Editing Charles I of Anjou (section)

===Provence and Anjou===

[[Raymond Berengar V of Provence]] died in August 1245,{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=145–146}} bequeathing [[List of rulers of Provence|Provence]] and [[County of Forcalquier|Forcalquier]] to his youngest daughter, [[Beatrice of Provence|Beatrice]], allegedly because he had given generous [[dowries]] to her three sisters.{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=146, 151}}{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} The dowries were actually not fully discharged,{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=72}} causing two of her sisters, [[Margaret of Provence|Margaret]] (Louis IX's wife) and [[Eleanor of Provence|Eleanor]] (the wife of [[Henry III of England]]), to believe that they had been unlawfully disinherited.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} Their mother, [[Beatrice of Savoy]], claimed that Raymond Berengar had willed the [[usufruct]] of Provence to her.{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=145–146}}{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}}

The Hohenstaufen [[Emperor Frederick II]] (whom [[Pope Innocent IV]] had recently [[Excommunication in the Catholic Church|excommunicated]] for his alleged "crimes against the Church"), [[Count Raymond VII of Toulouse]] and other neighbouring rulers proposed themselves or their sons as husbands for the young Countess.{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=142, 147}} Her mother put her under the protection of the Holy See.{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=147}} Louis IX and Margaret suggested that Beatrice should be given in marriage to Charles.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} To secure the support of France against Frederick II, Pope Innocent IV accepted their proposal.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} Charles hurried to [[Aix-en-Provence]] at the head of an army to prevent other suitors from invading Provence, and married Beatrice on 31{{nbs}}January 1246.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}}{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=152}}{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=153}} Provence was a part of the [[Kingdom of Arles]] and so of the [[Holy Roman Empire]],{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} but Charles never swore fealty to the emperor.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=44}} He ordered a survey of the counts' rights and revenues, outraging both his subjects and his mother-in-law, who regarded this action as an attack against her rights.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}}{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=160}}

Being a younger child, destined for a church career, Charles had not received an [[appanage]] (a hereditary county or duchy) from his father.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=12}} Louis VIII had willed that his fourth son, John, should receive [[County of Anjou|Anjou]] and [[County of Maine|Maine]] upon reaching the age of majority, but John died in 1232.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|pp=12–13}} Louis IX knighted Charles at [[Melun]] in May 1246 and three months later bestowed Anjou and Maine on him.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=13}}{{sfn|Takayama|2004|p=78}} Charles rarely visited his two counties and appointed [[bailli]]es (or regents) to administer them.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=30}}

While Charles was absent from Provence, [[Marseille]], [[Arles]] and [[Avignon]]—three wealthy cities, directly subject to the emperor—formed a league and appointed a Provençal nobleman, [[Barral of Baux]], as the commander of their combined armies.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} Charles's mother-in-law put the disobedient Provençals under her protection.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} Charles could not deal with the rebels as he was about to join [[Seventh Crusade|his brother's crusade]].{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} To pacify his mother-in-law he acknowledged her right to rule Forcalquier and granted a third of his revenues from Provence to her.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}}