paris, 1885. {{oclc|740889479}}</ref>